Osteoporosis and Dental Implants - What Needs to Happen Before Surgery

If you have osteoporosis and want a dental implant, then you should know that you are not automatically ineligible when it comes to receiving the tooth replacement. However, there are a few things that may need to happen before your dentist will be able to secure the implant device. Keep reading to learn what they are. 

Stop Taking Medication

If you have a bad case of osteoporosis, then you will likely need to take some sort of medication. These medicines may include an antiresorptive or an anabolic agent. Anabolic agents help to build bone by stimulating the bone building process. Antiresorptive drugs disrupt the bone resorption process so bone cells remain intact across the body for a longer period of time. In other words, old bones cells do not degrade. 

Anabolic medications are widely used by individuals with osteoporosis, and they have little effect on the dental implant process. However, antiresporptive medications can cause significant problems with the bone remodeling process. Bone remodeling is when the jaw bone builds new bone cells. This requires some old cells to disintegrate to make way for more substantial and dense bone matter around the implant device. If the body is unable to remodel the bone, then the result will be a weak structure underneath the implant device.

You will need to stop taking any and all antiresorptive medicines before your implant operation is scheduled. You may be able to switch to an anabolic medication instead. Speak with your dentist and general physician to see if this is a good idea. 

In addition to switching medicines, you may also need to stop taking medicines that include inflammation-suppressing drugs and immune-suppressing medication. Both of these types of medicines can affect the way your body is able to heal after dental implants are placed. 

Receive a Bone Graft

If you have osteoporosis, then it is likely that you have a thin jaw. The thinning is likely most pronounced in the area where you lost your tooth because natural teeth help to stimulate growth of new bone cells. Stimulation obviously cannot occur if there is no tooth. 

If bone thinning is substantial enough, then your dentist may need to thicken the bone through artificial means. This involves placing a bone graft. If you have osteoporosis, then the graft will likely not be taken from your body. There are several options that do not involve your own bone, like artificial or synthetic bone materials. Also, bovine, or cow bone, and cadaver-harvested bones are good options. While the natural bone options may seem a bit disturbing, you should know that bovine and cadaver bone grafts are extremely common. They also have been around for decades, so you do not have anything to worry about. However, if you are uncomfortable, synthetic bone has a high success rate.