Table of Contents
  1. Quick Answer
  2. Key Takeaways
  3. Why Does Gum Disease Need Treatment Before an Implant?
  4. What Does Gum Treatment Before an Implant Look Like?
  5. What If Gum Disease Has Caused Bone Loss?
  6. Which Health Factors Matter Besides the Gums?
  7. How Do Implants Stay Healthy After Gum Disease?
  8. Frequently Asked Questions
  9. Dental Implants With Gum Disease, in the Right Order
  10. Related Reading

Lost a tooth to gum disease and worried that an implant is off the table? Getting dental implants with gum disease in the picture takes planning, because the infection that cost the tooth can also threaten the implant. Dental implants are titanium posts set into the jawbone that act as new tooth roots and hold a crown, bridge or denture. The usual order is to treat the gums, rebuild bone if needed, and then place the implant.

Quick Answer

Yes, many people with gum disease can get dental implants once the infection is treated and the gums are stable. Active gum disease raises the risk of infection and bone loss around an implant. When gum disease has also caused bone loss, grafting can rebuild the site before the implant goes in.

Key Takeaways

  • Active gum disease is treated first, since the same bacteria can attack bone around implants.
  • Deep cleanings, laser therapy or gum surgery bring the infection under control before implant placement.
  • Bone lost to gum disease can often be rebuilt with grafting before the implant goes in.
  • Diabetes, tobacco use and other health factors affect healing and are reviewed during planning.
  • Implants need regular maintenance cleanings, especially for people who have had gum disease before.

Why Does Gum Disease Need Treatment Before an Implant?

Gum disease is treated first because the bacteria that destroyed bone around a natural tooth can do the same around an implant. An implant holds steady because the jawbone grows tightly against it, a process called osseointegration. Infected, inflamed gums put that bone at risk while it heals and long after. Infection around an implant is called peri-implantitis, and it can loosen an implant when it isn’t stopped.

What Does Gum Treatment Before an Implant Look Like?

The first goal when planning dental implants with periodontal disease is a stable mouth, with no bleeding or deepening pockets around the remaining teeth. Many people start with scaling and root planing, a deep cleaning below the gumline. Deeper pockets may need laser periodontal therapy, the LANAP protocol, or osseous surgery, which reshapes the bone to close the pockets.

Teeth that are too loose to save may be removed during this phase. Once the gums heal, the periodontist measures the pockets again to confirm the infection is under control.

What If Gum Disease Has Caused Bone Loss?

Grafting can rebuild the jaw when gum disease has left too little bone to anchor an implant. A 3D cone beam (CBCT) scan shows the height and width of bone where the implant would go. When the ridge is too thin, a bone graft or guided bone regeneration adds volume. In the upper back jaw, a sinus augmentation builds bone beneath the sinus floor so an implant has enough room.

The graft heals into solid bone over several months before the implant is placed. When enough bone remains to hold the implant steady, grafting and placement can happen in the same visit, and the implant then fuses with the bone before the final teeth are attached.

Which Health Factors Matter Besides the Gums?

General health shapes how well an implant site heals. According to the ADA’s MouthHealthy, chronic illnesses such as diabetes or leukemia may interfere with healing after implant surgery, and tobacco use can also slow healing. MouthHealthy also notes that a person’s health is more of a factor than age.

Diabetes deserves extra attention, since it is linked to gum disease as well. Steady blood sugar and quitting tobacco help the gums and the implant site heal.

How Do Implants Stay Healthy After Gum Disease?

Implants don’t decay, but the tissue around them can still become infected. A history of gum disease raises that risk, so daily care and maintenance visits matter.

  • Brush around the implant crown morning and night with a soft-bristled brush.
  • Clean between teeth daily with floss, small brushes or a water flosser.
  • Keep periodontal maintenance cleanings on the schedule the periodontist sets.
  • Report bleeding, swelling or a bad taste around the implant right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get implants if I have severe gum disease?

Often, yes, once the infection is treated and any lost bone is rebuilt. Severe cases usually involve more steps, such as gum surgery, extractions and bone grafting, before the implant goes in.

Can dental implants cure gum disease?

Implants replace missing teeth, but they do not treat infection in the gums around the remaining teeth. Gum disease needs its own treatment, and the implant needs healthy gums around it to last.

Does everyone need a bone graft after gum disease?

Grafting is needed when the scan shows too little bone to anchor the implant. Some people keep enough bone, especially when the tooth was removed before the infection spread far.

Dental Implants With Gum Disease, in the Right Order

A history of gum disease changes the order of care for dental implants. Treating the infection, rebuilding bone where needed and keeping up with maintenance give the implant healthy gums and solid bone around it.

If you want to learn more about implants after gum disease, visit our Dental Implants in Downtown Los Angeles, CA, page or schedule a consultation.