If you’re missing one tooth or several, and wondering whether implants are actually an option for you, the short answer is: probably yes. Most adults who have lost teeth are either ready for dental implants now or can become candidates for dental implants with some preparatory work first.
What determines candidacy isn’t a single checkbox. It’s a combination of factors your oral surgeon evaluates during a consultation: bone structure, gum health, your medical history, and a few lifestyle considerations. Knowing what goes into that evaluation helps you arrive with realistic expectations.
What Oral Surgeons Look For
Dental implants work through a process called osseointegration: the titanium implant post fuses directly with the jawbone over several months. For that fusion to succeed, a few conditions need to be in place.
Bone Density and Volume
The implant post anchors into the jawbone. If the bone is too thin, too shallow, or has resorbed significantly after tooth loss, there may not be enough structure to support a stable implant.
This is one of the most common findings during an implant evaluation. It’s also one of the most addressable. Bone grafting can rebuild the volume needed before implant placement, making implants possible for patients who wouldn’t otherwise qualify.
Gum Health
Implants are seated in bone, but they’re surrounded by gum tissue. Active periodontal disease creates an inflammatory environment where implants are significantly more likely to fail. Any existing gum disease needs to be brought under control before implant surgery can be planned, typically through treatment with your general dentist in the months before your surgical evaluation. Once gum health is stabilized, implant placement can proceed in most cases.
Overall Medical Health
Implant surgery is a surgical procedure, and your overall health matters. Most healthy adults tolerate it well. Certain conditions need closer review. These include uncontrolled diabetes, medicines that slow bone healing, or immune-weakening treatments.
Your oral surgeon may coordinate with your primary care physician. They don’t automatically rule out implants, but they do warrant a more detailed conversation.
A Fully Developed Jaw
Dental implants require a jawbone that has finished growing. For most patients, that means being at least 17 to 18 years old, though development timing varies.
There is no upper age limit. Adults in their 70s and 80s receive dental implants routinely. Age alone is rarely a factor in candidacy.
Learn more about jaw surgery at EOS →
Conditions That Can Complicate Candidacy
Several factors fall into a gray area. They don’t automatically disqualify you, but they require careful evaluation. In some cases, preparatory treatment is needed before implant placement can begin.
Bone Loss After Tooth Loss
When a tooth is lost, the bone underneath begins to resorb. The longer a tooth has been missing, the more bone may have deteriorated. A bone graft placed at the implant site can restore the necessary structure. This adds time to the overall treatment timeline, but it makes implants possible for many patients who wouldn’t otherwise have sufficient bone.
Active Gum Disease
Active periodontal disease needs to be treated before implant surgery. Most patients who address their gum health go on to receive implants without complication. A history of severe gum disease may warrant closer monitoring after placement, but it does not automatically disqualify someone. What matters is the current state of gum health at the time of surgery.
Smoking
Smoking slows healing and substantially increases the risk of implant failure. Oral surgeons typically recommend stopping at least a few weeks before surgery and throughout the integration period. Patients who continue smoking after placement face meaningfully higher failure rates.
Smoking is a risk factor, not a hard disqualifier. Your surgeon will help you plan around it honestly.
Certain Medications and Medical Conditions
Bisphosphonate medications (commonly prescribed for osteoporosis), radiation therapy directed at the jaw, and some immunosuppressants can each affect how bone heals around an implant. These situations require coordination between your oral surgeon and the physician managing the underlying condition. In many cases, dental implants are still possible with appropriate planning and timing.
What If You Don’t Qualify Right Now?
Not qualifying immediately doesn’t mean the door is closed. The most common paths forward are bone grafting, periodontal treatment, managing systemic conditions, and smoking cessation.
If bone volume is insufficient at the implant site, a graft rebuilds the foundation. It adds time, typically three to six months of healing, but it’s a well-established preparatory step. If active gum disease is present, your general dentist addresses it first. Once gum health is stable, your case can be re-evaluated for implant planning.
Getting conditions like diabetes under better control can meaningfully improve surgical candidacy and healing outcomes. Patients who stop smoking before and during the healing period see substantially better results.
A consultation with an oral surgeon is the clearest way to understand where you stand and what, if anything, needs to happen first.
How Candidacy Is Evaluated
During your consultation, your surgeon will review your medical and dental history, take detailed imaging (typically a cone-beam CT scan that produces a three-dimensional view of your bone structure), and examine your gum tissue and bite. This gives a full picture of your situation: whether any preparatory work is needed, the likely sequence, and a realistic timeline.
At EOS, both Dr. Brett Voegele and Dr. Diana Jee Hyun Lyu are board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeons who specialize in implant surgery and the preparatory procedures that often precede it, including bone grafting and extractions. The evaluation is designed to give you a clear answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an age limit for dental implants?
There is no upper age limit. The lower limit is tied to jaw development, which typically completes around age 17 to 18, though timing varies. Adults of any age beyond that are candidates for evaluation.
Do I need a bone graft before I can get implants?
Not necessarily. Whether a bone graft is needed depends on the amount of bone present at the implant site.
Some patients have sufficient bone and move directly to placement. Others need preparatory grafting first. Your surgeon determines this through imaging during your consultation.
How long does the process take if I need preparatory work?
It varies. A bone graft site typically needs three to six months to heal before an implant can be placed. After placement, the implant requires another three to six months to integrate before a crown is attached. Your surgeon can give you a realistic timeline during your initial evaluation.
Can I get dental implants if I have gum disease?
Active gum disease needs to be treated before implant surgery. Once gum health is stabilized, implants are usually still an option. Your surgical team will assess gum health as part of the evaluation.
Can smokers get dental implants?
Yes, though implant failure rates are higher in smokers. Stopping smoking before surgery and throughout the healing period significantly improves outcomes. Your surgeon will discuss your specific situation during the consultation.
If you’re wondering whether you’re a candidate, a consultation will tell you. Most patients who come in asking that question leave with a clear plan, whether that means moving forward with implants or taking a few preparatory steps first.
EOS offers implant consultations at our Eden Prairie, Savage, and Shakopee locations. If you’d like a clear answer about your options, we’d be glad to schedule a time to talk.
