Many people can have dental implants after gum disease once the infection is under control and the gums are stable. At Makeover Dental in Springfield, IL, your assessment covers gum health, bone levels through included imaging, your medical history, and your bite. A prosthodontist then builds a written plan, which may include grafting or Teeth in Just One Day. Book your assessment to get started.
Gum disease, or periodontitis, is one of the most common reasons adults lose their teeth. If it has happened to you, it is natural to wonder whether dental implants are still possible, or whether the same problem might simply return. These are fair questions, and they deserve a careful answer.
A history of gum disease does not automatically rule out implants. What matters is that the disease is controlled before treatment, the implants are planned around your bone and bite, and you stay committed to ongoing care. A thorough assessment at our Springfield practice covers each of these areas in detail
Dental Implant Candidacy After Gum Disease
Many patients with a history of gum disease remain good candidates for implants. Studies show that patients with a history of periodontitis can have successful implants. Research also shows these patients face a higher risk of peri implant disease, which is inflammation of the gums and bone around an implant. That is exactly why a careful implant consultation and long term maintenance matter so much.
Implants placed into a healthy, stable mouth and supported by regular professional care have the best chance of lasting for many years. Our experienced team builds that long view into every plan, because a beautiful result only matters if it stays healthy for years to come.
Saving Natural Teeth Versus Choosing Implants
Saving natural teeth is always the first goal when it can be done predictably. Implants are not better than healthy teeth. However, when gum disease has destroyed too much support, a tooth may keep loosening, aching, or harboring infection despite treatment. An honest prosthodontic assessment weighs the long term outlook of each tooth, so your plan rests on a stable foundation rather than on teeth likely to fail within a few years.
How Gum Disease Affects Implant Planning
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that breaks down the bone and tissue holding teeth in place. Its effects reach well beyond the gums, and each one is considered during your treatment planning:
- Bone is often thinner or shorter where teeth were lost.
- Active bacteria can spread to the tissue around a new implant.
- Remaining teeth may also be affected and need care.
- Receding gums can change how natural the final result looks.
- Gum disease is closely linked to diabetes and smoking, both of which affect healing.
What Your Dental Implant Assessment Includes
A complete assessment looks at your whole mouth and your overall health. At Makeover Dental, a comprehensive evaluation of oral health, bone volume, and medical history always comes before any treatment plan is presented.
A Review of Your Health History
We start by reviewing your health conditions, medications, smoking history, and past dental treatment. Conditions such as diabetes influence both gum health and healing, so we take time to understand them fully. If you have questions before your visit, our front office team is happy to help.
A Close Look at Your Gums
Your gums are checked for signs of active disease, such as bleeding, deep pockets between the gums and teeth, recession, loose teeth, or signs of infection. If active gum disease is present, it is treated and stabilized before any implants are placed. This step protects the investment you are making in implant treatment.
Imaging to Measure Your Bone
Imaging is included with your consultation. It shows how much bone remains, where it sits, and how close important structures such as the sinus and nerves are. These details tell us whether you can receive implants right away or would benefit from bone grafting first, and they are reviewed with you during your consultation visit.
An Honest Evaluation of Remaining Teeth
Each remaining tooth is reviewed to decide whether it can be kept for the long term. Holding onto a tooth with a poor outlook can put a new implant at risk. Sometimes replacing several failing teeth at once leads to a healthier, more predictable result, which is the idea behind full mouth reconstruction.
A Bite and Smile Analysis
As a prosthodontist, Dr. Jorge Mosquera studies how your teeth come together, how your smile looks, and how your final teeth should be designed. Implant position is then planned to support that result. You can learn more about his training on our Meet Our Team page.
A Complete Written Plan
You leave with a written plan that explains each step, the expected timeline, and every fee before treatment begins. Many patients find it helpful to review the plan at home with family, and we are always available to answer follow up questions.
Treatment Options After Gum Disease
Your options depend on how many teeth are missing or failing and how much bone remains. For one missing tooth with good surrounding bone, a single implant and crown replaces the tooth without altering its neighbors. When several teeth in a row are missing, a few implants can support a fixed bridge. Both are explained on our dental implants page.
Advanced gum disease often affects many teeth at once. For these patients, Teeth in Just One Day can replace a full arch in a single appointment. Failing teeth are removed, implants are placed, and a fixed temporary bridge is attached the same day, with final zirconia teeth fitted after healing.
When both arches need rebuilding, full mouth reconstruction combines implants with crowns, bridges, and other restorative work in a carefully sequenced plan.
Implant Options After Severe Bone Loss
Severe periodontitis can leave very little bone, especially in the upper jaw. Even then, there are often options. Bone grafting, angled All on 4 placement, and zygomatic or pterygoid implants can make fixed teeth possible for many patients. Dr. Mosquera is trained in conventional, zygomatic, and pterygoid placement, and many of these cases are shown in our before and after gallery.
A Typical Path From Gum Disease to New Teeth
Every case is unique, but many patients follow a similar sequence. It begins with a full assessment and imaging, followed by treating and stabilizing any active infection. Teeth that cannot be saved are removed, and bone is rebuilt where needed. Implants are then placed under local anesthesia or IV sedation, and in full arch cases, fixed temporary teeth may be attached the same day.
Over the following months, bone bonds to the implants while temporary teeth keep you comfortable. Your final crown, bridge, or full arch zirconia teeth are then fitted and adjusted. Regular checkups and cleanings keep everything healthy, and your written treatment plan outlines which steps apply to you.
Protecting Your Implants for the Long Term
Implants cannot get cavities, but the tissue around them can become inflamed, a condition called peri implantitis. It is more common in people with a history of gum disease, so daily home care matters. Patients with a periodontal history often benefit from professional cleanings every three to four months, and our patient care team will help you set a schedule that works.
Avoiding tobacco, managing diabetes, and protecting your teeth from heavy grinding all reduce your risk further. For patients who clench, therapeutic Botox can sometimes help ease muscle force. In our experience, good oral hygiene matters far more to long term success than age.
Comfortable Care Every Step of the Way
Patients who have lived with gum disease often feel anxious about dental visits, and that is completely understandable. We offer local anesthesia, IV sedation in Springfield, and, for selected cases, general anesthesia. Most patients remember little or nothing of their treatment under sedation.
Implants After Gum Disease Near Springfield, Champaign, and Mahomet
Makeover Dental is located at 687 E Linton Ave, Springfield, IL 62703. Patients visit us from Springfield, Champaign, Mahomet, Urbana, Chatham, Decatur, Bloomington, Peoria, Jacksonville, and across Central Illinois, and many share their stories in our testimonial videos.
Cost and Financing
Treatment cost depends on the number of implants, any grafting, and the type of final restoration. Every fee appears in your written plan before treatment begins, and our team works to make the most of your insurance benefits. Financing is available through CareCredit, Cherry, LendingClub, Sunbit, Proceed Finance, and Alphaeon Credit on our financial partners page.
Schedule Your Implant Assessment in Springfield, IL
Losing teeth to gum disease does not have to define your smile. A thorough assessment shows where your oral health stands today and what it will take to restore strong, stable dental implants.
Request your implant assessment online or call 217.522.1111, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Spanish speaking staff are available, and you can contact our team anytime with questions.