Losing a tooth can leave you feeling very self-conscious. You may want to run to the dentist to have a dental implant put in right away, but it is important to take the time to consider all of your options before choosing an implant as the best one. The following guide walks you through a few things to take into consideration before agreeing to have a dental implant inserted into your mouth.

Consider the Location of the Missing Tooth

The first thing you need to consider is the location of the tooth. If the tooth is located in the back of the mouth where no one can see it, an implant may not be necessary. You will still have other teeth that you can use to chew your food with and if it is not visible, it may be a waste of money to replace it.

Consider the Condition of Your Other Teeth

If you have numerous teeth that are in poor condition, a dentist may suggest having the teeth pulled and getting dentures instead of a dental implant. You do not want to spend money on a dental implant that will only have to be removed later on down the road to make way for dentures.

Consider the Cost of the Implant

When you have a dental implant inserted into your mouth, it can be quite costly. Most dentists require you to pay for the implant upfront before it is even created. It will need to be custom made to fit into your mouth perfectly and this makes the cost quite significant. You need to consider if a dental implant is a cost that you can afford to pay right now.

Consider an Alternative Option

If you want to avoid anyone knowing that you are missing a tooth, but cannot have a dental implant inserted into your mouth right away, you may want to consider having a flipper created that you can wear to hide the fact that you are missing a tooth. A false tooth is added to the dental implant that can be removed at night and when you eat. It is often a very affordable option to use until you can afford to have the dental implant put in place.

Dental implant surgery must be done in different stages. Your mouth must have time to heal before the implant can be put into place. You need to plan accordingly when it comes to anyone seeing your smile before the implant is inserted.