While many of the risk factors might make sense, some might surprise patients. As mentioned above not everyone is a good candidate for dental implants. One of the risk factors is age. This is simply because as we age, we slowly lose bone mass throughout our bodies, jawbones included. Also, anyone who has had radiation treatment may also suffer from diminished bone mass. Any patient who has low estrogen which can occur during menopause are not considered good candidates either. Those who abuse alcohol or who use tobacco products are not considered good candidates for the procedure. These factors do not necessarily mean the person cannot get dental implants, it merely means that with these risk factors certain precautions need to be taken in order to have a successful implant placement.