Implant Dentistry

December 6, 2011

Let me introduce you to Implant Dentistry. Through the miracles of modern science and experiences for the last 25 plus years, implant dentistry is very predictable and successful. Implant Dentistry works best for:

1) Patients missing only one or two teeth

2) Patients who have a dental bridge that is failing and needs replacing

3) Patients who are about to lose teeth due to decay or fracture

4) Trauma victims – motor vehicle or sports accidents where function and appearance need attention

5) Patients losing teeth due to gum disease

6) Patients that want to recapture their youthful appearance

7) Denture wearers – both full and partial dentures

8) Patients with advanced cases of bone loss causing loss of support for the face

9) Patients whose conditions seem to get worse over time.

Dental Implantsare man-made tooth roots that are surgically embedded in the bone. After a healing period of three to six months, the implants can be built on with crowns and bridges. Or, attachments can be placed on the implnats and long span bridges can be built on the attachments. Even dentures can rest on these attachments so as to not rest directly on the bone.

When the teeth have been missing for a long time, the bone may have shrunken to the point where there is not enough volume of the bone (height and width) in which to plave the implant. Don’t dispair, the bone can be augmented thru surgical procedures, and then implants can be placed.

When teeth are removed, the jaw bone shrinks away.Dental Implants help to maintain the jaw bone and facial esthetics. You’ve seen people, perhaps some older folks, whose faces from the eyes to the chin seem sunken inward.

They are missing teeth and the supporting bone. The facial muscles lose their tone and allow the face to collapse. Life has to be better than that!

Before Implant

After Implant

Meet Gretchen, a twenty-eight year old mother of two that lost her front tooth due to a traumatic injury – her baby bumped his head against her front tooth and the tooth fractured. Actually, the root fractured, so the tooth had to be removed. How depressing is that? She had a gorgeous smile and now it was not so pretty.

After some time, Gretchen had an implant placed and we finished that up with a nice looking crown to blend in with her other teeth. Now she feels good again about her smile and going out in public.

Single tooth implants like these have a greater than 97% success rate at the 10 year mark.

They will never decay or need a root canal.

They are relatively easy to keep clean at home and patients report they feel like normal teeth.

Dental implant patients also have the psychological advantage of feeling whole again.