COSMETIC DENTISTRY

DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dental implants are today's best alternative to natural teeth. They can be your doorway to renewed self-confidence and peace of mind.

An implant is, essentially, a sophisticated titanium screw which is placed into the jaw bone to replace the root of a lost natural tooth. The implant fuses with the jawline to form a secure foundation for tooth replacement. The end result... replacement teeth that look, feel and function just like natural teeth.

The embarrassment , irritation and self-consciousness often experienced by people who have missing teeth, those who wear dentures or who have suffered through older methods of tooth replacement are overcome with the confidence of permanently anchored dental implants. In addition to improving your overall physical health and appearance it also improves your self-esteem..

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that a periodontist places into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Dental implants are an ideal option for people in good general oral health who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason.

While high-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more tooth-saving than traditional bridgework, since implants do not rely on neighboring teeth for support.

Dental implants are so natural-looking and feeling, you may forget you ever lost a tooth.You know that your confidence about your teeth affects how you feel about yourself, both personally and professionally. Perhaps you hide your smile because of spaces from missing teeth.

Maybe your dentures don't feel secure. Perhaps you have difficulty chewing. If you are missing one or more teeth and would like to smile, speak and eat again with comfort and confidence, there is good news! Dental implants are teeth that can look and feel just like your own!

Under proper conditions, such as placement by a periodontist and diligent patient maintenance, implants can last a lifetime. Long-term studies continue to show improving success rates for implants.

 

What Dental Implants Can Do?

• Replace one or more teeth without affecting bordering teeth.

• Support a bridge and eliminate the need for a removable partial denture.

• Provide support for a denture, making it more secure and comfortable.
Types of Implants in Use Today

• Endosteal (in the bone): This is the most commonly used type of implant. The various types include screws, cylinders or blades surgically placed into the jawbone. Each implant holds one or more prosthetic teeth. This type of implant is generally used as an alternative for patients with bridges or removable dentures.

• Subperiosteal (on the bone): These are placed on top of the jaw with the metal framework's posts protruding through the gum to hold the prosthesis. These types of implants are used for patients who are unable to wear conventional dentures and who have minimal bone height.

 

Advantages of Dental Implants Over Dentures or a Bridge

Every way you look at it, dental implants are a better solution to the problem of missing teeth.

• Esthetic Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth! Since dental implants integrate into the structure of your bone, they prevent the bone loss and gum recession that often accompany bridgework and dentures. No one will ever know that you have a replacement tooth.

• Tooth-saving Dental implants don't sacrifice the quality of your adjacent teeth like a bridge does because neighboring teeth are not altered to support the implant. More of your own teeth are left untouched, a significant long-term benefit to your oral health!

• Confidence Dental implants will allow you to once again speak and eat with comfort and confidence! They are secure and offer freedom from the irksome clicks and wobbles of dentures. They'll allow you to say goodbye to worries about misplaced dentures and messy pastes and glues.

• Reliable The success rate of dental implants is highly predictable. They are considered an excellent option for tooth replacement.

 

Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?

The ideal candidate for a dental implant is in good general and oral health. Adequate bone in your jaw is needed to support the implant, and the best candidates have healthy gum tissues that are free of periodontal disease.

Dental implants are intimately connected with the gum tissues and underlying bone in the mouth. Since periodontists are the dental experts who specialize in precisely these areas, they are ideal members of your dental implant team. Not only do periodontists have experience working with other dental professionals, they also have the special knowledge, training and facilities that you need to have teeth that look and feel just like your own.

 

Are dental implants a good choice for me?

In the following instances, dental implants can help:

• If you are missing a tooth, or teeth you could be an ideal candidate for implants, especially if your smile reveals missing teeth!
• If you are uncomfortable with the way your dentures fit. Loose dentures can cause sore gums because of friction or food trapped under the bridgework.
• Loose teeth from gum disease may need support.
• Dental implants can give you a new base to support new teeth to function and feel like natural teeth.

 

When are dental implants more advisable?

Dental implants are advisable in visible frontal areas or where a missing tooth could be replaced with a supporting tooth required for a bridge.

• Replacement of a single tooth.
• Replacement of multiple teeth.
• Replacement of the entire dental arch, both upper and lower.

 

Are your dentures loose and your gums sore?

Without teeth, the jawbone looses mass over time. Without a solid base, loose dentures have a tendency to irritate the gums... causing pain and sores while at the same time trapping food under the denture.

• Implants combined with clips or attachments allow dentures to fit tight.
• While refitting or replacing your dentures may work for a short while, it is not a long-term solution.

 

Will it hurt?

The actual procedure to surgically place a dental implant is done under local anesthesia and is generally not at all painful. When the anesthesia wears off about three or four hours later, you might expect some discomfort. The level of discomfort is quite different from patient to patient, but most patients do not have significant problems. Some patients do have varying degrees of pain or discomfort which may last for a fewl days. Discomfort is held to a minimum, as your comfort and safety is our greatest concern!

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