Dental Implants

Dental Implants

Replacement Teeth

Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The person who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat virtually anything and can smile with confidence, knowing that teeth appear natural and that facial contours will be preserved.  In addition, implants can help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing.

Dental implants are actually titanium posts that are placed into the area where teeth are missing. The bone bonds with the titanium implant, creating a strong foundation for replacement teeth. 

Dental implants are changing the way people live! With them, people are rediscovering the comfort and confidence to eat, speak, laugh and enjoy life.

Dental Implant Evaluation

If, like many others, you feel implant dentistry is the choice for you, we ask that you undergo a dental/radiographic examination and health history. During these consultation visits, your doctor will address your specific needs and considerations. Your questions and concerns are important to us and our team will work with you very closely to help make your procedure a success.

We will also discuss fees and insurance at this time. There are many types of insurance plans, and coverage for implants is varied. We will be happy to assist you in obtaining any benefits to which you may be entitled.

Dental Implant Procedures

Dental implants are composed of titanium metal anchors that act as tooth root substitutes. They are surgically placed where the roots of the teeth used to be.  Once these titanium posts have integrated with the bone, small attachment anchors called abutments are attached to the implant to provide something for the replacement tooth or teeth to attach.

The entire procedure may take from two to six months, depending on the complexity of the case.  Regardless of the time involved, most patients do not experience any disruption in their daily life.

Major and minor bone grafting

Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for placement of dental implants.

Today, we have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and esthetic appearance.

Bone Augmentation

When teeth have been missing for a long time, the bone has often shrunk and is inadequate for implant placement.  Bone grafting can repair these sites so that implants may be placed.  The bone graft is obtained from a tissue bank or from bovine sources.  In addition, special membranes may be utilized that protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration.  This is called guided bone regeneration or augmentation.

Sinus lift procedure

The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth.  Sinuses are like empty rooms that have nothing in them.  Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses.  When these upper teeth are removed, the sinuses may expand into the area where the teeth were.  Dental implants cannot be placed into these areas because there is not enough bone.

There is a solution and it’s called a sinus graft or sinus lift graft.  The dental implant surgeon enters the sinus from where the upper teeth used to be.  The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and donor bone is inserted into the floor of the sinus.  Keep in mind that the floor of the sinus is the roof of the upper jaw.  After several months of healing, dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone.

The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing loose dentures.

If enough bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus is available to stabilize the implant well, sinus augmentations and implant placement can sometimes be performed as a single procedure.  If not enough bone is available, the Sinus Augmentation will have to be performed first, then the graft will have to mature for several months, depending upon the type of graft material used.  Once the graft has matured, the implants can be placed.

Ridge Expansion

In cases where the ridge width has been reabsorbed a ridge expansion may be used to increase the thickness of the area.  This is a technique used to restore the lost bone dimension when the jaw ridge gets too thin to place conventional implants.  In this procedure, the bony ridge of the jaw is literally expanded by mechanical means.  Bone graft material can be placed and matured for a few months before placing the implant.

Ridge Preservation

When teeth are removed, bone can shrink from the area very rapidly.  Sometimes, bone may be removed inadvertently during the extraction.  Careful management of extraction sockets after tooth extraction prevents unsightly bone loss and provides a better cosmetic outcome for tooth replacement.  When a tooth is extracted, bone graft material may be placed into the socket to prevent bone shrinkage.  If bone had to be removed, other grafting procedures, such as ridge augmentation, may be performed at the time of extraction so that the tooth may be replaced as soon as possible.