Dental Implants
Dental Implants
Dr. Smith utilizes proven techniques to restore the structure, appearance, and health in your smile!
Dental Implants
If you are missing teeth and want a dental restoration that looks and feels natural, dental implants are right for you. Dr. Smith understands that you are making a very important decision about your smile and your oral health that will be with you the rest of your life. His goal is to provide you with detailed, individualized information to help you make an informed decision.
After teeth have been removed, either from trauma or extractions, bone is continuously lost, particularly in the first years. Dental implants help to maintain the bone quality and volume, and minimize that bone loss.
Dental implants are the closest possible replacement of your natural teeth. They LOOK, FEEL AND FUNCTION like your own, allowing you to comfortably eat your favorite foods. They are strong, stable, and durable and will last many years.
Dental implants are a great way to replace missing teeth and they provide a solution to loose dentures. Are you experiencing problems with your dentures such as slipping and clicking while you talk, or pain and irritation from an ill fitting appliance?
Implants can provide excellent support and stability for dentures.
Benefits of Dental Implants:
- replace one or more missing teeth without affecting adjacent teeth
- reduce joint pain, improve comfort
- support facial and bone structure
- support dentures, making them secure and comfortable
- improve ability to chew food naturally and speak normally
- restore a confident smile!
First Consultation:
Your first appointment is a Complimentary Implant Consultation. This is an information session. We will meet and find out about your needs and wants, and you will find out what treatment we may be able to provide. We will conduct a preliminary dental exam and discuss your dental and medical history.
Second Consultation:
This will include intra-oral photos and 3-D image scan or models.
As part of the exam, the health and structure of your mouth are studied. This is how Dr. Smith determines where to place your implants. He will use the information gathered to design a treatment plan that best suits your needs.
Third Consultation:
At this appointment, you will be presented with the treatment plan developed by Dr. Smith. All aspects of your proposed plan will be discussed thoroughly with you at this time, including costs.
At the conclusion of this appointment, you will be in a position to make an informed decision about your treatment.
X-Guide
Now, with the latest breakthrough 3-D technology, Dr. Smith and his team are using the state of the art ‘X-Guide’ for computer aided implantology.
This machine allows implants to be placed more easily and with greater precision. With dental implant procedures, Dr. Smith is able to achieve more consistent precision and control for superior results.
Bone Grafting
Bone grafting may be necessary for the success of a dental implant, as the ability to support a dental restoration is very dependent on how much bone is available in the site where the implant is to be placed. There are lots of things that affect the bone volume such as poor oral health ie periodontal disease, trauma, infections and loss of teeth for long periods of time. Replacing missing bone or adding to the existing bone is often essential to the success of a dental implant and the restoration to be placed.
There are many ways in which bone grafting can be done. Sometimes it is as simple as collecting bone when preparing an implant site then reusing the patient’s bone for grafting purposes.
Sometimes we have to use additional bone to get adequate volume to do grafting for dental implants. This bone is from other sources and may be bovine, human, or porcine. It has been specially prepared and sterilized and is used to stimulate the patient’s own bone to grow into the repair site. This is the same bone that orthopaedic surgeons use in hip replacement surgery. It is very effective and safe.
Sinus Lift & Grafting
A sinus lift and graft is a procedure that is performed to augment bone mass in the upper jaw which increases the likelihood of successful placement of dental implant. If you have been missing teeth in the upper posterior area of the mouth for a long period of time the sinus often will expand into that area resulting in inadequate bone to place an implant. A CT scan will determine if you need a sinus lift or graft prior to placement of your implants.
It usually takes 5-6 months to generate adequate bone growth, then we are ready to place implants. Most patients have minimal discomfort for this procedure.
Stabilize Dentures
Many patients with dentures find eating a challenge because the dentures become so loose over the years due to bone loss. This is usually painful, frustrating, and embarrassing. Dental implants are a great alternative to stabilize loose dentures.
An implant supported denture is used when a person doesn’t have any teeth in the jaw but has enough bone to support implants. Four to six implants are placed in the jaw which will then be used to support a denture, eliminating the problems associated with removable dentures.
Clips are fitted to the new denture and the denture fits over the bar and is securely clipped into place.
The result is a solid and stable denture enabling the patient to smile, speak and eat again with comfort and confidence.