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Do you wish you could start all over? Dental implants are like a
second chance at having natural teeth. These durable tooth replacements
allow you to close the gaps from missing teeth, or anchor custom-fit
dentures and partial dentures for unsurpassed stability and comfort.
What are the advantages of Dental Implants?
For many patients, dentures, partial dentures and bridges simply
aren't enough. Loose dentures and metal clasps can cause embarrassment,
pain and difficulties with eating and speech. Crowns and bridges
have limited life expectancies if their supporting teeth aren't
strong.
There are many reasons why people choose dental implants to replace
missing or hopelessly damaged teeth:
1. First, we are living longer. This has created a demand for a
longer-lasting tooth replacement.
2. Second, removable dentures and partials
are inconvenient, less sturdy, and not permanent. Dental implants eliminate
the pain and
discomfort of removable full or partial dentures. Since dentures
sit on top of the jawbone and gums, continuous shrinkage of the
jawbone alters the fit of the denture resulting in slipping or
rocking of the dentures. Exposed nerves and irritation of the
gum tissue may add to the discomfort. Implant supported replacement
teeth are like natural teeth because they are anchored securely
in your jawbone. Gum irritation and the pain of exposed nerves
associated with conventional full or partial dentures are eliminated.
3. Third, bridges must have strong supporting natural teeth and
require extensive enamel removal, which may compromise the strength
and nerve for those teeth. Since the average lifespan of a bridge
is less than 10 years, you may have to have the bridge remade several
times.
4. Dental implants are more stable, longer lasting, easier to maintain
and more natural than any other tooth replacement.
5. When teeth are lost, there is on going shrinkage of the jawbone,
which may compromise the strength of the adjacent teeth. Dental
implants stimulate the bone like a natural tooth and prevent jawbone
loss.
What are the disadvantages of Dental
Implants?
There are few disadvantages of dental implants:
1. Dental implants can only be placed if there is enough bone present
in the jaw. When teeth are lost, the bone around the teeth gradually
disappears. Careful evaluation and x-ray studies will help us determine
if you have enough bone or whether it may be possible to grow bone
in its place. See Bone Grafting.
2. Your oral health affects implant success. Success depends on
your body's reaction to implants and your personal care of them.
Implants can fail due to gum disease, just as teeth do. Success
may be improved with your diligent attention to oral hygiene.
3. Your systemic health affects implant success. Systemic conditions
that impair your body's ability to heal, such as uncontrolled diabetes,
are contraindications to implant therapy. In addition, both smoking
and heavy alcohol consumption reduce the survival of implants (and
teeth). If you think that either of these two habits could be a
problem for you, it may be advisable to avoid this form of dental
treatment or accept the higher risk of implant failure.
What conditions
must be met for Implants?
If general medical requirements and adequate jaw anatomy are met,
most missing teeth can be replaced with implants.
Implants have the best long-term success in a healthy environment.
Good oral hygiene and normal wound healing are essential for implants.
Before implantation, natural teeth must be rehabilitated and any
gum disease treated and eliminated.
Adolescents and young adults must wait for the body to finish growing.
Systemic conditions that impair your body's ability to heal, such
as uncontrolled diabetes, rare blood diseases, leukemia, or patients
being treated with chemotherapy should not undergo implant treatment.
Are Dental Implants Safe?
Osseointegrated dental implants are the state-of-the-art in modern
dentistry. Extensive research for more than three decades in the
United States and overseas has recognized titanium for its biological
compatibility with the human body. Studies have shown that the
earliest patients treated over 30 years ago with these modern osseointegrated
implants continue to enjoy healthy, stable smiles.
Do Implants Hurt?
Many patients have their implants placed in our office under local
anesthetic just like they would a filling or an extraction. Usually
the recovery period is just about the same as having a tooth extracted.
During the actual procedure no pain is felt at all. Depending upon
the number of implants placed and if a bone replacement graft is
done simultaneously, there may be some swelling and discomfort
following surgery. Pain medication is normally prescribed which
alleviates this discomfort. We recommend a soft diet for several
weeks following implant placement until all the tissue is healed.
How long do Implants last?
How long do teeth last? They should last a lifetime. Unfortunately,
teeth don't last a lifetime or we wouldn't need implants! We know
that dental problems mostly stem from improper care and lack of
timely treatment. The same holds true for implants. With proper
care and routine dental check-ups they should last a lifetime.
No one can give guarantees because the health of a person is dependent
upon many factors which are out of the control of one's dentist,
e.g., proper nutritional needs being met, proper hygiene, genetics,
disease processes which might occur. So, the answer to this question
really is that no one knows how long each individual implant will
last.
How many Implants do I need?
There are no hard and fast rules on the number of implants necessary.
Several factors may influence this decision: the quality and quantity
of bone; harmful grinding or clenching habits; health compromises
such as cigarette smoking; etc. As a general principle, each missing
tooth should be replaced by an individual implant. This allows
the stresses of biting to be spread over a larger area of jawbone
just like the original teeth.
How long does it take?
This depends on the complexity of the
treatment. Initially there is a treatment planning stage. Then there
may be some time spent
on preparatory procedures such as improving gum health, removing
any decay from salvageable teeth and removing hopeless teeth and bone
grafting if needed. This may take from a few weeks to many months.
After the implants are placed they are left to heal to the bone
from eight weeks to six months. The final fitting of the crowns,
bridges, or implant-supported denture takes a month or two. The
time will depend on the complexity of the individual situation.
One thing to keep in mind with implant therapy is to "respect
nature ". It is important that healing times not be rushed
as each person represents an unique situation. Optimum results
are obtained through tailoring treatment to each individual. If
you do not have the time available for this type of treatment,
you should consider more conventional forms of dentistry, which
can be completed more rapidly.
How much
will Implants cost?
The fee for tooth replacement with dental implants will depend on
several factors, including the number of teeth being replaced and
the number of implants required to support your replacement teeth.
Some additional procedures may be required prior to the placement
of your dental implants to ensure the long-term health of your
dental implants.
Typically, there is a fee for the surgical procedure and a separate
fee to attach the posts and construct your replacement teeth. To
obtain a specific fee estimate, it is necessary for us to examine
your mouth. After a thorough diagnostic examination, we will recommend
the treatment that is best for your needs.
Does insurance
pay for Dental Implants?
As you may already know, insurance products can vary widely in their
coverage even among employees of the same company. Some policies
are beginning to cover implant services while others have not.
Our staff will be able to help you with this after we have a plan
of treatment. We also have dental care financing programs available
to fill in the gaps that may exist with insurance benefits.
