Implants
People are living longer than ever. Although regular brushing, flossing, and checkups enable many of us to maintain our natural smiles for a lifetime, sometimes our teeth just can’t keep up. If you’ve lost a tooth (or several) due to injury or disease, dental implants can rejuvenate both your smile and your oral health.
An implant is a synthetic tooth root in the shape of a post that is surgically placed into the jawbone. The “root” is usually made of titanium: the same material used in many replacement hips and knees, and a metal well suited to pairing with human bone.
A replacement tooth is then fixed to the post. The tooth can be either permanently attached or removable. Permanent teeth are more stable and feel more like natural teeth.The ideal candidate for implants is a non-smoker who has good oral health, including a sufficient amount of bone in the jaw, and healthy gums with no sign of gum disease.
CANDIDATES FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS
Advancements in diagnostics and bone reconstruction have made it possible for those who have insufficient bone density, certain health conditions, or certain oral health habits to be considered a candidate for dental implants, whereas, in the past, that wouldn’t be possible.
Implants are versatile. If you are missing only one tooth, one implant plus a replacement tooth will do the trick. If you are missing several teeth in a row, a few strategically placed implants can support a permanent bridge (a set of replacement teeth). If you have lost all of your teeth, a full bridge or full denture can be permanently fixed in your mouth with a strategic number of implants.
Candidates who are uncomfortable with other treatment options such as dentures, partial dentures, or bridges are great candidates to try dental implants that offer a more permanent solution.
BENEFITS OF DENTAL IMPLANTS
There are many benefits to opting to get dental implants, a state-of-the-art tooth replacement solution. Unlike other treatment methods, this is a permanent option that can aid in gaining confidence in your smile, helping your bite, and improving your overall health and quality of life.
Consider the following benefits of dental implants:
1. A Permanent Solution
Due to the dental implant being composed of titanium and embedded into the jawbone, it offers a permanent solution to missing teeth. This treatment is also bio-compatible, which means that it’s a non-toxic solution that will not be rejected by the body. Other options such as dental bridges may also last around ten years.
2. Can Look Identical to Natural Teeth
One major advantage of a dental implant is the look and feel of the replacement. Patients have a hard time telling them apart from their natural teeth. Since the dental implant is much stronger than a real tooth, you may eat whatever foods you like and brush, floss, and chew normally.
3. Prevents Bone Loss
Where you have experienced tooth loss, the bone may deteriorate in that region from lack of stimulation. If an implant is not placed promptly within the first year, you may experience up to 25% of bone loss in the area, and it may continue if not treated. Dentures may even accelerate bone because they may become loose periodically and rub against the bony ridges, wearing them down.
4. Keeps Stability for Adjacent Teeth
When you have a missing tooth, the gap creates instability for the adjacent teeth that may move to fill in the space. This may move your teeth out of position and affect your bite and jaw movement.
5. Aids in Reducing Gum Disease
Due to the large gap, food may be trapped and become a breeding ground for bacteria. This may exacerbate the potential for developing gum disease.
6. May Help Reduce Premature Aging
Facial sagging may occur from missing teeth due to the bone loss that occurs over time. This can be seen by the lower third of your face slowly collapsing by slowly nearing the distance between the nose and the chin.
7. Offers Advantages Over Dentures and Bridges
Conventional bridges and dentures are not fixed to the bone and can therefore be unstable. This can make it difficult to eat or smile with confidence.
Implants not only look more natural, but feel and act more like normal teeth, with a stronger biting force. And because they don’t directly rely on neighboring teeth for support, implants don’t compromise the health of your natural teeth. In fact, bridges are expected to last only seven to ten years, even less with root canals, whereas implants will typically survive a lifetime.
8. Easy Post-Treatment Care
Treat your replacement teeth the same as natural teeth. They require the same daily brushing and flossing and the same amount of regular checkups. Just like your natural teeth, the better you take care of your replacements, the longer they will last.
DENTAL IMPLANT TREATMENTS OFFERED AT UNION CITY ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY GROUP
At Union City Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Group, we offer various state-of-the-art treatments and innovative patient care for dental implant procedures. The following are the treatment options we offer:
Sinus Lift Augmentation
Often, the sinuses will enlarge following the loss of the upper back teeth. This can preclude the placement of dental implants in the upper back areas of the mouth since the sinus is an air-filled space and dental implants need to be surrounded by solid bone. A sinus lift augmentation/graft is a surgical procedure that restores the sinus cavity to its original size and replaces the bone lost as a result of the enlarged sinus. This new bone graft typically takes nine to 12 months to heal before the dental implants can be placed into the grafted bone.
Autogenous Bone Grafting
Occasionally, the ideal areas for dental implants do not have a sufficient bone quantity to support the implants. In these cases, it is often necessary to “borrow” bone from another area of your mouth and graft it into the deficient area. Often, the area of choice is the chin or back of the jaw where your wisdom teeth once were.
Implant Site Development
When a tooth needs to be removed due to infection, it is not uncommon to have lost bone around the infected area. In these cases, various types of bone grafting can be done at the same time the tooth is removed to facilitate the placement of a dental implant at a later date.
Computer-Enhanced Treatment Planning
We have special software that enables us to evaluate your dental CT scan in three dimensions bone quality, bone quantity, and bone location. This enables the best possible placement of your dental implants. It also allows us to work closely and smoothly with your restorative dentist to ensure an ideal result where your dental implants are concerned.
Implant Maintenance
Once your dental implant restoration is completed, it is crucial to keep the area clean and infection-free. Dental implants can accumulate plaque and tartar just as teeth can. Whether you have just one tooth replaced by an implant or several, a professional cleaning schedule will be necessary to keep your implants healthy. The time interval for these professional cleanings will be determined by your individual needs.
SPEAK WITH THE EXPERIENCED ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEONS
If you would like to transform your teeth and your oral health with the help of dental implants, speak with the experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeons at Union City Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Group to assess whether dental implants are the best option for you. We offer innovative, effective, and client-oriented care that can restore the look and feel of your smile, bite, and oral health.
For over 25 years, Dr. Nancy Herbst has completed dental implant treatments for patients who experienced an improvement in quality of life. We work to fully customize a treatment plan that works best for you while utilizing state-of-the-art technology to deliver the best results. Fill out our appointment request form or call our office today at (201) 601-9262.
