Dental Implant Therapy
If you lose one or more teeth due to periodontal disease, or another cause, there is hope. Dental implants are changing the way people live. They 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. Patients with dental implants can smile with confidence.
What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is essentially a titanium/zirconia screw or cylinder, that is inserted into a prepared bony socket in the jaw and acts as a replacement root for the missing tooth. A special attachment called the abutment is fitted to the top of the implant and forms the external connection to the replacement tooth (crown) or teeth (bridge or denture). Dental implants also help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing.
Once an implant has been placed in the jaw, it needs to heal before the crowns can be added. During this healing – which can take between two and six months – the surface of the implant fuses with the surrounding bone, a process known as osseointegration. Once this process is finished, the implant is stable enough to support one or more false teeth.
There are also one-piece implants where the abutment and the implant are part of a single piece.
In certain cases, where the conditions are favorable, implants can be placed immediately into the extraction socket. This type of treatment is called immediate implant placement and has the same success rates as delayed implant placement.
Furthermore, when implants have excellent primary stability, the dentist can also put a temporary crown on it, which is called immediate loading.
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, we will address your specific needs and considerations. Your questions and concerns are important to us and our team will work with you and your restorative dentist 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.
The Surgical Procedure
For most patients, the placement of dental implants involves two surgical procedures. First, implants are placed within your jawbone. Healing time following surgery varies from person to person and is based on a variety of factors, such as quality of bone.
Implant surgery can be carried out in one or two stages, depending on your specific circumstances. In both cases, the surgery involves making a small incision in the gum to expose the bone and then using special drills to prepare the implant “bed” into which implants are inserted.
- (a) One-stage procedure: the implant is fitted into the prepared bone and then an attachment called a healing cap, which protrudes through the gum, is placed over it. This healing cap is removed once healing has been completed (two to six months) and replaced with a permanent attachment called an abutment. The replacement tooth – the crown – is cemented or screwed into its place over the abutment.
- (b) Two-stage procedure: a cover screw is placed on the top of the implant and the gum is sutured (stitched) over it for the period of healing. A second procedure is needed to uncover the implant (via a small incision in the gum) and attach the healing cap. Then, once the gums have healed (usually after four to six weeks), the healing cap is removed and replaced by the abutment, in readiness for the new crown.
Two-stage surgery may be necessary if there is a need to increase the quantity of bone at the implant site by using a bone graft or a technique to regenerate bone. There are various reasons why there might be a lack of bone at the implant site, including long-term missing teeth, denture wear, and bone loss from periodontal disease, ageing, or following trauma. When teeth are missing, the surrounding gum and underlying bone shrink away over time.
For the first three to six months following the surgery, dental implants are beneath the surface of the gums gradually bonding with the bone. You should be able to wear temporary appliance to fill the space and eat a soft diet during this time.
Our dental implant surgery is performed in our surgical operatory under a high level of sterility.
What Types of Prosthesis are Available?
When your gums have fully healed, your restoring dentist will take a new scan/impression of your mouth. This will be used to make a model of your teeth on which the dental technician will construct your crown or bridge, taking care to achieve a natural finish that matches the rest of your teeth.
When your new crowns and bridges have been prepared, your dentist will cement or screw them onto the abutments over the dental implants, check that they fit well and look good, and check that your upper and lower teeth work together comfortably when you bite.
A single prosthesis (crown) is used to replace one missing tooth – each prosthetic tooth attaches to its own implant. A partial prosthesis (fixed bridge) can replace two or more teeth and may require only two or three implants. A complete dental prosthesis (fixed bridge) replaces all the teeth in your upper or lower jaw. The number of implants varies depending upon which type of complete prosthesis (removable or fixed) is recommended. A removable prosthesis (over denture) attaches to a bar or ball in socket attachments, whereas a fixed prosthesis is permanent and removed only by a dentist.
You will usually need to return for several review appointments to make sure that the implants are stable and functioning well, and that you are completely happy with the finished result.
The entire procedure usually takes six to eight months. Most patients do not experience any disruption in their daily life.
Drs Masoud and Limardi have received extensive training in dental implant surgery. Through continuing education and involvement in teaching our doctors are abreast of the most current information on implant dentistry.
Dental Implants Presentation
To provide you with a better understanding of dental implants, we have provided the following multimedia presentation. Many common questions pertaining to dental implants are discussed.
