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Question:
who is qualified to place dental
implants?
Answer:
Dental specialists
who have completed advanced university training are the most qualified
to place dental implants. Your surgeon needs to have intimate
knowledge of the implant procedure and must have a gentle technique.
As with most other medical procedures you need to make sure that your
surgeon places dental implants frequently and with a high degree of
success.
Question: Am I a Candidate for Dental Implant
Treatment?
Answer:
Nearly everyone who is missing one or more teeth and in general good
health is a candidate for dental implant treatment. There are a few
medical conditions that can undermine the success of implant
treatment, such as uncontrolled diabetes. However, there are very few
conditions that would keep someone from having implant treatment
altogether.
Question:
If Dental Implants Preserve Bone, Why would a dentist recommend a
tooth supported bridge?
Answer:
Since dental implants preserve
bone, if a patient qualifies as a candidate, implant treatment is
usually the treatment of choice. However, until the late 1980's,
traditional tooth supported bridges were considered the best treatment
option for replacing missing teeth.
In
addition, there have been many improvements in dental implant systems
over the past decade, giving more options for dentists to provide for
their patients. Some of the enhancements have resulted in better
esthetics for replacement of anterior teeth. Prior to the development
of these improvements, some dentists felt that their patients were
better served with traditional bridges.
Question:
Are there situations where you would
recommend extracting a tooth and replacing it with an implant
supported crown?
Answer:
There are many situations
where natural teeth are either failing, or are about to fail. This
includes severe periodontal disease (gum disease) that has eroded the
bone that supports teeth. Sometimes in these cases, it is preferable
to extract the teeth; eliminate the disease and infection and replace
the teeth with implant supported crowns/bridges.
There are
also situations where a tooth has had a root canal (nerves have been
removed from the tooth) leaving the tooth brittle and susceptible to
fracture. In cases where the tooth needs to be retreated and the
prognosis is not favorable, it is preferable to extract the tooth and
replace it with an implant supported crown.
Teeth with
severe fractures are usually extracted and are ideal candidates for
replacement with dental implant treatment.
Question:
Are there different types of Implants?
Answer:
Although
there are different types of implants, the root-form implants are the
type most commonly used today. This is primarily due to the extremely
high success rates of this type of implant and the fact that they can
actually preserve bone, function as replacement, or substitute tooth
roots.
There are also different manufacturers
of dental implants. At our practice we only used FDA approved
implants from extremely reputable companies that use state of the art
implants. These implants have a proven track record and extremely
high success rates.
Question:
what is involved with taking care of dental implants?
Answer:
The
home care recommended varies depending upon the type of implant
supported replacement teeth. For example, a single implant supported
crown is cleaned like a natural tooth, with regular brushing and
flossing. Implant supported bridges that replace a few teeth are
cleaned like tooth supported bridges.
Question: Will My New Teeth Look Natural?
Answer:
Your new teeth will be as close as possible to your natural teeth.
They will actually look, feel and function like your own teeth.
Question: How Long Do Implants Last?
Answer:
Documented clinical research demonstrates that implant supported
replacement teeth have been successful for over 30 years. These were
some of the first root-form implant cases ever completed and they have
been closely monitored from the beginning. It is highly likely that
these cases will be successful throughout the lifetime of those
patients.
Dental implants are designed to be permanent:
however many factors contribute to the long-term success of implant
treatment, such as home care and regular maintenance visits to the
dentist or dental specialist.
By comparison, research demonstrates that the
typical tooth supported bridge lasts from 7-10 years and that partials
and dentures are functional for an average of only 5 years. Insurance
statistics indicate that bridges, partials and dentures last 5 years
and they generally pay for necessary replacements every 5 years.
Question: Is the Surgical Procedure Painful?
Answer: Most
implant patients report that the discomfort is far less than they
expected, and is much like having a tooth extracted. And although
everyone is different with regard to pain tolerance, most patients are
very comfortable simply taking Bruffen afterward. |
