Dental Implants at Implant Dentistry Northwest
Hi, this is Keith Phillips at Implant Dentistry Northwest. Today, I want to talk about replacing a tooth with a dental implant.
What are the options for replacing a missing tooth?
Here's a model showing that we're missing a tooth. There are different options for this. You might decide not to replace that tooth if it doesn't bother you aesthetically or affect your chewing. That's one option. The downside is that sometimes the teeth on either side can drift into that space, which can mess up your bite and cause other problems, or the tooth above it might move. There are reasons for replacing a tooth even if it's not an aesthetic concern because we want to keep the rest of the teeth as healthy as possible. One option is a dental bridge, but let's say we don't want to place a bridge because that means we have to drill down the teeth on either side. A dental implant is the most conservative approach here because we get to leave these teeth alone.
How does a dental implant work?
A dental implant, and this is just a model of one, consists of the blue part, which is the dental implant, and the gold part, which is the post that goes into that implant to help hold the crown in place. The dentist places the implant into the bone and typically allows it to heal anywhere from four weeks to three months, depending on the system. Once the implant has healed, the post is fabricated, and a tooth is fabricated to go over the top. This is how we're able to replace a tooth with a dental implant and provide better function and stability of these teeth.
Can you explain what dental implants are and what they are made of?
Dental implants have been around for many, many years, and they've been made of all sorts of different materials, anywhere from cobalt chrome, like the bumper in your car, to gold. Most implants today are made of titanium or a zirconio ceramic material. The reason for that is these materials are very, very biologically accepted by the body.
How are dental implants designed and used?
Typically, dental implants are designed as a dental screw that will be placed into the jawbone. These implants can be used in many, many different ways, anywhere from replacing one tooth to all of your teeth. Even if you have dentures, they can be utilized to help hold those dentures in place, thereby restoring your function and aesthetics.
How do people generally feel about dental implants, and what benefits do they offer?
Most people feel very comfortable with these dental implants, and they can be very, very successful for you. They can be very successful in replacing your teeth and giving you better function and aesthetics over your lifetime.
Who is typically a candidate for dental implants?
For the most part, many people, most people, are candidates for dental implants. If you're healthy enough, then that's pretty much the main requirement.
Are there any age restrictions for getting dental implants?
As far as age goes, there's really no restriction. I've placed implants in patients who are well into their 90s and given them a great quality of life. So, if you're healthy, that's the main thing.
What other factors do you consider when determining if someone is a candidate for dental implants?
One of the things we'll be looking at is whether you have enough quantity and quality of bone. We'll do a clinical exam and a CT scan of the jawbones. With that information, we'll be able to see whether or not dental implants will be helpful for you.
What dental issues can dental implants address?
Whether it's to replace one tooth, all of your teeth, or help to retain a denture, implants could be the best support for your dental issues.
What Are Dental Implants?
Are you looking for high-quality dental implants from a leading prosthodontist in Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Puyallup, and surrounding communities? Implant Dentistry Northwest offers some of the highest quality restorative dentistry in the area.
Dental implants are among the most effective ways of replacing missing teeth. This procedure is quickly gaining in popularity. As a prosthodontist Dr. Keith Phillips is an expert in this procedure, having undergone advanced training and years of experience in the field. His work provides a durable and natural-looking solution for the replacement of missing teeth.
A dental implant is a specially designed, prosthetic device that replaces the root portion of a missing tooth, interfacing with the bone of the jaw or skull to provide a basis for the insertion of other dental prostheses, such as bridges or crowns.
When is a Dental Implant Required?
A dental implant is recommended when a patient has missing teeth or has teeth too badly damaged to be restored with other treatments. The implants are permanently anchored into the jawbone, giving patients a strong, long-lasting solution that looks and behaves like real teeth.
What is the Dental Implant Procedure?
This tooth implant process occurs in two stages. After you have been evaluated by our prosthodontist and placed under sedation, titanium implants will be surgically inserted into your jawbone. Most patients report little to no discomfort after the surgery or during the healing process.
After a set amount of time in which your gums heal and your implant bonds with the jawbone, you will undergo the second stage of the treatment process. Your custom-made artificial teeth, known as dental crowns, will be permanently fixed onto the implants, fully restoring your smile.
What are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
This procedure has many advantages over other cosmetic dentistry treatments, including:
- Longevity: The materials used to create the implants are incredibly strong – more so than natural teeth. This makes them impervious to decay. With proper care, they should last a lifetime.
- Bone preservation: When a natural tooth is lost, the jawbone gradually loses density and weakens. This affects oral health as well as the patient’s facial structure. An implant prevents this degenerative process. The actions of a natural tooth are perfectly mimicked, keeping the jawbone healthy and strong.
- Low maintenance: While dental implants do require slightly different care than what is required for natural teeth, they are a very low-maintenance tooth-replacement option when compared to bridges and dentures.
- Improved speaking, eating and comfort: Dental implants feel and act the same way as your natural teeth. Unlike dentures, there is no risk of slipping while eating or speaking and no discomfort with regard to the fit. In addition, implants are very strong, allowing you to eat many foods that would not be recommended for patients wearing dentures or with bridgework.
- Natural look: Dental implants are indistinguishable from your natural teeth, as the crowns are custom-made to match the shape, color and size of the rest of your teeth.
What Risks Are Involved with Dental Implants?
There are some risks involved with dental implants, as with any other surgical procedure. Understanding these risks can help you be fully prepared for your procedure and give yourself the proper care afterward. They include:
- Infection: There is a risk of infection developing at the implant site. We will provide you with comprehensive guidance to minimize this risk.
- Nerve Damage: This a low risk and only happens in rare instances, but it is important to keep in mind. Sometimes, nerve damage can occur, leading to pain, numbness or tingling. Precise planning and expert surgery minimize this risk substantially.
- Sinus Problems: Upper jaw implants can potentially cause sinus issues if they should protrude into the sinus cavity. We use advanced imaging and techniques to avoid this.
- Implant Failure: On very rare occasions, the implants can fail to integrate into the jawbone. This is usually a result of low bone density or poor oral hygiene. We always conduct thorough pre-surgical assessments to eliminate these possibilities.
How Do You Prepare for Your Implant Procedure?
Preparing for your implant surgery is essential for the success of the procedure. This will involve the following steps:
- Initial Consultation: Start by scheduling an appointment with one of our dental professionals. They will assess your oral health, discuss your goals and review your medical history.
- Imaging and Planning: We will use advanced imaging techniques, such as 3D scans and X-rays, to create a detailed map of your mouth. We use this for accurate planning and precise implant placement.
- Pre-Surgical Instructions: We will give you detailed pre-surgery instructions. These may include fasting before the procedure, arranging transportation, etc. We urge you to follow these instructions carefully for a smooth and successful surgery.
- Medication Management: Please let us know if you are taking any medications before or on the day of your surgery. We will review them and advise if any adjustments are needed. You may have to stop taking some medications temporarily in the lead-up to the surgery.
What Can You Expect?
During and immediately after the procedure, you should expect the following:
- During: The surgery will be performed under local anesthesia or sedation. The titanium implant is surgically placed into the jawbone, and this usually takes up to two hours.
- Immediately after: You may experience some swelling, bruising and minor bleeding immediately after the procedure. This is completely normal and we will provide you with a prescription for all the medications you will need to manage pain, swelling and discomfort.
What Steps Will You Need To Take After the Procedure?
Once the surgery is complete, only half the procedure is done. The success of the surgery depends on proper aftercare, which involves:
- Follow-up Appointments: These visits will allow us to monitor your healing process and ensure that the implant is integrating properly.
- Oral hygiene: Maintain stringent oral hygiene during the recovery period. This includes brushing and flossing regularly and using an antibacterial mouthwash.
- Dietary Guidelines: Stick to the eating guidelines provided by our team. A soft diet is recommended for the first few days. You can then gradually reintroduce harder foods as healing progresses.
- Activity Restrictions: It is important to rest and keep your activity levels low for a few days after your surgery. This will speed up your recovery and help ensure the success of the procedure.
Contact us today to find out more about dental implants in Tacoma, WA or to book an appointment with our prosthodontist.
Restore Your Smile With Immediate-Function Dental Implants
Our immediate-function dental implants are done at a fraction of the cost and treatment time of traditional dental implants. While the process of traditional dental implants may take 18 months or more, our technique can be done in as few as 5 appointments over a 3-month period.
Placed immediately, they give you a fully functional set of permanent teeth in one day so you can start:
- Eating and drinking comfortably.
- Laughing and speaking confidently.
- Living and smiling assuredly.
Implant Overdentures
There's one in particular called a bar overdenture, where a special bar is fabricated on the implants with special clips that a denture will attach to. This is for the upper arch. When we make a typical complete regular denture, we cover the palate to get a suction cup effect. Since we're using implants to hold this denture in place, we can leave that palate open, making it much more comfortable for patients and enhancing their sense of taste because there are taste buds in the palate too. These are the components of the bar clip overdenture.
How is the bar attached to the implants?
We have a patient's upper jaw where you can see the implants were placed. An impression is made, and then we fabricate the bar, which gets screwed into the jaw and the implant. Special small screws hold that bar in place. This patient has five implants in the upper jaw. We insert a few screws, and we use special torque drivers to ensure they're tightened to proper specifications. All screws are torqued down to secure the bar. This bar is now fixated to the dental implants, holding it in place.
How do the denture clips work?
On the bar, there are little ball attachments. Inside the denture, there are clips that attach to those balls. This then goes on top. Here's a closer look: these are the ball attachments on the bar, and inside the denture, you can see the reddish clips that attach to the balls. It snaps on securely, allowing the patient to function well with this prosthesis.
Can this be done on lower jaws too?
That's for the upper jaw. We use implants on the lower jaw as well. Here's a patient with two implants and a bar. Inside, there's a special clip that snaps onto the bar, providing excellent retention to keep the denture from moving while the patient functions.
Attachment Retained Lower Overdentures
The reason why we like to place implants in the lower jaw for dentures is because a lower denture notoriously doesn't stay in very well. With the upper denture, we can design it to have a good suction cup effect. But with the lower, we have this thing called a tongue, and it's like putting a hole in your suction cup. You're not going to get the same kind of retention with a lower denture as you would with an upper denture. By placing at least two implants, two to four implants, let's say, and then placing special attachments on them, we can make that lower denture very stable.
Model Showing Four Implants
This is just a model showing four implants placed into the jawbone here. You can see there are what's called ball abutments. There are many different types of abutments that can be used depending on your situation. Inside the denture, you can see there are little clips. The great thing about that now is that we have a little snap of those attachments over the implants, and we have a very stable prosthesis. Typically, just two of these are more than adequate to help retain your denture in place.
Existing Denture Compatibility
The other nice thing is if you have an existing denture already, you don't necessarily have to have a new denture made. We've had many patients where we just placed a couple of implants and retained their existing dentures to those implants. It's what I call the best bang for your buck in dentistry. If you have a denture, we can place a couple of implants and secure that denture in place for you.
If you’re searching for quality dental care, we’re here to help. Call (253) 600-2621 or email [email protected] to schedule your visit. Our team is committed to keeping your smile healthy.