Implants

When you are missing teeth you may not feel comfortable eating or speaking. You might even avoid smiling in public or in pictures. Fortunately, dental implants can help greatly! Implants can replace a single tooth, several teeth, or all the teeth in your mouth. Best of all, they look and feel like natural teeth.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root. Your jawbone fuses with the implant to provide a secure platform for a prosthesis (artificial tooth). If you are missing many teeth, several implants can be used to support a fixed or removable partial or complete prosthesis.

Throughout the implant process you will work closely with our dental team. Your surgeon will be an oral surgeon or periodontist. We will provide the restorative treatment. Depending on your dental needs, total treatment time for implants can range anywhere from several months up to a year.

To determine whether you are a good candidate for dental implants, an evaluation includes an exam, medical history and imaging tests. As part of the exam, the health and structure of your mouth are studied. This helps the surgeon and us determine if implants will be successful and where to place them. If you do not have enough healthy bone or gum tissue, you may need a graft prior to implant placement. Grafting helps build a solid foundation for the implants if the existing bone is not adequate.
 

If dental implants are not right for you now, consider your alternatives. One option may be a bridge to replace your missing teeth. In other cases, a removable partial or an overlay denture may be a viable alternative.

Abutments are the connecting pieces that join the prosthesis to the implants. In certain cases, abutments may be placed at the same time as implants; however, abutments are most
often placed after the bone has fused to the implant. Abutments can be made of titanium or in esthetic areas, zirconium is used. It has strength similar to titanium but is tooth colored. Highly esthetic, non metal restorations can then be bonded to the zirconium abutment for the ultimate in cosmetic results.



A dental prosthesis is secured to one or more implants. It can be made of one or many artificial teeth. A single crown can be used to replace a single missing tooth. Larger spaces may be restored with multiple implants and crowns or a fixed bridge between implants

               
 

There are two types of complete denture prostheses: removable and fixed. With a removable prosthesis, the new teeth are joined to the implants by a connecting device such as a clip or bar. This allows you to take the prosthesis out for cleaning. For support, this type often uses from two to six implants per jaw.
 

With a fixed prosthesis or bridge, the new teeth are fitted to a frame that is secured to the implants. Five or more implants are placed along the contour of the jaw. In some cases, a fixed prosthesis offers more stability for chewing.



To custom-fit the prosthesis, we will make the impressions of your jaws, teeth and abutments. Bite registrations are also made to allow the new teeth to fit together properly. Your input is needed to select final colors, shapes, lengths, etc. of the new teeth.

To ensure that your implants last, take good care of your mouth. This means brushing and flossing every day and having regular checkups with your dental team. If you do not keep your mouth in good shape, your implants can fail.

Below is a close up of a zirconium abutment. It is made by a sophisticated CAD-CAM system and is the current state of the art abutment in aesthetic areas. The second photo shows the porcelain crown seated over the zirconium abutment and it blends perfectly with the veneers that are present on the adjacent teeth. No metal is present to ever cause discoloration at the gum line. The appearance will be as life like in the years ahead as it is today.

                         

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