| Dental
Implants: A Time-Tested Solution
In
use for many years, dental implants are effective,
natural-looking replacements for missing teeth. There
are a variety of implant types to meet individual
patient needs. Types
of Implants
There
are three basic types of implants: cylindrical implants,
blade implants and frame implants. Both cylindrical
and blade implants are endosteal implants and are
placed into the jawbone. Frame implants are subperiosteal
implants and are placed over the jawbone when the
jawbone cannot accept a cylindrical or blade implant.
The
Implant Professionals
The
dentists in our office are professionally trained
in dental implantology. They are members of the
American Academy of Implant Dentistry, and their
extensive training and background in implants provides
patients with the best care possible.
In addition, our office provides comprehensive follow-up
care, including the design and fitting of the prosthetic
placement, techniques for proper oral hygiene, maintenance
needs, and periodic examinations.
A
Full Service Practice
This
full service approach benefits you, the patient.
Even with the extensive publicity that dental implants
are attracting, few dental offices have professional
staffs trained in all aspects of implantology, from
start to finish.
Implant
Successes
This
is an important consideration. The majority of implants
that fail usually fail because the wrong implant
was chosen for a specific patient. When the correct
implant is chosen and the surgical procedure performed
correctly, the success rate is in the 90-95% range.
|
The
Office Visit
Each
of the two stages of the implant procedure can be
completed during a one hour office visit. The procedure
is usually done under local anesthesia, as would
be used when having a tooth filled.
In
most cases, the patient experiences no more discomfort
than normally associated with having a tooth extracted.
Patients with existing partials or dentures can
wear them after the procedure, although some modification
may be needed to accommodate the swelling normally
associated with a surgical procedure.
The
Implant Procedure
In
the First Stage of the implant procedure, a surgical
procedure places the implant either in the bone
or on the bone, depending on the type of implant.
After a healing period of six to eight weeks, for
the lower jawbone, and four to six months for the
upper jawbone, the final prosthesis is installed
during the Second Stage. Actual timing may vary.
The
Real Facts About Implants
One
common misconception is that one implant is needed
to replace each missing tooth. That is not the case.
Normally, to restore all the teeth on an upper or
lower jawbone requires four to six implants. Because
implants are as strong as natural teeth, and in
many cases stronger, they can support a variety
of different prostheses to restore the mouth to
its natural appearance and health. With the implants
in place, the prosthetic device, containing the
required number of replacement teeth, can be attached.
Besides allowing a patient to resume normal eating
activity, dental implants improve a patient's overall
health. For example, the stopping of disintegration
of the jawbone commonly associated with denture
wearing. Patients generally are more confident about
their appearance both when eating and when talking.
|
| The
Cost of Implants
As
with any procedure performed by our office, an individual
course of treatment for dental implants is offered
only after a comprehensive evaluation, referred
to as a workup, of the patient's needs has been
conducted.
The
results of this workup, detailed in writing and
reviewed with the patient, are the basis for the
implant treatment plan, including the time required
from start to finish and a fee schedule.
Because
of the case-by-case approach used by this office,
it is the policy of this office not to quote specific
fees until a workup has been completed and a treatment
plan developed. |
