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Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
What are
dental implants?
Dental implants are basically sophisticated screws
made of a medically pure metal, Titanium. These screws are then placed
in the jaw bone and rest under the gum for 3 - 6 months. During this
time they actually fuse to the jawbone and become osseo(bone)integrated.
After the appropriate healing time, we uncover the implants and use them
to replace one or more missing teeth by fabricating some sort of dental
prosthesis.
Dental implants are basically sophisticated screws
made
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of a medically pure metal, Titanium. These screws are then placed
in the jaw bone and rest under the gum for 3 - 6 months. During this
time they actually fuse to the jawbone and become osseo(bone)integrated.
After the appropriate healing time, we uncover the implants and use them
to replace one or more missing teeth by fabricating some sort of dental
prosthesis.Dental implants have been available for the past 50 or so years. There
are significant differences, however, between the various types of
implants that have been used to replace missing teeth. These differences
are important since they are directly related to the implants success
rates. The implants currently in use today, OSSEOINTEGRATED IMPLANTS,
were originally developed in Sweden by Dr. P.I. Branemark., a Swedish
Orthopedist approximately 25-30 years ago. They have been used in the
U.S. for the past 12 years.
All implants in use in
the United States are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Originally, the only system available was the Noblepharma™ Branemark
implant. Today, there are numerous implant companies in use on a daily
basis. All of these companies are FDA approved and must meet very
stringent requirements. Your dental team will choose the system that is
best for you and the one that allows them to accomplish your mutual
restorative goal. Implants are made of commercially
and medically pure Titanium. This is the same metal that has been
successfully used in hip implants for many years. It is inert and is not
known to cause any type of rejection phenomenon.
Implant surgery is done
in two stages. The first stage involves the pl acement of the implants
into the available jaw bone. This is most commonly done with just local
anesthesia. It is complicated only in the sense that the surgery
requires great precision. Every attempt is made to insure success. The
room is set up similar to an operating room, the equipment thoroughly
sterilized and the most modern techniques utilized. Stage two involves
the uncovering of the implants after they have integrated ( fused ).
This can be accomplished with minor gum surgery or with a dental laser
and is a relatively minor procedure. In both instances, minimal
postoperative discomfort is noticed. You will be given the appropriated
antibiotics and analgesics just as a precaution. Very definitive
postoperative instruction will be given to you at the time of surgery.
If you follow the guidelines, everything should proceed without a
hitch.
Implants are made of an inert metal which has no history of
rejection by the body. They are not a living organ such as the lung or
liver and therefore there is no rejection phenomenon. If failure should
occur, and this is only a remote possibility, it is mechanical in nature
and not due to rejection by the body. By the way, depending on the
source you read, implants are anywhere from 85-95 percent successful
depending upon certain factors such as implant location, amount and
quality of bone etc. These factors will be evaluated before we place
your implants.
Although implants simulate the roots of teeth, biomechanically
one implant can be used to replace one or more teeth. This will depend
upon the mechanical requirements of your chosen prosthesis. At your
consultation your dentist will discuss the various treatment
alternatives and the type and number of implants that are needed in
order to fulfill our treatment objectives.
During the surgery
every attempt is made to maintain a totally sterile field. This tends to
minimize any potential for postoperative infection. Once again, your
dentist will prescribe the appropriate antibiotics as a precautionary
measure. Once the implants have been engaged in your prosthesis, it is
imperative for you to maintain scrupulous oral hygiene. Success very
often depends on your cooperation and homecare
efforts.
Once your
implants have integrated, you will be able to function normally without
any unusual sensations. Your chewing ability will really depend upon the
type of prosthesis you have chosen.
Dental implants take
approximately 3-4 months in the lower jaw and 6 months in the upper to
integrate. Once integrated, it takes several visits to several months to
complete the restoration depending upon the complexity.
The cost of implant dentistry is based upon
a combination of the surgical phase and the prosthetic phase. Your total
treatment fee will depend upon the number of implants and the complexity
of your final restoration.
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