General Dentistry – West Melbourne
DENTAL IMPLANTS
Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The person who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat virtually anything and can smile with confidence, knowing that the teeth appear natural and that facial contours will be preserved. Dental implants can help maintain the facial structure by preventing the bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing. Dental implants are changing the way people live! With dental implants, people are rediscovering the comfort and confidence to eat, speak, laugh, and enjoy life.
WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Dental implants are titanium posts that are placed into the jawbone. Over a short healing period, the jawbone grows around these posts and fortifies their place in the bone. Once a post has healed into the bone, a prosthetic tooth is placed over this post, and you can resume your normal eating and drinking activities.
Dental implants can be used to restore a single tooth or multiple teeth. They can also serve as supports for bridges and dentures. Dental implants are quite amazing!
Not only are implants applicable in a wide range of circumstances, dental implants are superior to your traditional prosthetics. Instead of only replacing the crown of a lost tooth, they also replace the missing dental roots. As a result, they restore your dental functions back to normal, providing you with improved bite force and superior aesthetics. In addition, they are long-lasting just like natural teeth.
Solid Implant Facts:
Restoration of Function and Strength
Crowns restore the function and strength of damaged teeth, protecting them from further decay and damage by evenly distributing biting forces.
Aesthetic Improvement
Customizable in shape and color, dental crowns can enhance the appearance of your smile by correcting issues like discoloration, chips, and misalignment.
Enhanced Comfort
For patients with cracked, broken, or sensitive teeth, crowns offer relief from pain and sensitivity by stabilizing the tooth and shielding it from extreme temperatures and pressure.
Durability
Made from materials like porcelain, ceramic, or metal alloys, crowns are durable and can last many years with proper care.
Solid Implant Facts
Teeth do much more than help you eat and speak. They also support your jawbone and maintain the shape of your face. When a tooth is lost, the surrounding bone begins to shrink because it no longer receives the stimulation it needs. Over time, this bone loss can affect nearby teeth and alter your facial appearance.
Dental implants help preserve jawbone health by replacing the missing tooth root and stimulating the bone during chewing. They are durable, resistant to decay, and function like natural teeth with proper care. After placement, implants typically heal over three to six months as they fuse with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration.
Implant placement is a common, predictable procedure that can usually be completed in your dentist’s office using local anesthesia. For patients missing multiple teeth, modern implant-supported dentures can also provide greater stability while helping reduce the bone loss often associated with traditional dentures.
Single tooth implants
These are used when one tooth is missing.
Implant-supported bridge
These can replace multiple teeth in a row. They will replace a minimum of 3 teeth, however the maximum teeth it can replace will be determined by the surgeon.
Implant-supported dentures or partials
These are dentures or partials that will either snap or clip into place. They are removable for cleaning purposes.
Implant-supported hybrid dentures
These are dentures that are permanently secured into place. They can only be removed by a dental professional.
Removable Implant Supported Dentures
These dentures will snap into the implants and are removable for easy cleaning.
Implant-supported hybrid dentures
These dentures are secured with screws to the dental implant and can only be removed with help from a dental professional.
Implant-Supported Dentures
New denture technology allows your dentist to place dental implants into your jawbone. Your dentures will attach to the implants while the implants provide reinforcement for your fragile jawbone. By utilizing dental implants, your profile will not change and you will be able to enjoy a fully functioning set of teeth without worrying about intraoral adhesives commonly used to keep dentures from slipping. On average, the surgeon will use 4 implants for a lower denture and 6 implants for an upper denture. Some cases may require more or less implants. The surgeon will determine this at the time of the implant consultation.
CONDITIONS THAT MAY AFFECT YOUR IMPLANT SUCCESS
Smoking
Smokers also have an increased likelihood of dental implant problems. Irritants from the tobacco can prevent the soft tissues of the mouth from healing quickly and properly around the dental implants. In addition, smokers sometimes have reduced blood-oxygen levels, and the lack of oxygen may slow wound healing as well.
Poorly controlled blood sugar
Although people with diabetes have a high rate of success when it comes to dental implants, poorly controlled blood sugar can increase the likelihood of implant failure. If you suffer from diabetes, it is important to adhere to your doctor’s recommendations concerning medication, diet and exercise before, during and after your implant placement.
Bruxism
In order for an implant to be successful, the dental implant must remain in position within the bone. If implants are shifted out of place, they will not reconnect to the bone tissue. As a result, a new implant restoration would be required. Since implant patients who grind their teeth at night experience a great deal of bite pressure, it is important for them to wear a mouthguard to protect their dental implants from the bite force of the grinding.
Jawbone Density
If your jawbone is too thin to support the placement of traditional dental implants, your dentist may recommend a bone graft or different types of implants. A bone graft can be performed by adding bone that is harvested from another area of your body, a cadaver, or an animal to your existing jawbone. If a bone graft is not desired, a mini implant or a zygomatic implant may be appropriate. Mini dental implants are smaller in size and require less bone for support. Zygomatic implants are installed in the cheekbone instead of the bone of the jaw. Both types of implants can be used in the same manner as traditional implants, including for the support of bridges and dentures.
EVALUATION FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS
Meet Dr. Brazdo if you need to fix your teeth. If, like many others, you feel implant dentistry is the choice for you, we ask that you undergo a dental/radiographic examination and health history. During these consultation visits, your specific needs and considerations will be addressed by Dr. Brazdo or by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon referred by our practice. Your questions and concerns are important to us, and our team will work with you very closely to help make your procedure affordable and a success.