WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS
Dental Implants and Bone Grafting
For decades, titanium dental implants have been the standard as the most natural root-form replacement of missing teeth. Long used in medical orthopedic surgery, titanium also became the material of choice for dental implants due to its bio-compatibility with your jawbone, high strength, and durability often lasting a lifetime. Most patients heal in a few days after surgery though it usually takes up to 2 additional months for the bone cells to form a permanent bio-mechanical bond to the specially treated titanium surface; a process called osseointegration.
Dental implants are the best treatment for patients who have missing or compromised teeth due to periodontal disease, decay, injury or for those who have congenitally missing teeth.. Please view the following video for an overview of this wonderful technology.
Prior to surgery, it is important to determine the exact dimensions of a patient’s existing bone, and identify important anatomic landmarks such as nerves and sinuses before placing the dental implants. As your certified digital hybrid doctor, Dr. Nguyen will analyze a CT scan of your jaw or a 3-D image of the teeth and jaw to asses both the width and depth of existing bone.
If there is not enough bone available, it may be necessary to add bone grafting material, which typically consists of “mineralized, freeze dried bone” that will heal and transform into newly grown bone. This is sometimes necessary in the area of the sinuses and involves adding bone below the sinus, creating enough bone for the implant to be placed. This process is called a sinus augmentation.
Dental Implant Surgery
Dental implants are inserted in the jaw during the surgical phase of the dental implant treatment. Today, Cad-cam technology allows for accurate planning , precise positioning with surgical guides, and safety during the placement of implants.
In most cases, healing times range from 3 weeks to many months, depending on the health of your jawbone. The need for bone grafting requires more healing time than when bone augmentation isn’t necessary. After an appropriate healing period, determined after the placement of the implants, an impression will be taken and the final crown(s) or bridge fabricated. An abutment will be attached to the implant and the final crown or bridge cemented to the abutment.
Dental Implant Success Rates
The success rate of dental implants is greater than 95%. Success is typically defined as a healthy, functioning implant for at least a 10 year period. Implants are often considered to last a lifetime.
Please call us today for a Dental Implant Consultation to learn about the choices available for you with digital hybrid full arch rehabilitation.