Dental Implants
Did you know that dental implants are
frequently the best treatment option for replacing missing teeth? Rather than
resting on the gum line like removable dentures, or using adjacent teeth as
anchors like fixed bridges, dental implants are long-term replacements that
your oral and maxillofacial surgeon surgically places in the jawbone.
A
Solution of Choice for Replacing Missing Teeth
Statistics show that 69% of adults ages 35 to
44 have lost at least one permanent tooth to an accident, gum disease, a failed
root canal or tooth decay. Furthermore, by age 74, 26% of adults have lost all
of their permanent teeth.
Twenty years ago, these patients would have
had no alternative but to employ a fixed bridge or removable denture to restore
their ability to eat, speak clearly and smile. Fixed bridges and removable
dentures, however, are not the perfect solution and often bring with them a
number of other problems. Removable dentures may slip or cause embarrassing
clicking sounds while eating or speaking. Of even greater concern, fixed
bridges often affect adjacent healthy teeth, and removable dentures may lead to
bone loss in the area where the tooth or teeth are missing. Recurrent decay,
periodontal (gum) disease and other factors often doom fixed bridgework to
early failure. For these reasons, fixed bridges and removable dentures usually
need to be replaced every seven to 15 years.
After more than 20 years of service, the vast
majority of dental implants first placed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons in
the United States continue to still function at peak performance. More
importantly, the recipients of those early dental implants are still satisfied
they made the right choice. If properly cared for, dental implants can last a
lifetime.
Anatomy
of a Dental Implant
A dental implant designed to replace a single
tooth is composed of three parts: the titanium implant that fuses with the
jawbone; the abutment, which fits over the portion of the implant that
protrudes from the gum line; and the crown, which is created by a
prosthodontist or restorative dentist and fitted onto the abutment for a
natural appearance.
Many people who are missing a single tooth opt
for a fixed bridge; but a bridge may require the cutting down of healthy,
adjacent teeth that may or may not need to be restored in the future. Then
there is the additional cost of possibly having to replace the bridge once,
twice or more over the course of a lifetime. Similarly, a removable partial
denture may contribute to the loss of adjacent teeth. Studies show that within
five to seven years there is a failure rate of up to 30% in teeth located next
to a fixed bridge or removable partial denture.
Further, conventional dentures may contribute
to the loss of bone in the area where teeth are missing. As illustration (a)
indicates, the presence of natural teeth preserves the jawbone. When a tooth is
missing, as in illustration (b), the bone may erode and weaken until it may be
necessary for your oral and maxillofacial surgeon to graft bone to the area to
strengthen it for placement of a dental implant. When a missing tooth is
replaced by a dental implant, the fusion, or osseointegration, of the implant
and bone provides stability, just as the natural tooth did.
If you are missing several teeth in the same
area of your mouth, you may still enjoy the confidence and lifestyle benefits
that come with dental implants. Your oral and maxillofacial surgeon will place
two or more dental implants, depending on the number of teeth that are missing.
Your replacement teeth will be attached to the implants to allow excellent
function and prevent bone loss. The implants will serve as a stable support
that tightly locks into your replacement teeth and dentures to prevent slipping
and bone loss.
With an overall success rate of about 95% and
almost 50 years of clinical research to back them up, dental implants are
frequently the best treatment option for replacing missing teeth.
Dental
Implants vs. Conventional Dentures
Many patients who have selected dental
implants describe a quality of life that is much more comfortable and secure
than the lifestyle endured by those with fixed bridges or removable dentures.
Dentures often make a person feel and look older than they are, cause
embarrassment in social situations when they slip and click, and restrict the
everyday pleasure of eating comfortably.
When they count the benefits they enjoy as a
result of their dental implants, patients say their implants eliminate the
day-to-day frustrations and discomfort of ill-fitting dentures. They allow
people to enjoy a healthy and varied diet without the restrictions many denture
wearers face. With a sense of renewed self-confidence, many people rediscover
the excitement of an active lifestyle shared with family and friends and the
chance to speak clearly and comfortably with co-workers. For all these reasons,
people with dental implants often say they feel better... they look better...
they live better.
Dental Implants
are a Team Effort
Dental implants combine the best of modern
science and technology, including a team approach spanning several disciplines.
A successful implant requires that all parties
involved — the patient; the restorative dentist, who makes the crown for the
implant; and the oral and maxillofacial surgeon, who surgically places the
implant, follow a careful plan of treatment. All members of the implant team
stay in close contact with each other to make sure everyone clearly understands
what needs to be done to meet the patient's expectations.
The team is organized as soon as the decision
for placing a dental implant is reached. Following an evaluation that includes
a comprehensive examination, x-rays and a consultation with the patient and members
of the implant team, the oral and maxillofacial surgeon surgically places the
posts, or implants, in the patient's jaw.
When the implants have stabilized in the jaw,
the restorative dentist prepares an impression of the upper and lower jaws.
This impression is used to make the model from which the dentures or crowns are
created.
The teamwork continues long after the implant
and crown have been placed. Follow-up examinations with the oral and
maxillofacial surgeon and restorative dentist are critical, and progress is
carefully charted. Both the oral and maxillofacial surgeon and the restorative
dentist continue to work together to provide the highest level of aftercare.
Are You
a Candidate for Dental Implants?
Whether you are a young, middle-aged or older
adult; whether you need to replace one tooth, several teeth, or all your teeth,
there is a dental implant solution for you. With the exception of growing
children, dental implants are the solution of choice for people of all ages,
even those with the following health concerns:
Existing Medical
Conditions. If you can have routine dental treatment, you can generally
have an implant placed. While precautions are advisable for certain conditions,
patients with such chronic diseases as high blood pressure and diabetes are
usually successful candidates for dental implant treatment.
Gum Disease or Problem
Teeth. Almost all implants placed in patients who have lost their
teeth to periodontal disease or decay have been successful.
Currently Wearing
Partials or Dentures. Implants can replace removable bridges or dentures, or they can
be used to stabilize and secure the denture, making it much more comfortable.
Smokers.
Although smoking lowers the success rate of implants, it doesn't eliminate the
possibility of getting them.
Bone Loss. Bone
loss is not uncommon for people who have lost teeth or had periodontal disease.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are trained and experienced in grafting bone to
safely and permanently secure the implant.
Our staff is eager to
help you achieve a healthy smile. “Let’s talk about your smile!” Please call
our office at (305) 534-2002 to schedule an appointment or visit our website at
http://www.4everteeth.com.
4everteeth Dental Center -Miami Beach
Dr. Arnold Rothman
(305) 534-2002
939 Arthur Godfrey Rd.
Miami Beach, Fl 33140
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