Dental Implants

What are implants?
Dental implants are artificial teeth with a screw post that is inserted into the jaw bone to replace a missing tooth or to give support to a bridge. Implants do not attach to other teeth as bridges do, and therefore are not as destructive to other teeth. They function and look like any other tooth and can help with speech and confidence.

Who can get an implant?
Anyone who is missing one or more teeth due to periodontal disease, injury or other reasons can be considered for an implant. They must be in good general and dental health. Age is not much of a factor, as long as they are healthy. Your dentist should discuss this with you to ultimately determine if an implant is right for you.

How long do they last?
Implants should last a lifetime. With proper care and hygiene, there should not be any problems. A bridge alternative has a lower success rate and occasionally has to be re-cemented. From dentist's reports, implants are a lifetime investment and prove to be more functional than a bridge.

What types of implants are there?
There are single tooth implants, multiple teeth implants, and full mouth implants. When more than one tooth is being repaired, a bridge is used to connect two end implants. On a full mouth, all of the natural teeth will be replaced and some of the roots. These can be full bridge or full dentures, supported by implants.

What is the procedure?
For all three types of implants mentioned above, the procedure is practically the same, varying only with the number of posts and bridges used. First, the implant is placed in the bone. This is a screw-like metal piece that is left for two to six months to bond with the bone. During this time a temporary can be worn over the implant. In the second stage a small metal extension piece is added to the end of the screw as a foundation for the tooth replacement. Once the gum has healed, the final replacement tooth called a crown is put in place. After time, you are able to use the implant as a full functioning tooth, and it will not be noticeable that it is not your real tooth.
The pictures show a single tooth implant. The first image shows the second step, and the other shows the finished product.

What are the benefits?
Benefits from an implant include being able to chew and speak properly, and enjoy all types of food. With another type of partial, you may be restricted to the food you can eat, in fear of damaging the partial. With an implant, it will look, feel, and function like a normal tooth. You also benefit from protection of other teeth and the jaw bone, because it is not adhering to other teeth.

What treatment follows the implant?
After an implant, it becomes just like any of your other teeth. It too requires daily maintenance of brushing and flossing to remove the plaque that builds up. Properly maintaining your implant will add to its long-term success. You will also need to visit your periodontist and dentist regularly to make sure everything is working like it should.

How much do they cost?
Because every mouth is different, each case can vary in price. The number of implants and artificial teeth will dictate the overall cost. Procedures can be done before getting and implant that can help reduce the cost by going with implant alternatives. As mentioned in the types of implants section, a full mouth implant does not require a post for each tooth being replaced. This will help reduce the cost significantly.

After weighing all of your options and discussing with both your dentist and periodontist, you can make a decision that is right for you. Implants are more expensive than other procedures, but can last a lifetime serving as a fully functional tooth.

Information provided by American Academy of Periodontology and Dental Implants.

Laser Dentistry

Laser dentistry, a modern alternative to the drill, provides the same results and is often preferred by the patients. As lasers become more common in daily life, dentistry is one more area it has expanded to.

What is laser dentistry?
Lasers provide energy in the form of light at various wavelengths. The energy is projected to its intended target that then absorbs the light. Each target absorbs light at a different wavelength and deflects light outside of this range. This is why it is important that a different wavelength is used for each specific procedure.

Is it safe?
The use of lasers has been reported to be safe on all patients, both young and old. There are varying wavelengths that are used to get the desired effect. If a wavelength that is too strong is used for the wrong procedure it can damage the tooth or tissue, therefore, precaution should still be exercised.

What can they be used for?
Lasers can be used for almost any dental procedure, including the common root canals, tooth decay (cavities) and even teeth whitening. They can also be used for crown lengthening and removing excess tissue in the middle of the upper jaw, between the lip and teeth. It can also be used to cut the tissue that results in a child being "tongue tied". The procedure is much more appealing to the parent and child because the laser is a small object, there is relatively no blood, and no pain or noise. One thing lasers are unable to be used on are amalgam (silver) fillings. They are unable to cut through the amalgam restorations, but can be used on newly formed cavities.

Why are lasers preferred?
If used properly, lasers can lead to less blood, swelling and discomfort. Laser dentistry eliminates the grinding sound of the drill that is often annoying and leads to many people's phobia of the dentist. Lasers project no sound and nearly cause no pain or discomfort. The use of anesthesia can be eliminated from most procedures, but can easily be administered if pain does occur. Eliminating the anesthesia is popular among patients because they are able to return to work right after their visit without a numb lip or tongue.

Dare I say, "welcome to the new age of dentsitry"? I think that as the laser becomes more common and more research is conducted, lasers will be able to completely remove the drill, and hopefully the fear of patients as well.

Information provided by Laser Dentistry and the American Academy of Periodontology

Periodental Surgery

I mentioned various ways to help fight gum disease if a scaling (deep cleaning) is not sufficient in my last post. Here, I will be explaining those procedures more in depth, so if you are ever faced with having to make a decision of which to do, you may do it knowledgeably. Before I start however, I want to emphasize that these procedures should only be done if recommended by your dentist, and the non-surgical procedures did not work.

Pocket Reduction occurs when the gum tissue around your teeth begins to deteriorate and forms a gap or "pocket" between your teeth and gum. This space provides bacteria with a place to live which is hard to clean without professional help. As the bacteria grow, more tissue will be lost and eventually will lead to bone loss. If not corrected, these pockets of bacteria can lead to extraction of the tooth. During the actual procedure your dentist will pull back the gum line and remove the disease-causing bacteria. They may also smooth any rough tooth surfaces to help prevent bacteria from getting into these nooks. The tissue will be reattached to the bone, decreasing the pocket space. This is an important step because only removing the bacteria does nothing to prevent it from reoccurring. Reducing the pockets along with daily oral care will help to prevent future problems.

Regeneration is similar to pocket reduction. It is recommended when the bone supporting your teeth has been lost. Through this treatment, the bone and tissue can be built back up. The procedure is just like that of pocket reduction; the disease-causing bacteria are removed. Membranes, bone grafts or tissue stimulating proteins can be taken to increase your body's natural production of these.

Crown Lengthening is a procedure that exposes more of your natural tooth. If your smile shows lots of your gum and your teeth look rather small, they can easily be repaired. Your teeth are probably a normal size, but the gum line is lower than most peoples. This procedure can be done to one tooth or several. It provides better esthetics of the gum line, and your confidence in your smile. Your dentist may recommend this procedure for reasons other than esthetics. If a tooth is decayed, broken below the gum line, or there is not enough bone structure to do a restoration (a crown or bridge), this procedure may be done to remove the excess tissue to show more of the tooth to work with.

Soft Tissue Grafts is almost like a reversal of crown lengthening. Soft tissue grafts are recommended to patients who have gum recession, leading to exposed roots which make the tooth look longer and increased sensitivity to hot and cold. The recession can occur from several sources, namely periodontal disease and rough brushing. The procedure includes your periodontist inserting tissue grafts from either your own palate or from a donor, into your gum line. This can be done on one tooth, several, or the entire gum line. The surgery will lead to covered roots, decreased sensitivity, and better esthetics.

Information for this post provided by American Academy of Periodontology