Dental Implants
Dental implants are a permanent solution to the problem of missing teeth.
Unlike dentures or partials, you won’t experience problems with slipping or sliding, and they don’t require a specialized daily care routine beyond regular brushing and flossing. Unlike bridges, dental implants do not require alteration to your existing, healthy teeth. In fact, bridges can be supported by implants for fewer alterations during a more complex restoration.
Do I Need Dental Implants?
For many people, missing teeth present a mostly cosmetic problem. This is a fair concern: Missing teeth carry a stigma, and people with missing teeth may find themselves unfairly judged in many social settings.
Unfortunately, the problem of missing teeth goes beyond the cosmetic issue. Missing teeth put additional stress on your remaining teeth and can lead to damage, including fractures and even further tooth loss. When you are missing teeth, you may find it difficult or even painful to enjoy the fresh, healthy foods you need for proper nutrition and nourishment.
Even more concerning, one or more missing teeth can eventually lead to significant bone loss in your jaw as the tissue becomes atrophied from lack of use. Over time, this diminishing bone can lead to visible changes in your face and cause you to appear prematurely aged.
Dental implants will stop this process in its tracks, something that even dentures and partials cannot do.
Am I a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
While most healthy adults are eligible for dental implants, some health conditions can change the effectiveness of the implants.
When you visit our office to discuss dental implants, we will ask you a number of questions about your health history. These questions are important to help us determine whether dental implants are the right option for you. Don’t worry – even if you do have a health concern, we are likely to still be able to work with you. We just need to know about it so that we can account for it and take any necessary precautions.
How Are Dental Implants Placed?
Prior to beginning the actual implant process, we will perform a full examination including x-rays. Because the implant is attached directly to your jaw, we need to know the condition of your bone. If necessary, you could be a candidate for grafts and other procedures to build up your jaw bone.
The titanium posts for your implants will then be placed. Once you have healed sufficiently, you may receive a temporary crown over the implant while we wait for your permanent crown to return from the dental lab. Once the permanent crown has returned from the dental lab, you will return to our office to have it placed. The fit and appearance will be checked, and your implant will be complete.
For more information about dental implants or to schedule an appointment, please call our practice today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dental implants have several advantages over other tooth replacement options:
- Dental implants appear the most life-like and natural.
- The actual implant piece of the dental implant is made of titanium, a biocompatible metal.
- Dental implants are the most secure and stable.
- Dental implants prevent bone loss, keeping your jaw tissue healthy and preventing changes in the shape of your face.
- With proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime.
A simple answer is....sometimes. The truth is that every implant case is so different that the options are based on the patient’s needs as well as the existing conditions. With individual implants to replace single teeth, the tooth root shape and the implant shape are relatively similar, so we have a better chance to have the option to place an implant the same day the tooth is removed. For multi rooted back teeth, it isn’t as easy, or even possible to do same day implant placement due to the different shapes of a cylinder implant versus a multi rooted tooth shape. Other variables like bone shape, infection, or other health issues also come into play with immediate implant placement. I always tell patients that we don’t want to rush to do things wrong. It is always better to do it right the first time, and although immediate placement may be desired, it isn’t always a good idea.
There are a lot of tv ads about getting implants done as well as “teeth in a day.” To learn more about this particular implant option, click HERE.
When patients talk about “cosmetic dentistry” we are always interested to hear what people think that means. To us, dentistry has evolved to the point that we feel most services could be considered “cosmetic” as we use tooth colored filling material for almost everything. That said, many people consider cosmetic dentistry to include the use of porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers, bonded white fillings on front teeth, tooth whitening or bleaching, and white fillings on back teeth. And yes, we routinely perform all of these procedures. We also utilize Invisalign to help straighten your teeth, and dental implant restorations to restore a single tooth, multiple teeth, or even all of your teeth. In fact, we even feel the conventional dentures and removable partials we fabricate also fall into the cosmetic category as we not only use top labs and materials, but also take every extra step to ensure they look as realistic as possible. So yes, we do perform all of these cosmetic dental services, and we will discuss them with you, as well as present options and risks of treatment before we start your treatment. Give us a call to set up a consultation so we can see what can be done.
Dentures and partials are both treatment options that utilize removable prosthetics to replace missing teeth. Full dentures replace all of the teeth when they are all missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain and we need to replace the missing natural teeth with artificial teeth. Traditionally, both of these options involve prosthetics that the patient can take in and out of their mouth by themselves in order to clean them; however, modern dentistry also allows us to present options with implants. Utilizing implants we can now fabricate dentures or partials that the patient can take in and out of their own mouth by clipping onto implant attachments, as well as options that involve screwing the teeth into the implants where the patient cannot remove the teeth by themselves. Give us a call to see which options are available to you.
There are various reasons we do crowns as well as various processes involved. Most of the time, after a tooth is prepared and an impression taken, we can have the crown ready to cement in two weeks. Crowns on implants will often require an additional week to make as implant components must be ordered by the lab and custom parts fabricated. Those additional steps require more time at the lab.
There are other times that the time frame may differ for various reasons. Sometimes we like to keep a temporary crown on, or even the permanent crown, using temporary cement for an extended period. We will do this when we have concerns about the health of the nerve in the tooth and we want additional time to evaluate it. If we need the lab to make a post for the tooth, this will also require additional time and appointments. Other times, we will send you to the lab so the lab technician can see you for custom shading and tinting so the best esthetic result can be obtained. Timing of that appointment and availability of the patient and lab technician may delay the final finish date accordingly.
Like so many things, we want them done right, not just fast. We understand that patients want things done right away, but we want them done right. We will always go the extra mile to make sure you get the result you want and deserve.
Meet Our Doctor:
Robert C. Clay Jr. DDS
Dr. Bob grew up on the far southeast side of Chicago. After graduating from St. Francis de Sales High School, he attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, specializing in microbiology. Dr. Bob went on to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago Dental School where he received a second Bachelor’s Degree, a Bachelor of Science in Dentistry, followed by his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. Following graduation, he completed his state and national board exams and began practicing dentistry in ...
Featured Blog Posts - Dental Implants
Implants and teeth can’t really be done in one day like the commercials say...can they?
Well, I will answer that by saying Yes and No. First of all, every implant case is different so it is important to get a real answer based on your individual needs and goals. A consultation would be needed to,see what can be done for you. We use Implants for various reasons and they are used to accomplish different goals based on your individual ...