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If you have a lower denture it is a good idea to go ahead and get it replaced with a lower jaw implant. A lower jaw implant will look much more like a natural tooth and will provide you with a more effective chewing surface.
You already know how uncomfortable a lower denture can be. You have probably noticed that it hurts to choose sometimes. This is because when you lose teeth, the bone in your jaw starts receding. Nerves that run to the surface of the bone become sensitive when you bite down.
Partial dentures are not the best solution to the problem of missing teeth because they do not anchor to the jaw itself. Lower jaw implants do, however. Shaped like cylinders with screw-shaped bottoms, these tooth root replacements are embedded in the bone itself, which then believes them to be natural tooth roots. This stops the process of bone recession, and it provides a sturdy base to cap with a porcelain crown that looks just like a natural tooth.
You may be saying at this point that you have lost too many teeth to replace all of your lower dentures with implants. In this case, we recommend you schedule an appointment and at least start with a combination of dentures and implants. What we will do is to connect the new lower jaw implants with a bar, then clip the new dentures to the bar.. These clips snap down on the bar and keep the denture from moving around and making those obnoxious, embarrassing noises. You can still take out your dentures to clean them, however, and this will also help you better clean the bar and the porcelain crowns.
Regardless of the option you ultimately go with, be aware that any implantation procedure is the one sure way to take the pressure off of jaw bones and nerves. And, like we already mentioned, they give the bone something to grow around so that bone loss gets stopped in its tracks.
Lower jaw implants are placed in your mouth in a two-phase process. The first phase is the surgical phase. Patients are sedated during this phase to prevent them from feeling pain. The dentist makes a small incision in the gums and screws the titanium base into the jaw bone. Over the next few months the jaw bone grows around this base, thinking it is a new tooth root.
Lower jaw implants are placed using a two-phase procedure. The first phase is called the surgical phase and involves sedating you so you will not feel any pain. The dentist makes a small incision in your gum and screws the implant in to the jaw bone. A few months are needed for the bone to accept the implant and properly heal.
Once it heals, a porcelain crown is then made that looks identical in size and coloration to your surrounding teeth. This is placed over the artificial root to provide a hard, comfortable surface for chewing that looks so close to the real thing no one will even know you are using a tooth replacement.
Not only will this make eating more enjoyable, but it will make you feel more confident when you smile and talk to other people.Labels: cosmetic dental implants, dentures, implant dentistry, tooth replacements
Two-implant bridges make excellent replacements for missing teeth. Unlike other bridges, they do not anchor to natural teeth. Rather, they anchor to dental implants. This prevents wear and tear on natural teeth.
Implants are cylindrical and are made from a titanium alloy known as Tivolloy. They have screw-shaped bottoms that allow them to be twisted into the bone. The jawbone accepts these implants as if they were actual tooth roots, then porcelain crowns are placed over the Tivolloy roots to act as tooth replacements.
Placing two-implant bridges after teeth have been lost helps prevent a chain reaction from happening. You see, teeth need each other for support. When a tooth is lost, they shift. Teeth next to the empty space begin to extrude from their sockets. They become misaligned and can eventually fall out if the missing tooth is not replaced in a reasonable amount of time.
Regardless if teeth are lost or not, you will have problems chewing your food and you may damage your jaw-joint, the TMJ. It will also be hard to clean teeth that have shifted, because shifting gives plaque and tartar new places to hide from brushes and floss. Periodontitis, cavities, and sometimes even permanent bone loss may follow.
The cost of two-implant bridges can sometimes intimidate people, who may opt instead to go the cheaper route with partial dentures. There are some issues associated with this, though. Dentures have clasps and metal work that require adjustment, and they do not stop bone loss.
These factors being considered, it is a better idea to ask your dentist about payment plan options that can help you afford a two-implant bridge.
After a financial plan has been chosen, (and we have several options that you probably qualify for—then we can perform the implantation of the bridge in two phases right here in our office.
The first of these phase is called the surgical phase. The patient is placed under a general anesthetic and the dentist makes a small incision in the gum. The base of the implant is screwed into the jawbone. Sometimes, the dentist covers the implant with a temporary crown that remains in place for the next 3-6 weeks. After the healing phase (known as osseointegration) has been complete, you return back to our Houston Medical Center Office for phase two of the procedure.
The dentist will then take impressions of your teeth and he will use these to create porcelain crowns that will then be used to anchor the two-implant bridge. Porcelain is hard and very durable substance, and it gives strong support to a bridge and provides a reliable chewing surface. It also looks practically identical to natural tooth enamel.
Labels: dental implnats, implant dentistry, two-implant dental bridges
Two years ago we treated a woman named Susanna, who was in her early sixties. Over forty years ago, she had lost all but 6 of her lower front teeth. At that time, a removable upper denture seemed her most workable and convenient option. True, she did not like having to take it out and clean it in front of her husband and children, and she was embarrassed at times by the sounds it made when she chewed certain foods.
After she retired, however she decided to look into implant dentistry. She called our office and asked if we could help with some kind of payment plan. We told her it is routine for a good majority of our patients to pay for dental implants over a period of time. Susanna was more than happy to come in upon hearing this news, excited to hear that an alternative to dentures had finally presented itself within reach.
It is unfortunate that so many people like Susanna assume that implant dentistry is beyond their budget, and that they must settle for a lifetime of removable dentures. Nothing could be farther from the truth. While it is true that this treatment is certainly much more expensive than other forms of tooth replacement, implant dentistry does not have to be paid for all at once. A full list of financial options can be explored by visiting this link on our main website. Any number of these can be within the realm of possibility for a gainfully employed or comfortably retired person to qualify for. She had very good credit and a comfortable income from her savings and retirement plans, and her credit immediately qualified her for one of our plans.
Susanna was a unique case in that she had lived without her natural teeth for over 40 years. However, she had not experienced the severe bone loss that often ensues after teeth remain missing for a period of time. In most cases like hers, there is seldom enough bone mass to place more than a few implants. The remainder of a full-mouth reconstruction has to be done with fixed bridgework attached to implants that are used as anchor points. In fact, we were a bit shocked at this remarkable condition after looking at the x-rays of her mouth. Susanna simply told us that she took good care of herself by eating healthy and taking daily supplements.
We never complain when a patient is this proactive in self-care. Over the next 18 months, we placed a total of 15 dental implants in Susannas upper jaw. In the few gaps between these implants, we placed porcelain cosmetic dental bridges to completely rebuild her smile.
Susanna reports today that she loves the new freedom she has to eat anything she wants (although she still eats only healthy foods). She also remarked that it is a genuine pleasure to finally be able to brush her upper teeth—something she has not been able to do since her early twenties. Again, it makes us feel good as dentists to hear a patient so passionate about dental hygiene. For more information, visit the following articles on our main website:Dental Implant Procedures Dentures Dental Implants Dental Tooth Implants Dental Implant SurgeryLabels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dental procedures, dental imlplants, dental implant, dental implant procedures, Dental Implants, implant dentistry
In order for dental implant procedures to be effective, careful examination of the medical history and overall general health of the patient has to be done first. At the Medical Center Dental Group, we leave no stone unturned when it comes to taking stock of the patient’s medical history and current condition. Using our computer to access patient medical records, we check for such things as diabetes and alcoholism. If these conditions are currently present, they can significantly diminish the chances of dental implant procedures being successful. The decision to move forward in such an event is made on a case by case basis between the doctor and the patient.
If advanced periodontal disease is discovered, the dentist will diagnose its level of severity and determine a treatment plan. Some periodontal disease can be corrected with non-surgical treatments. Advanced gum disease will require surgery, which we recommend patients have performed here using our PerioLase® MVP-7 laser engineered specifically for Laser Periodontal Therapy.
Once the patient has become healthy enough for dental implant procedures to have a more than 90 percent chance of success, the dentist will then examine the condition of the jaw bones. The longer teeth are missing from the mouth, the more bone deterioration occurs. The dentist will need to know just how much degradation has occurred in order to determine how many implants can be placed in the jaw. If more than 50 percent of the teeth have been missing for a period of years and severe deterioration has set in, the dentist will have to selectively use implants as anchors for fixed bridgework in a full mouth reconstruction. If bone loss is not so severe, implants can simply be placed where the missing teeth were previously located.
Once these determinations have been made, the dentist will make a mold of existing, healthy teeth. This will function as a template for the size and placement of dental implants. Surgical procedures then follow, with the dentist placing the patient under local anesthetic for one or two implants, or placing the patient under general anesthetic for the implantation of multiple replacements. The actual implants themselves are made of a bio-friendly Titanium alloy. They are shaped like screws at the bottom and set in the jaw itself. Sometimes the dentist will cap the implant to minimize the risk of infection. A 3-6 month healing process then ensues, where the bone grows around the implant and attaches to it. (This is called osseointegration).
After osseointegration is complete, the patient returns to the office to have the final dental implant procedures performed. The dentist will secure the implant with another screw called an abutment, then cap the entire structure with a porcelain crown molded to match the appearance and functionality of a natural tooth.
For more information, visit our website and read the following articles:
Dental ImplantsTitanium Dental ImplantsDental Implant SurgeryDental Tooth ImplantsDentures Dental ImplantsPostoperative Instructions for Dental ImplantsIf you are missing teeth, but feel cosmetic dental implants are out of your price range, call us and ask about our financial plans to help people from all walks of life pay for the winning smile that every person deserves to show to the world. Labels: cosmetic dental bridges, cosmetic dental implants, dental crowns, implant dentistry
People often ask their dentists if dentures will work just as well as dental implants. The truth is, dentures are better than nothing at all, but they can offer only limited benefit to a person. Dental implants, on the other hand, offer full tooth replacements that can potentially last a lifetime. Whereas dentures will help maintain the muscle tone of the face, dental implants provide both facial structure and a reliable chewing surface.
Dentures have a number of disadvantages that limit their usefulness as well as their appeal. For one thing, they have to be removed and cleaned on a regular basis. Consider how this can scare small children when they discover the teeth of a parent or grandparent soaking in a glass in the kitchen. Dental implants do not have to be taken out and cleaned in this fashion because they are fixed in the bone and work just like natural teeth. They can even be brushed and flossed.
Dentures can also make embarrass people during meals by making clicking sounds that people can hear across the table. Dental implants make no such noises because they are anchored within the bone. Dental implants do not fall out either because they are screwed to the jawbone and stay in the mouth just like natural teeth.
Dental implants also allow a person to eat any foods that natural teeth can normally chew. Dentures are much more limited because they do not provide enough of a hard chewing surface. Porcelain, the substance used to make implants, is one of the hardest substances known to medical science, and is also stain resistant and impervious to chipping and cracking.
Virtually any cosmetic dentist will tell you that the biggest advantage of dental implants over dentures is their ability to reverse bone degradation. You see, when teeth fall out, the bone has nothing to grow around, and it begins to recess and deteriorate. This causes it to lose surface area, flatten, and become increasingly fragile. Bones, as living tissue, must have something to connect to in order to maintain surface mass and growth. Dentures do not connect with the bone and therefore cannot provide this. However, dental implants work just like natural tooth roots, growing into the bone and giving it a mass to grow around. This not only stops bone degradation, it most often reverses it.For more information on the benefits of cosmetic dental implants, read the following:Dental ImplantsTitanium Dental ImplantsDental Implant SurgeryDental Tooth ImplantsDental Implant ProceduresPostoperative Instructions for Dental Implants
Dentures are much cheaper than dental implants, but dental implants give people much more value for their money. Most cosmetic dentists also offer payment plans to help people cover the costs of implants, and many insurance companies will cover a portion of the costs as well. Labels: cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dental implants, dental implant procedures, dental tooth implants, implant dentistry, retained dentures
 Implant dentistry normally occurs in two phase. Dental implant surgery is the first phase, followed 3-6 months later by the restorative phase. Dentists work hard to keep pain to a minimum during dental implant surgery. Most apply a local anesthetic during single implantations, and use general anesthetic on an outpatient level for several implants that are placed at a time. Most patients who have undergone dental implant surgery report that it is less painful than a tooth extraction. For someone who has lost a tooth to an accident or had to have a tooth pulled, it is much better to endure a little discomfort and gain a tooth back than to go without one period.
Because dental implant surgery is a very advanced procedure that requires a great deal of care and planning in the beginning, the dentist begins taking x-rays of the jaw bone. This will tell him or her immediately if there is enough bone mass to support a titanium implant. If there is, the dentist will then make a scale model of the patient’s existing teeth to determine the correct size and best placement options for the implants. If there has already been bone deterioration, or the gums are diseased, the dentist will have to perform LANAP on the gums first, or place a bone tissue graft on the jaw itself.
The actual implant is a simple structure made out of a Titanium-based alloy called Tivolloy. It is non-corrosive and has a bottom shaped like a screw. The dentist will twist this implant into the jawbone until it seats while the patient is anesthetized to a reasonable level of comfort. This implant will ultimately become the equivalent of a new tooth root as the bone grows around. This process of bone adaptation is called osseointegration and can last anywhere from three months to six months in time. During this period, a series of post-operative treatment steps will have to be rigorously observed to maintain proper hygiene around the implant area. Sometimes the dentist will place a temporary crown over the implant after surgery to prevent infection and minimize the risk of complication.
We cannot emphasize enough the importance of this healing period to the ultimate success of dental implant surgery.
Once osseointegration is complete, the next step in dental implantation follows. This step is known as the restorative phase and involves covering the Titanium implant placed during surgery with another, smaller screw called an abutment. This abutment is in turn covered with a porcelain crown that forms the surface of a brand new, artificial tooth that works and looks just like a natural one.
The Cosmetic Dentistry Center is unique among dental facilities in that we routinely perform dental implant surgery and the restorative phase of implant dentistry here in the same office. The convenience and comfort of working with the same dentist during the entire process is something that many people normally hesitant to seek out dental surgery find very comfortable and convenient.
More information on this subject can be obtained in any of the following articles:
Dental Implants
Titanium Dental Implants
Dental Tooth Implants
Dentures Dental Implants
Dental Implant Procedures
Postoperative Instructions for Dental Implants
We work with clients throughout the Houston area, including executives and busy professionals from outlying areas like League City, Katy, Richmond/Rosenberg, Cypress, The Woodlands, and Baytown. Call us now toll free at 888-790-0309 to schedule an appointment. Labels: cosmetic dental implants, Dental Implants, implant dentistry, titanium dental implants, tivolloy
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