Your own natural teeth in a healthy, well maintained condition are the best teeth you can possibly have, nothing compares to them. With good self care and frequent dental checkups you can keep your teeth in the best condition for as long a possible.
But when a tooth is lost, it's best to replace it it’s a dental implant, they are the closes thing to a natural tooth and also provide a non removable solution for missing tooth’s.
WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS ?
According to the medical dictionary, an implant is "an inorganic material that's inserted into the body “many parts of the body can be successfully replaced by implants. For example, there are eye implants, facial implants, breast implants, heart implants and dentals implants. One of the main reasons that all these implants work is that they are inorganic, and have never been a living tissue.
A dental implants is a specially designed small cylinder screw made of a biologically compatible material extensively tested over several years called TITANIUM METAL. Implants act as an anchor and can be used for replacing:
- a single tooth,
- one or both ends of a bridge or
- a full denture.
Dental implants have more than 30 years of continuous research, which has resulted in excellent technology that gives Our Clinic the peace of mind of over 95 percent success.
Nature has provided tooth supporting bone for the years when teeth are present. When teeth are lost, the tooth supporting bone degenerates. Nature takes away what you do not use! The bone under gums "shrinks" and dentures get loose.
For this problem we offer bone graft surgery.
Dental implants when properly placed and maintained, provide excellent bone support so that the bone tends to be preserved since it is still being used.
A patient with all his or her natural teeth in a healthy, well maintained and functionally accurate condition can chew at 100 percent efficiency. With every tooth lost the amount of chewing efficiency. With every tooth lost the amount of chewing efficiency decreases depending on whether or not the teeth are replaced and how. Ultimately, if the all teeth are lost, you will have perhaps a 15 to 18 percent chewing efficiency (with good-fitting dentures on adequate bone ridges).
With implants and non removable bridge work you could obtain as high as a 95 percent efficiency.
We will perform a complete examination of your mouth including a panoramic x-rays. They are necessary for aproper diagnosis and treatment plan, this is the only way to see if the patient has enough bone for the Implant surgery.
We will also verify you general health and if the needed, blood test and urinalysis. We'll look for drug allergies and any chronic problem that could affect our implants.
We want to be sure you are healthy and the implants will heal properly.
We will inform you about dental implants from start to finish.
You will know exactly what's needed to replace your missing teeth and enable you to regain a normal life and a beautiful smile. Our implants will also help you to resolve pain, gagging from dentures and improve the symmetry and appearance of your face.
Will implants last a lifetime ?
Every implant placed with the expectation it will endure for the patient's life. With today's implant technology a life time result is achievable.
Is age a problem ?
No! Health is a problem.
Many people 70 and 80 years of age are a better candidate than someone years younger in poor health.
Older people are more likely to need implants because they have lost more teeth and ridge. As long as you live, owe it to yourself, family and friends to take the best care of yourself as you possibly can. Incidentally, no reports in dental implants have ever been the cause of cancer.
- The First step is placing the implants into the jawbone.
After this surgical treatment, the bone in the jaw attaches to the implants holding them firmly in place.
The bonding of the bone to the implant usually takes from four to six months. During this period of time the implants can not be used and must have a stress-free healing and the patient will be wearing a temporally bridge for esthetic purposes.
- Second, when the implant has bonded to the bone a small metal post is attached to the implant projecting through the gums. After this second surgical treatment, the gums must heal for a few days.
- Third, the replacement teeth are created and securely attached to the metal post. Careful approved by the patient and the doctor the new teeth will be placed.
Home Care
You must keep you teeth and implants clean with the aid of other devises we will recommend to keep plaque off your teeth and implants.
After the implant Surgery it is very important to follow the doctor’s recommendations.
After the implant surgery
You should not be aware of its presence. You should have experiment no pain and be able to eat all kinds food without any difficulty. After we determined you are a suitable candidate for implants your chances will be excellent.
ONE STAGE IMMEDIATE LOADING PROTOCOL
From the beginnings of implantology, attempts have been made to reduce to the minimum the time required before implants can be loaded and become functional to their main purpose.
Its is very important to notice that Immediate loading in implant dentistry is a fairly new technique that allows certain types of patients to have their teeth removed and implants placed in much less time than in the past.
Immediate implant loading requires a great deal of previous experience, as well as advanced knowledge of implant dentistry and significant surgical and prosthodontic skills. We at our Clinic we provide the necessary experience, among our Staff we have Dr. Ivan Navarro D.D.S, Professor of Implant Dentistry in ULACIT University.
Now immediate implant loading is preferred for fixed mandibular partial prostheses, mandibular overdentures, single tooth replacement in anterior areas, and both maxillary and mandibular fixed partial dentures in anterior areas.
This protocol can be used in most patients with the exception of those who need bone graft along with the implants, those with osteoporosis, intraoral infections and bruxism.
The Doctor will determine if you are suitable for the procedure, by looking at panoramic X – Rays and making an evaluation of the patients health.
Mini implants have been in use since about 1970, but they were not considered "permanent" implant devices until 1999 when they were cleared by the (FDA) Food and Drug Administration.
Since the FDA approved the (MDI) mini implant as a long term method of denture stabilization, mini implants have become increasingly popular among dentists.
They are also used for supporting crowns in situations in which there is not enough room for a standard implant. The cost of a mini dental implant is generally less than regular implants.
Mini implants have a diameter of 1.8 mm and come in 4 lengths.
The length chosen by the surgeon is determined by the amount of bone available to retain the implant, as well as an assessment of the density of the bone.
Unlike standard implants, mini implants allow immediate loading.
The following medical conditions represent a con for the use of mini implants:
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- A history of radiation treatment to the jaws (generally for cancer)--this does not include diagnostic x-rays
- Immuno-suppressed patient
- Substance abuse
- Heavy smoking and/or drinking
- Sjorgren's syndrome
- Alzheimer's disease (these patients may be unable to insert and remove the dentures after the implants are placed)
- People who clench their teeth.
- Young persons who are still growing.
Patients who suffer from these conditions are more likely to suffer complications and possible failure of one or more of the mini implants.
People with heart disease, high blood pressure, AIDS or other serious medical conditions usually have no difficulties retaining mini implants.
Age is NOT a factor!
Persons taking anticoagulants like coumadin and wafarin need to stop taking their medication several days before the procedure only if the dentist determines that an incision will be necessary in order to place the implants.