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Titanium made “artificial root- dental implant” can be inserted to the bone without shaving adjacent teeth, thereby restoring similar function and shape to the pre-existed tooth. |
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- What happens if you leave a missing tooth alone?
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If you leave a space alone after a tooth is lost, teeth adjacent and tooth opposing , will fall into the space (domino effect)
It leaves other teeth in danger of not functioning right and risk of gum disease and difficulty in treatment later when restoration is desired. |
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Implant is superior in shape, function, and esthetic compared to bridge or denture. To restore 1 tooth, used to shave adjacent teeth to bridge the missing space, now you don’t have to.
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- Implant Procedure A. Posterior
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| Diagnosis is made and proper treatment plan made. |
Implant, which will be an “artificial root” is put into bone. Implant is left in there several months till it bonds with bone. If not enough bone is there, bone grafting may be needed. |
Implant is exposed and post (called “abutment”) to hold crown is placed.
It’s 2nd surgery
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Crown is placed on top of abutment. |
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- Benefits of dental implant
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*Adjacent teeth need not be shaved to restore one tooth.
* Implant has 5to 7times greater strength in biting than denture.
* Implant is much more stable and comfortable to wear denture.
* It most closely resembles natural tooth, providing confidence of smile and social activities.
* It does not have to be taken in and out. It’s permanently fixed. |
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Implant treatment |
Implant treatment |
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Implant is very stable and integrates well with bone; therefore one implant for one tooth is not always necessary. It is necessary to consult with your doctor to determine how many implants will be necessary.
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Diagnosis and treatment plan. |
Implants are placed in bone. Implants are protected by a cap during time of integration. If bone is needed, additional grafting may be needed. |
Expose the implant and attach a post to hold crown – abutment . |
It takes about 3month for implant integration in lower jaw and about 6 month is upper jaw. |
Crowns are made with standard impression technique. |
Crowns placed. |
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When a tooth is lost, facial structures around a tooth collapse and decreases lip function, increase wrinkles. Also, decrease in chewing efficiency leads to decreased digestion. In overall, aged facial appearance and function leads to decreased confidence and well being. Implant will be a wonderful treatment option to prevent all of the problems mentioned.
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- Restoring complete dentition
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Photo before implant |
X-ray on the day of surgery |
Photo after implant placement |
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- Frequently asked questions about implants
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1. Isn’t implant surgery painful?
Answer: Implant surgery is done usually under local anesthetic, with antibiotic and analgesic medications, patients feel little to none discomfort after surgery. Most people do not have any problem for daily activities the next day.
2. How long does it take?
Answer: From surgery to complete crown is usually (upper) 4~6 months , (lower) 3~4 month. Newer techniques and technologies allow even faster treatment times.
3. What is implant’s lifetime?
Answer: Just like tooth, longevity depends on each person’s habits and condition. Patient’s health, immunity, oral hygiene, regular check-up and maintainance will increase or decrease implant’s lifetime. In general, 10 to 30 years of use is reported.
4. Is implant possible if I have lost bone?
Answer: Recent developments in implant dentistry has allowed implant possible on many cases that were not possible before. It is possible to have implants in many cases with bone loss. Consultation with implant dentist is obviously necessary.
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How long, one keeps implant depends on how one keeps oral hygiene. If oral hygiene is not done properly, plaque and tartar build up around an implant and can eventually casue loss of an implant. Brushing, flossing, electric toothbrush, Water-Pik use is all beneficial in keeping the area clean. Regular check at least once in 6 month is absolutely recommended for proper maintenance. |
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- What is Mini Dental Implant?
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MDI is used to minimize surgical procedure and mainly to help looseness of dentures. It is cost-effective and minimally invasive in comparison to conventional implants.
Mini implants are FDA approved and the cost if ½ to 1/3 of conventional implants. But it has limited applicability, such as stabilizing denture.
The total time of procedure from implant placement to fixating denture takes about 2 hours.
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