Dental implants are providing a more reliable and effective alternative to traditional dentures and helping people to successfully replace their decaying or lost single or multiple teeth. When we start to lose multiple teeth, in the upper row or lower row or both, it becomes necessary for us to replace those missing teeth with stable and natural looking teeth. Otherwise, we may have to suffer from the discomfort and embarrassment associated with dentures and bone loss and a disfigured facial structure. The multiple dental implant method is bringing a permanent solution to multiple tooth loss conditions and creating smiles again!
Dental implants are now providing basic treatment to all those who are missing one or more of their teeth in the upper and \ or lower jaw. However, not all dentists are professionally trained in dental implant procedures. So they recommend fixed bridges or removable partial dentures with wire clasps that wrap around your remaining teeth to keep them in.
Fixed dental bridges require grinding down healthy adjacent teeth so they can be used as anchors to support the missing teeth. They are a dramatic improvement over removable partials with their wire clasps but in the long run more than 30% of the teeth used for attachments are lost to tooth decay or other problems. Now where one tooth was missing there are two, and then three and-----------and the process continues to repeat itself more and more rapidly until your smile is disfigured, you can no longer eat the foods you enjoy, and your facial structure is collapsing. Soon you are looking at the need to replace your teeth with full dentures or dental implants.
Why let this happen? If you are missing one or a few teeth have them replaced with dental implants immediately. Not only will they not harm your natural teeth they will help them by eliminating food impaction and distributing the work load of chewing more evenly. People often believe that you need a dental implant for every missing tooth. That isn’t necessarily true. Often three missing teeth can be replaced with only 2 implants by bridging between them. In the amazing All on 4 protocol a full arch of missing teeth can be replace with only 4 perfectly placed implants.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Dental Implant Basics – Essentials Questions and Answers
1. What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is an independent artificial tooth root that is used to replace a natural tooth root that has been lost to accident or disease. Dental implants are typically placed to secure bridges, partials, dentures and crowns. Dental Implants don’t require support from adjacent teeth and thus cause them no harm. Better yet, teeth replaced with dental implants look, function, and feel just like natural teeth.
2. Will dental implants be suitable for me?
Advancements in dental implant design and placement protocols have made dental implants the gold standard for the replacement of missing teeth for almost everyone. Patients with specific health conditions including uncontrolled diabetes, osteoporosis, or irradiation of the mandible or maxilla for the treatment of cancer, may be at increased risk but they are still candidates and can usually be managed by a highly experienced practitioner. Certain cosmetic conditions can be a challenge as well but advancements in cosmetic dental implant procedures routinely produce beautiful, natural, esthetic results that patients often describe as far more beautiful than their natural teeth ever where. One of the most difficult conditions to overcome is actually a habit or an addiction rather than a condition; cigarette smoking. This is an annoyingly difficult addiction to overcome and many wonderful people who have extraordinary will power and a strong desire to quit simply can’t. That is unfortunate because as smoking is a strong contributing factor to tooth loss, smokers form a disproportionate number of those in need of dental implants. The majority of the patients I see for the All on 4 procedure are smokers. So though smoking is not a contraindication the patient and doctor must realize that they will be faced with a higher than normal number of complications. Fortunately if the doctor is highly experienced and the patient is persistent, cooperative, and determined a satisfactory outcome can almost always be achieved.
3. What are the benefits of implants over other dental procedures?
• Dental implants are permanently fixed and thus the teeth attached to them will not slip or move insuring comfort and avoiding embarrassing moments.
• Dental implants are easily maintained and are not susceptible to cavities.
• Dental implants allow you to eat all of the foods you enjoyed with natural teeth.
• Dental implants look like natural teeth providing a beautiful smile so you don’t have to live with the stigma and embarrassment associated with missing teeth or false teeth.
• Dental implants promote bone growth and help maintain a youthful facial structure..
4. How comfortable are dental implants?
Dental implants are amazingly comfortable. Most patients are given nsaids such as Ibuprofen and methyl prednisone and report little or no discomfort. All on 4 patients can usually enjoy a light meal the evening after their surgery and most return to work in a day or two.
5. Who is authorized to perform dental implants?
Dental implants can be placed by any licensed dentist but very few offer this service. Significant additional training is required to place or restore dental implants. To provide both the surgical and prosthetic phases of dental implantology the demands for additional training is even greater but the benefits to the patient are substantial. Advanced dental implant procedures such as bone grafting and especially full mouth reconstruction with the All on 4 protocol or traditional protocol requires years of training and extensive experience. In choosing an implantologist you should look for a doctor who has additional post graduate training, has certification by the American Academy of Implantology or the International Congress of Oral Implantologist, has cat scan imaging technology , an in office dental laboratory, and extensive experience. Offices like this are very rare but it is worth your effort to find one.
6. Are dental implants easy to maintain?
You need to care for dental implants the same way you would your natural teeth. It is always recommended that patients meet with their dentist regularly and maintain proper dental hygiene to insure long term satisfaction with dental implants.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Advancement in Dental Implants Procedure
According to dental researchers, advanced research and superior technology will bring radical changes in the dental care industry during the 21st century.
Dental implants are the most notable of these changes. Thirty years ago they were considered “quackery”. Now they are the “gold standard” for replacing one or a full mouth of missing teeth.
Most dentists agree that dental implants are a great example of advanced dental care technology. A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that replaces a patient’s missing natural tooth root. It constitutes an ideal treatment option for those who have lost one or more teeth in the upper and or lower jaw due to accident, gum disease or some another traumatic experience. Whether missing only one or two teeth or all of your teeth, dental implants have become the standard of care for replacing them. New technologies, new implant designs, and new procedures have consistently made the use of dental implants quicker, easier, more reliable, and more affordable.
Dentures have been in use for more that 30 years. However, dental implants long ago surpassed dentures in providing a reliable treatment option for those missing all of their teeth. Fixed and removable bridges were once the standard of care for one or a few missing teeth. No more; now single unit dental implants are used to replace one or a few missing teeth and do so without causing damage to remaining teeth. This minimizes the need for further corrective dentistry and the future cost and discomfort associated with it.
There are two basic approaches for placing and reconstructing dental implants. One is called immediate load, the other delayed load. With the immediate load technique a tooth or teeth are built on one or more dental implant the same day the implant is placed. The All on 4 technique is an example of immediately loading. Remaining bad teeth are removed, implants are place, and the patient leaves that day with a new set of natural looking and functioning non removable teeth. Delayed loading is commonly used when only one or two teeth require replacement. Because of bio-engineering concepts related to force and stress vectors it is often best to let single dental implants integrate for 4 to 6 months before they are loaded. A common exception to this single tooth delayed protocol is when a front tooth is lost by accident. In those cases, whenever possible, the remaining root is carefully removed, the implant is placed, and a temporary crown is secured to the implant all in one appointment. It is essential that this temporary crown not make contact with the other teeth when chewing but if that can be accomplished this technique can be used with excellent success and the patient leaves with an attractive smile. This is appropriate for front teeth were as it might not be for back teeth for two reasons:
1. When we close together the front teeth do not touch one another so there is less pressure against front dental implants than back dental implants.
2. The accidental loss of a front tooth results in a sudden and dramatic change to our appearance thus justifying the slightly increased risk [approximately 5%] associated with immediate implant placement and loading
So if you need a dental implant to replace a natural tooth either delayed or immediate loading will be options. An experienced Houston Dental Implantologist will be able to discuss the pros and cons of each method with you so you can make an informed decision.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
ADVANCED ALL ON 4 CASES
I’ve been doing the All on 4 procedure for about 15 years. Eventually it became a weekly procedure and now daily. During this time there are very few mitigating factors or complications I have not seen or treated. The biggest challenge with the All on 4 procedure is and always has been upper cases. At least 30% of the patients who come to see me can’t have it done on the upper without preparatory bone grafting.
The focus of my current studies is finding ways to make this easier and more predictable. Currently when bone grafting is required to prepare a patient for dental implants the procedure is delayed by 4 to 6 months and over 40% of all grafted sites experience less than a perfect result often times requiring some type of revision surgery and occasionally needing to be completely redone. Needless to say this adds time, expense, and inconvenience to everyone involved and better solutions are badly needed. The good news is that everyone realizes this. Regardless of what type of dental implants procedures are being done, single dental implants, full mouth individual dental implants, or the All on 4 procedure, adequate bone volume is always the limiting factor.
Tremendous resources are being dedicated to finding better solutions and indeed progress is being made. We can now synthesize proteins and stem cells in the lab that make bone substitutes almost as reliable as natural bone harvested from the patient. New and better techniques are being developed for the use of these materials almost daily. I attended a meeting in Hamburg, Germany recently and much was dedicated to this. I’m going to another one in October in Boston specifically to study new grafting techniques. All in all great progress is being made. But still, over 40% of all grafts have some level of complications. The problem with bone grafting for dental implants is not primarily with the graft materials. It is with the membrane, which looks like a sheet of paper, that the graft must be covered with prior to suturing the tissues over it. All grafts with the exception of autogenous block grafts, those taken from the patient, require this covering. There are literally dozens of different membranes on the market, each with its’ advantages and disadvantages, but they all become exposed too often. Exposure occurs when the tissue over the membrane develops an ulcer that creates an opening that will allow saliva and bacteria to penetrate into the surgical site. If this happens too early the graft is likely to fail and if it happens any time before 4 months, and it often does, the graft will be less substantial than initially desired.
The advantage of the new bone grafting materials is that they grow bone faster so the membranes don’t have to been maintained for such a long time. Though I haven’t experienced I have had colleagues tell me they have seen adequate results in some cases with only two weeks of membrane coverage. The advantage of the new bone grafting membranes is that when they do expose infection is less likely to occur and more easily controlled. I think however, that in the near term, the best solution is going to be the oldest solution simply done better; autogenous block grafts. In the past this has been a delicate procedure done by few and mastered by fewer. I did two of them today but only because I had to. In severe cases it requires both an oral surgeon and an orthopedic surgeon working together in a hospital setting. Amazing new instrumentation which allows the cutting of bone without risk to nerves or blood vessels is going to make this a very safe procedure which can be predictably performed by even the less experienced dental implantologist. The use of autogenous bone in areas where the tissues are delicate and most susceptible to ulceration and bone substitutes in areas where membranes can be placed without a high risk of exposure will provide enough bone without resorting to a hospital operating theater. And minimizing the need for membranes should dramatically reduce complications.
All things considered I see the potential for many patients to be helped who previously could not because the risk – benefit ratio was too great. And on a daily basis more autogenous block grafts will be used because new procedures and instrumentation make them simpler. I am confident that this will open the door for many patients who were previously not good candidates for the upper All on 4 prodedure as well as more routine dental implant procedures. It looks like another great year ahead with much to be learned and shared in the field of dental implantology.
The focus of my current studies is finding ways to make this easier and more predictable. Currently when bone grafting is required to prepare a patient for dental implants the procedure is delayed by 4 to 6 months and over 40% of all grafted sites experience less than a perfect result often times requiring some type of revision surgery and occasionally needing to be completely redone. Needless to say this adds time, expense, and inconvenience to everyone involved and better solutions are badly needed. The good news is that everyone realizes this. Regardless of what type of dental implants procedures are being done, single dental implants, full mouth individual dental implants, or the All on 4 procedure, adequate bone volume is always the limiting factor.
Tremendous resources are being dedicated to finding better solutions and indeed progress is being made. We can now synthesize proteins and stem cells in the lab that make bone substitutes almost as reliable as natural bone harvested from the patient. New and better techniques are being developed for the use of these materials almost daily. I attended a meeting in Hamburg, Germany recently and much was dedicated to this. I’m going to another one in October in Boston specifically to study new grafting techniques. All in all great progress is being made. But still, over 40% of all grafts have some level of complications. The problem with bone grafting for dental implants is not primarily with the graft materials. It is with the membrane, which looks like a sheet of paper, that the graft must be covered with prior to suturing the tissues over it. All grafts with the exception of autogenous block grafts, those taken from the patient, require this covering. There are literally dozens of different membranes on the market, each with its’ advantages and disadvantages, but they all become exposed too often. Exposure occurs when the tissue over the membrane develops an ulcer that creates an opening that will allow saliva and bacteria to penetrate into the surgical site. If this happens too early the graft is likely to fail and if it happens any time before 4 months, and it often does, the graft will be less substantial than initially desired.
The advantage of the new bone grafting materials is that they grow bone faster so the membranes don’t have to been maintained for such a long time. Though I haven’t experienced I have had colleagues tell me they have seen adequate results in some cases with only two weeks of membrane coverage. The advantage of the new bone grafting membranes is that when they do expose infection is less likely to occur and more easily controlled. I think however, that in the near term, the best solution is going to be the oldest solution simply done better; autogenous block grafts. In the past this has been a delicate procedure done by few and mastered by fewer. I did two of them today but only because I had to. In severe cases it requires both an oral surgeon and an orthopedic surgeon working together in a hospital setting. Amazing new instrumentation which allows the cutting of bone without risk to nerves or blood vessels is going to make this a very safe procedure which can be predictably performed by even the less experienced dental implantologist. The use of autogenous bone in areas where the tissues are delicate and most susceptible to ulceration and bone substitutes in areas where membranes can be placed without a high risk of exposure will provide enough bone without resorting to a hospital operating theater. And minimizing the need for membranes should dramatically reduce complications.
All things considered I see the potential for many patients to be helped who previously could not because the risk – benefit ratio was too great. And on a daily basis more autogenous block grafts will be used because new procedures and instrumentation make them simpler. I am confident that this will open the door for many patients who were previously not good candidates for the upper All on 4 prodedure as well as more routine dental implant procedures. It looks like another great year ahead with much to be learned and shared in the field of dental implantology.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Baseball Accident, Teeth Loss & Successful Dental Implants in Houston - A Case Study
Case Study of Henry’s Accident and Dental Condition Overview – From NoDentures.com
This week’s case involves a 27 yr old young man, named Henry, who was struck in the mouth at the age of 14 with a baseball bat. His lives in Venezuela and works as a physical therapist. This accident caused Henry to lose three front teeth, his upper right cuspid [eye tooth], lateral and central. In this case, bone damage was extensive. The entire ridge is lost in that area in a U-shaped manner, going all the way to his nasal cavity.
Henry’s Earlier Dental Treatments and Advice
His previous dentist did an excellent job by fabricating and placing a fixed bridge, which is double-abutted to the central and lateral and single-abutted to the #4, the upper left first bicuspid. Thus, three teeth were replaced with three natural teeth supporting the bridge, where a bridge encompasses a total of 6 teeth. Pontic replacing teeth #’s 6, 7 and 8 were very long to hide. However, Henry had a low lip line and that’s why the space where bone and gums were lost looked very natural. Henry sought treatment for dental implants in Houston because he was told by his dentist that tooth #4, which helped in holding his bridge in place, was hopelessly decayed and it would require extraction. He was advised that his only options were
1. A removable partial, or
2. A new fixed bridge, extending one tooth further back, or
3. Dental implants
Unfortunately, his dentist told him that dental implant is not possible because of excessive bone loss. He was further advised that in order to place another fixed bridge, another natural tooth would need to be cut down. In fact, the concerned dentist also warned Henry that there are high possibilities for him to lose another tooth in the future. Henry was advised that a partial denture can be an option but there too some issues might crop up, such as:
i) uncomfortable feeling due to dentures
ii) tooth decay and gum disease may occur in the places where the dentures are attached to natural teeth
All in all, Henry was not given a very attractive set of choices by his dentist.
Henry’s Search for the Best Dental Implants in USA
At this juncture, Henry got busy in calling his contacts in the States and researching the internet. A few days ago, he landed in my dental implant practice in Houston, Texas. Henry learned from his sources that we are the leading-most Houston implant surgeon and consequently help our patients to grow new bone in their upper and lower arches for the purpose of implant placement.
[Dental Implantology is the process of placing man-made roots in the mouth of the patients to replace natural roots and serve as attachment systems for one tooth to a full mouth of teeth.
Dental implant Prosthodontics is the art of building dental restorations on dental implants.]
Henry’s Case Study – Dental Condition, Dental Implant Challenge & Our Success
Henry’s case was very similar to that of other dental cases, caused from accidents. In most of these cases, we have witnessed that the patients face trauma at the front of their mouth. Teeth, bone, and gums are also found missing in these cases. Multiple remaining teeth with varying degrees of damage are also common in these patients. These are among the most challenging cases we face with dental implants because it is the front of the mouth and a stunning esthetic result is just as important as a comfortable, durable and functional result.
Fortunately, dental implants in Houston have come a long way and lately advances in bone regeneration techniques have flourished as well. Upon Henry’s return I began by removing his existing bridge, extracting hopeless tooth #5 and reflecting a full thickness flap from the mesial of tooth #3 to the mesial of tooth #6. As the CAT Scan had revealed, there was a very large midpalatine neurovascular bundle that would have produced a substantial Diasthema between 8 and 9, if both were naturally existing or if I placed an implant in the 9th position. The bundle was removed and the fossa was decorticated to a depth of 9mm to facilitate dental implant placement in that position at a later date. As the bundle tailed off, the lingual removal of only 9 mm was required. Much as in a traditional sinus lift, the nasal membranes were lifted slightly and bone was decorticated with numerous “punches” from a quarter round bur with copious irrigation. This was followed by the final shaping of a titanium mesh membrane and filling of the voids, including the incisive canal with “osteocell”. The mesh was secured with two palatal bone screws and two buccal bone tacks. Tissue was harvested from the palate for using it as a free gingival graft over the extraction site #5, where primary tension free closure was not possible. The surgical site was closed with gut. Tooth #4 was sacrificed to crown prep so that we could use a fixed temporary bridge during the bone regeneration stage. I find that grafts with membranes, titanium mesh or titanium reinforced Teflon, are much better when they are not molested by the pressure of removable appliances. The temporary bridge was secured and only one task remained. There was a small tear in the palate at the most apical mesial corner of the titanium mesh membrane. It was exactly over the head of the bone screw. To say the least, this was not a positive development, as exposure over the bone screw is common without a tear and it could lead to infection and a failed grafting procedure. I made every attempt to close the tear with sutures but was less than completely successful. A very thin suck-down clear plastic stent was formed and the patient was asked to wear it 24x7, except for those cases where it needed to be removed for cleaning purposes.
It is possible that this very small error could jeopardize what was otherwise a beautifully executed surgery. However, God Willing, and with a little bit of luck, we have laid the foundation for giving back Henry a second chance for a beautiful, naturally functioning set of front teeth.
I’ll keep you informed about this unique case of Henry in our center of dental implants in Houston.
This week’s case involves a 27 yr old young man, named Henry, who was struck in the mouth at the age of 14 with a baseball bat. His lives in Venezuela and works as a physical therapist. This accident caused Henry to lose three front teeth, his upper right cuspid [eye tooth], lateral and central. In this case, bone damage was extensive. The entire ridge is lost in that area in a U-shaped manner, going all the way to his nasal cavity.
Henry’s Earlier Dental Treatments and Advice
His previous dentist did an excellent job by fabricating and placing a fixed bridge, which is double-abutted to the central and lateral and single-abutted to the #4, the upper left first bicuspid. Thus, three teeth were replaced with three natural teeth supporting the bridge, where a bridge encompasses a total of 6 teeth. Pontic replacing teeth #’s 6, 7 and 8 were very long to hide. However, Henry had a low lip line and that’s why the space where bone and gums were lost looked very natural. Henry sought treatment for dental implants in Houston because he was told by his dentist that tooth #4, which helped in holding his bridge in place, was hopelessly decayed and it would require extraction. He was advised that his only options were
1. A removable partial, or
2. A new fixed bridge, extending one tooth further back, or
3. Dental implants
Unfortunately, his dentist told him that dental implant is not possible because of excessive bone loss. He was further advised that in order to place another fixed bridge, another natural tooth would need to be cut down. In fact, the concerned dentist also warned Henry that there are high possibilities for him to lose another tooth in the future. Henry was advised that a partial denture can be an option but there too some issues might crop up, such as:
i) uncomfortable feeling due to dentures
ii) tooth decay and gum disease may occur in the places where the dentures are attached to natural teeth
All in all, Henry was not given a very attractive set of choices by his dentist.
Henry’s Search for the Best Dental Implants in USA
At this juncture, Henry got busy in calling his contacts in the States and researching the internet. A few days ago, he landed in my dental implant practice in Houston, Texas. Henry learned from his sources that we are the leading-most Houston implant surgeon and consequently help our patients to grow new bone in their upper and lower arches for the purpose of implant placement.
[Dental Implantology is the process of placing man-made roots in the mouth of the patients to replace natural roots and serve as attachment systems for one tooth to a full mouth of teeth.
Dental implant Prosthodontics is the art of building dental restorations on dental implants.]
Henry’s Case Study – Dental Condition, Dental Implant Challenge & Our Success
Henry’s case was very similar to that of other dental cases, caused from accidents. In most of these cases, we have witnessed that the patients face trauma at the front of their mouth. Teeth, bone, and gums are also found missing in these cases. Multiple remaining teeth with varying degrees of damage are also common in these patients. These are among the most challenging cases we face with dental implants because it is the front of the mouth and a stunning esthetic result is just as important as a comfortable, durable and functional result.
Fortunately, dental implants in Houston have come a long way and lately advances in bone regeneration techniques have flourished as well. Upon Henry’s return I began by removing his existing bridge, extracting hopeless tooth #5 and reflecting a full thickness flap from the mesial of tooth #3 to the mesial of tooth #6. As the CAT Scan had revealed, there was a very large midpalatine neurovascular bundle that would have produced a substantial Diasthema between 8 and 9, if both were naturally existing or if I placed an implant in the 9th position. The bundle was removed and the fossa was decorticated to a depth of 9mm to facilitate dental implant placement in that position at a later date. As the bundle tailed off, the lingual removal of only 9 mm was required. Much as in a traditional sinus lift, the nasal membranes were lifted slightly and bone was decorticated with numerous “punches” from a quarter round bur with copious irrigation. This was followed by the final shaping of a titanium mesh membrane and filling of the voids, including the incisive canal with “osteocell”. The mesh was secured with two palatal bone screws and two buccal bone tacks. Tissue was harvested from the palate for using it as a free gingival graft over the extraction site #5, where primary tension free closure was not possible. The surgical site was closed with gut. Tooth #4 was sacrificed to crown prep so that we could use a fixed temporary bridge during the bone regeneration stage. I find that grafts with membranes, titanium mesh or titanium reinforced Teflon, are much better when they are not molested by the pressure of removable appliances. The temporary bridge was secured and only one task remained. There was a small tear in the palate at the most apical mesial corner of the titanium mesh membrane. It was exactly over the head of the bone screw. To say the least, this was not a positive development, as exposure over the bone screw is common without a tear and it could lead to infection and a failed grafting procedure. I made every attempt to close the tear with sutures but was less than completely successful. A very thin suck-down clear plastic stent was formed and the patient was asked to wear it 24x7, except for those cases where it needed to be removed for cleaning purposes.
It is possible that this very small error could jeopardize what was otherwise a beautifully executed surgery. However, God Willing, and with a little bit of luck, we have laid the foundation for giving back Henry a second chance for a beautiful, naturally functioning set of front teeth.
I’ll keep you informed about this unique case of Henry in our center of dental implants in Houston.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Dental implants from Dr. Wayne Brueggen of Houston, Texas
Dental implants from the Brueggen Dental Implant Center located in Houston, Texas provide several benefits to those in need of teeth replacement.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants offered by the Brueggen Dental Implant Center in Houston, Texas are a permanent solution to the problem of tooth loss. Whether you are missing one tooth or all of your teeth, dental implants are a permanent solution that provides you with a functioning and attractive smile.
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that a single tooth or a complete set of new teeth can be attached to. This provides you with confidence to smile and restores your ability to eat the foods you enjoy.
Dental implants offered by the Brueggen Dental Implant Center in Houston will help you to become more confident and regain the reliability associated with a healthy set of natural teeth. These man made roots act as an anchor for supporting replacement teeth and are an integral part of the dental implant system. The natural looking replacement teeth that attach to the dental implants do not require any support from adjacent existing teeth therefore helping to keep them healthy. Dental implants also help in maintaining the structure and integrity of the jawbones.
Drawbacks of other Dental Procedures
While dental implants focus on restoring function and beauty to your mouth, there are other dental procedures that focus primarily on making an unattractive smile more esthetically pleasing. Often, these procedures prove to be anything but user-friendly. If you have the option and/or need to replace your smile all together then dental implants would be the best way to have both function and an attractive smile in one simple procedure.
Some of the problems associated with other dental procedures are:
- Bridges rely on healthy adjacent teeth for support but healthy adjacent teeth aren’t always present. If they are, they often need to be ground down and can producing complications and further expense down the road. (Dental implants do not require healthy adjacent teeth for support.)
- There is no ease of maintenance with bridges. In fact, their average lifespan is only ten years and often require replacement at five years or less. (Dental implants are capable of lasting a lifetime.)
- Dentures are generally the least expensive option for replacing a complete arch of missing teeth but tend to be uncomfortable, unnatural looking, embarrassing,and limit your ability to eat the foods you enjoy. (Dental implants provide a natural, comfortable and activity boosting solution.)
- Dentures need to be removed at night and may require gooey adhesives to keep them in place. This is terribly inconvenient and can also increase your chances of misplacing or damaging your dentures. (Dental implants stay secure in your mouth and can be cleaned just like natural teeth.
- If you have bridges and dentures in your mouth then you will be limited to the types of foods you can chew such as nuts, fruits and many more. At best a full set of dentures will only restore 35% of you natural chewing force.(Dental implants allow you to use increased force on your bite and enjoy all your favorite foods again.)
- Bridges and dentures do not stimulate bone growth therefore patients choosing these options may experience extreme bone loss over time. This can result in an older appearance. (Dental implants actually stimulate bone growth and help maintain a youthful appearance.)
With proper maintenance and regularly scheduled visits to the Brueggen Dental Implant Center in Houston, Texas, your dental implants are designed to last a lifetime.
Dental implants are available at the Brueggen Dental Implant Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Wayne Brueggen, Houston dentist, is the founder and sole owner of the Brueggen Dental Implant Center. Dr. Brueggen’s background includes expertise in both cosmetic dentistry and dental surgery. His over 35years of experience in the dentistry and the treatment of over 20,000 patients has made him a highly respected expert in his field. Dr. Wayne Brueggen is the foremost leader in the All-On-Four dental implant procedure. A process that allows him to remove any damaged existing teeth, place dental implants, and build a new set of new non-removable teeth, secured by the dental implants, all in one day.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
What are dental implants?
Dental Implants - An Excellent Option for Tooth Replacement
Dental implants are simulated roots that are positioned properly in the jaw bone to grip the replacement tooth which offers a natural look and feel for the patient. They provide the patient the freedom to speak and eat with confidence. There is no need for the patient to fear slippage or dread the use of adhesives which are common with dentures.
Usually, a patient becomes a candidate for dental implants for several reasons. The patient has either lost their teeth due to an accident or are about to lose one or more teeth due to decay. Dental implants offer a more permanent alternative to removable dentures or bridges. Both dentures and bridges neglect to stimulate bone growth which can cause some patients to experience excessive bone loss over the years resulting in a less than youthful feel and appearance.
There are several varieties of dental implants but traditionally there are two basic categories. The first and most widely used is the Endosteal implant which is placed directly into the bone. This requires sufficient bone integrity to support the implant insertion. The second category is Subperiosteal implants which are used if the existing bone has already atrophied causing the jaw bone structure to become limited. The implant in this case is secured on top of the remaining jaw bone as opposed to being inserted into the bone.
The most recent and emerging type of endosseous or (root-form) dental implants are those known as, “All-on-Four dental implants.” The All-on-Four dental implants are made of titanium and the crown part resembles a significantly more natural looking tooth compared to traditional implants or dentures. These endosseous dental implants succeed because they are integrated within your existing jawbone and require a limited amount of overall implants. Where traditional implants often require an average of 8 to 10 implants all inserted into one arch, All-on-Four dental implants only require 4 implants each on the lower and upper arches providing a secure and long-term solution for tooth loss.
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