What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants can be thought of as titanium anchors that replace the roots of missing natural teeth. Prosthetic replacement teeth can then be permanently attached to the implants. Implants have become the gold standard for missing tooth replacement. Dental implants are extremely versatile! They can be used to replace a single tooth, multiple missing teeth, or a full mouth of missing teeth. They can even be used to anchor down an existing denture or partial denture to eliminate the need for denture adhesive.
Single Tooth Replacement:
Dental Implants
What Does the Process of Getting Dental Implants Entail?
A thorough screening to evaluate if a patient is a good candidate for dental implants, based upon the patient’s medical history, oral hygiene, and availability of adequate bone. One of our dentists, Dr. Mangum, has completed extensive, advanced dental implant training and is a board certified Oral Implantologist through the International Congress of Oral Implantology and the Misch Institute. He will place dental implants here, in the office, for our patients’ convenience.
Implants are typically completed in 2 phases. First, the dental implants must be placed in the sites where natural teeth used to exist. After placement of the implants, the sites are allowed to heal, and the patient’s bone actually grows to and around the titanium surface of the implants in a process called osseointegration. Implant integration can take anywhere from 3 – 6 months depending on the situation. Once the integration is complete, the second phase can occur in which impressions of the patient’s implant are taken. Any of our three doctors can restore the implants once placed to fabricate the prosthetic teeth which will attach to the implants for an esthetic result.
What is Bone Grafting?
Sometimes a potential dental implant site does not have adequate bone volume or density and must be prepared prior to placement of an implant. This is done through a process called bone grafting. Bone grafting entails the placement of granules of the patient’s own bone or processed, sterile cadaver bone into extraction sockets or areas deficient in bone volume. Over time, the body will break down the graft material and use it as a scaffolding to which new bone can be grown. Once the grafted area has matured with healthy, newly grown bone, it is ready to receive an implant. The doctors will determine through examination and the use of 3-dimensional CBCT scans whether or not bone grafting is necessary prior to implant placement.
Removable Implant Overdentures
Overdentures are complete sets of teeth that are created to snap on to a few natural teeth or onto dental implants. Our dentists recommend these for patients that may need or benefit from additional support for a denture or for patients who feel the need for added retention
Permanent Implant Dentures
Are you tired of denture adhesive and removing your teeth at night and putting them back in the morning? There is an alternative thanks to advancements in modern dentistry and the versatility of dental implants. All three of the doctors at Lake District Family Dentistry can have custom permanent implant dentures fabricated to look natural and feel great, and they stay in your mouth 24/7!
Dr. Mangum can place multiple implants (in the office) to retain the full set of missing teeth. The implants serve as anchors or platforms to which a full set of beautiful, natural-looking teeth can be attached permanently. The teeth are designed using CAD/CAM technology and milled from an extremely strong material called zirconia that can be customized to achieve natural teeth and gum shades that blend in seamlessly!
BEFORE (TRADITIONAL DENTURE)
AFTER (PERMANENT IMPLANT DENTURE)