OMS PROCEDURES
DENTAL IMPLANTS
WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS?
If tooth replacement is necessary, dental implants are the closest thing to natural teeth. Dental implants are titanium anchors that your oral surgeon surgically places within the jaw to support a replacement tooth or teeth that look, feel, and function like natural teeth. Dental implants have become one of the most important advancements in modern dentistry. Prior to the success of dental implants, people who were missing a single tooth or multiple teeth had only to choose between a fixed bridge and a removable partial denture for replacement teeth. Bridges usually require the cutting down of healthy adjacent teeth to support the replacement tooth or teeth. A partial denture is a removable alternative that clips on to remaining teeth to prevent dislodgement during chewing and speaking. Studies show that within five to seven years there is a failure rate of up to 30% in teeth located next to a fixed bridge or removable partial denture.
Like natural teeth, dental implants help preserve the natural jawbone structure. When a tooth is missing the jaw bone in the area begins to shrink. This is a normal reaction to tooth loss and the severity of bone loss varies among individuals. If an implant can be placed in a relatively short period of time after tooth loss, the preserved bone will be maintained by the dental implant. Often times, a small bone graft is placed at the time of the extraction to prevent bone loss and prepare the area for implant placement. However, if a tooth has been missing for some time and a significant amount of bone loss has already taken place, it may be necessary for your oral surgeon to rebuild the area to support an implant. When a missing tooth is replaced by a dental implant, the fusion, or osseointegration, of the implant and bone helps prevent bone deterioration, just as the natural tooth did. With success rates over 95% and years of supportive research, dental implants are often the best treatment option for replacing missing teeth.
ARE YOU A CANDIDATE FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS?
With few exceptions, dental implants are the tooth replacement of choice for adults of all ages. Since every person has unique and different circumstances, a consultation is usually recommended to determine a plan of treatment that best suits your individual needs. Whether you need to replace one tooth, several teeth, or all of your teeth, your oral surgeon will work with you and your dentist to find the best solution that is right for you.
THE DENTAL IMPLANT PROCESS
If you and your dentist believe that dental implant treatment may be right for you, your dentist will refer you to Walla Walla OMS for implant consultation and evaluation. After the initial consultation appointment, you can then proceed with tooth extraction and any necessary bone grafting, and/or immediate implant placement. Following implant placement, a healing period of several months is usually necessary to ensure proper fusion between the implant and the bone (called osseointegration), which is verified with an X-ray and clinical evaluation. Once it is determined that successful osseointegration has taken place, your dentist can then make the crown that attaches to the implant.
DENTAL IMPLANTS ARE A TEAM EFFORT
Successful dental implant treatment requires cooperation and communication among all parties involved. The patient, the referring/restorative dentist, and the oral surgeon must work together to carefully follow the agreed-upon plan of treatment. It is very important that you keep all of your follow-up appointments with both your oral surgeon and your dentist, and that you maintain good oral hygiene practices and refrain from smoking.
