Why is what happens in our mouth so important?

Nothing compares with the feeling of looking in the mirror and finding happiness in our appearance. There is no vanity in this feeling. That is just how we are made. At any age, our looks set up our mood for the entire day. With a great appearance comes confidence. This confidence influences our actions, the way we react to stress, to others. It influences our lives.

Missing teeth prevents people from feeling complete and being confident. As a result, the quality of life diminishes. That is, social aspects of our life suffer to the degree where it becomes impossible to appreciate them fully. At home, at work, with family or friends, human interactions can be rewarding only when our reactions are not influenced by a handicap such as missing teeth or an unsightly smile. Missing teeth, amplified by other ailments that occur with age, can cause clinical depression. In such cases, people tend to age dramatically, become sad and reserved. These changes occur gradually and they are difficult to diagnose.

Because of missing teeth we stop eating well, and ultimately cannot eat the foods we like. Consequently, our health is influenced in a negative way. Just like in the social life of any given society, in the life of every individual everything starts with one unresolved problem: with one ignored symptom, with one bad or missing tooth. Even one missing tooth, particularly one in the back of the mouth, can cause other teeth to become overburdened. This in turn leads to pain in other teeth and causes them to shift. Ultimately, one missing tooth can cause the loss of its neighbors, pain, and irreversible changes in the Temporo Mandibular Joint (TMJ).

In the past 40 years, dental implants have become the most revolutionary invention in dentistry. Millions of people witnessed and experienced how perfectly implants can replace missing teeth, restore self-confidence and allow people to eat, talk, and smile as in the years before. There are several types of dental implants. The choice depends on the quality and quantity of existing bone, the patient’s health, and several other factors.

The most popular kind of implant is the Root Form implant. This implant is shaped like the root of a natural tooth, which gives the crown and bridge that sit upon it a natural look.

Are not all implants born equal?

There are many companies that manufacture dental implants. Among those companies, only a few make the implants you want in your mouth. The one that stands out the most is Swedish manufacturer Noble Biocare. Their implants, once placed inside human bone, attract bone cells at a very high rate, making implant and bone inseparable, and creating a union able to withstand chewing forces superior to any other implants. Data shows the success rate of Nobel Biocare implants to be close to 100%. This impressive reputation is not accidental. Behind it are years of experience and hundreds of millions of dollars in research.

Implants are expensive, on average $1,500 to $2,800 (without crown). They cost even more if they (or the attached crown or bridge) ever fall out. When you choose a doctor/dental implantologist, make sure you ask the name of the implant manufacturer. If implants are cheap, they are most likely produced by small unknown manufacturers in developing countries. There is a high risk these implants will fail. More stringent standards should be taken into account when it comes to highly sensitive material placed inside human bone. There are thousands of people who witnessed their own misfortune, lured overseas by low prices. They knew of the risks but hoped they would be lucky. According to the National Health Institute, 96% of dental implants placed in those countries are imitation implants; 76 – 84% of them failed within 5 – 7 years; 34 – 45% within 3 years; 18 – 23% caused irreversible changes in bone, leading to bone loss, infection of bone and gum tissues, and nerve damage.

What is an implant?

An implant is a titanium-covered screw that is placed into the bone. After placement, bone grows into the pores of the implant, making implant and bone inseparable. Following this process, a part called an abutment is attached to the implant. This part connects the implant with the future crown or bridge.

How to choose the right implant specialist?

A doctor’s expertise is crucial when choosing a dental company and planning treatment. Before choosing your dental implantologist, it is important to know his or her credentials and that he or she has the background to perform a successful job. It is not enough for a dentist to take a one or two-day course on how to drill bone and put in a titanium-covered screw. The key is to go to someone who is a specialist and has extensive experience and profound knowledge about the subject. In particular, someone who regularly attends symposiums and implantology conferences, and receives regular accreditation among his peers—in other words, treats his profession of implantology with interest, respect, and passion.

It is advisable to be able to call patients who have already completed treatment with this doctor. Ask the doctor about guarantees, about his or her actions in case your implant fails, if he or she will take responsibility and agree to correct the problem and replace the implant at no charge. Even the best quality implants fail. It is passion and ability to take responsibility that set apart true professionals, those whom you can trust with your health.

What are the additional implant-related procedures?
Why and when are they needed?

Additional procedures for implants are needed when there is insufficient bone volume. Two procedures that are most often needed are bone grafting and sinus lift and grafting. There are two types of bone grafting. One type is called bone grafting for bone preservation. When a tooth is removed, the bone in this area shrinks up to 30–40%, making the remaining bone volume insufficient for implant placement. To prevent that, a bone graft is placed inside the socket immediately after extraction. The graft stimulates rapid bone growth and bone is preserved for a future implant. The other kind of bone grafting is for bone augmentation. When bone in the area to be implanted has been lost, a new bone could be added to it. The cost of such procedures varies from $200 to $750.

Another frequently performed procedure is the sinus lift and sinus grafting. It is done in the back of the upper jaw, when the sinus is obstructing the area needed for an implant. This procedure may cost several thousand dollars and may postpone implant placement for several months.

What are mini implants?

Mini implants are also titanium screws that are placed inside the jaw bone, but they are of a smaller diameter (1,8 -2,4 mm). They also have another component, called a housing, which is inserted into the denture to make it stay on the implant and prevent the denture from moving.
Mini implants have their limitations, but also advantages. Their smaller diameter allows placing them where bone volume is insufficient and grafting is necessary and possible. Mini implants were developed by Dr. Victor Sandex in order to stabilize full and partial dentures. There is no surgery involved, which is attractive to older people and those who are afraid of the surgical aspects of implantology. Mini implants are also cheaper. They work great to make ill-fitting dentures stay in place while eating, laughing, or talking. The dentures can be made smaller in size. People with a gag reflex can have the palate of their dentures removed. There is no need for glues or adhesives. Patients report that they feel as if their dentures are glued to the bone. Most often there is no need to make a new denture, as the old one can be relined to fit mini implants. The number of implants needed varies from individual to individual. The more mini implants placed, the better the denture is fixated on the gums, but even two mini implants can make a tremendous difference in the life of someone who cannot wear dentures. 30 million people in the U.S. have no teeth and suffer with dentures that do not fit and roll around in the mouth. To avoid having to wear dentures, some people go as far as to avoid social situations. Relatives often express their concern over bad breath of such denture wearers, which occurs because food constantly gets trapped between dentures and gums. Mini implants get rid of this problem once and for all.

As with regular-sized implants, the procedure is done under local anesthetic. In many instances there is no or very little (2-3 weeks) time before the dentures can be made to fit the implants and worn.

Does it hurt?

Local anesthesia and care from the doctor and staff is all that is necessary. There is no pain during the procedure. It sounds incredible, but it is a fact. Minimal discomfort may occur within the next few days, but usual pain medication can handle that well. Those who want to avoid the very process of visiting a dentist and having such procedures done benefit from oral sedation. It is the safest form of sedation. Unlike with general anesthesia, patients are asleep and do not remember even visiting the office.

How soon can a crown be placed on the abutment?

It depends on bone density, which differs from place to place in jaws. There are 4 types of bone. The densest bone is located in the front of the lower jaw. The softest is located in the back of the upper jaw. Density of bone is what determines initial stability of an implant. If the implant is not sitting tightly in the bone, it should not be loaded. In this case, the gum is sutured for 3-5 months. After that, a second surgery is performed during which the gum is opened, the implant’s stability is checked, and an abutment is attached to the implant. An impression for a crown can be taken in 3 weeks, when the gum has healed around the abutment. This sequence is called “2-stage implant surgery.” “1-stage implant surgery” includes only one surgery, after which a patient has the implant and abutment placed in the same day. There is no need for a second surgery. A crown can be done in 2 months.

The decision of which surgery to choose is up to the doctor. It depends on bone density and also on technique, where the doctor can make bone tighter and achieve good initial retention. This can eliminate additional surgery and expedite the final result. This is important when the missing tooth is in the front of the mouth, and same-day placement of the abutment allows a temporary crown to be placed in the same day. If there is no infection around a bad tooth that needs to be removed and restored by implant, the implant can be placed right after the extraction.

• Mini Implants
• Funny (and Important) Facts About Teeth
• For centuries man has endeavored to find a more natural replacement for missing teeth