Dental Implants

Tooth Replacement Options

Single Tooth Replacement

The best option you have for replacing a single tooth is a single tooth replacement. Not only does a single tooth replacement have the highest success rate, it never decays or needs root canal treatment. This treatment option is a little pricier than others. However, it is worth the investment in the long-term as results can last a lifetime.

Multiple Tooth Replacement

If you have multiple teeth missing in a row, we can use implants as abutments (the anchors) for fixed bridgework. For example, if you are missing three teeth in a row, we would place two implants on either side of the gap. Then, we would place a crown (with no implant underneath) in the middle of the two implants. One of the reasons we prefer to use this method is to avoid using natural teeth as abutments for the fixed bridgework. Natural teeth can be more susceptible to tooth decay and root canal issues when used as abutments. The other main reason is that we can place one less implant and achieve the same or better results in some cases.

Implant-Supported Overdentures

Implants can also benefit denture-wearers by helping dentures last longer while still comfortably keeping your teeth healthy. Traditionally, dentures use your gums and the bones beneath the gums as support. However, this may lead to the acceleration of bone loss. When the bones deteriorate, they can no longer hold the dentures in place. This is especially noticeable in the bottom row of teeth. Instead of dealing with bone loss, we can utilize two implants that will fit a removable denture over the top. implant-overdentureEssentially, this will transfer the support from the bone surface to the bone structure, saving the bone underneath the dentures.

How Does Bone Loss Affect My Candidacy for Dental Implants?

There are still ways to receive implants despite bone density complications. A patient may suffer from bone loss or, for whatever reason, have insufficient bone mass at the site of the implant. If so, additional procedures will be required for this and the healing time may extend based on the selected method.

Bone loss can occur for a variety of reasons. It is most commonly found in aging adults, but more generally around areas of missing teeth, sites where injuries have occurred, sites of infection or gum disease in the mouth, or even because of developmental defects.

We will use x-ray imaging as a bone density test to determine areas of bone loss that may affect your dental implants.

In order to ensure your health, safety, and satisfaction, we will help identify which solutions will work best for your age and other health-related limitations.

How Does Age Affect My Candidacy for Dental Implants?

There are definitely restrictions on receiving dental implants based on age.

The older generation of implant candidates are less affected by broad age restrictions, and are often eligible well into their 90’s. Rather, certain individual limitations to implants are often related to health. Implants can cause complications for patients that heal slowly, bleed a lot, or suffer from osteoporosis (bone loss).

Although older-aged folks do need to consider certain individual limitations before receiving dental implants, there is a more of a global age restriction on young patients. One of the benefits of dental implants is that they are a solution that has zero to minimal impact on surrounding teeth. However, this becomes an issue if dental implants were to be performed on young, underdeveloped jaw bones. Jaw bones that are still maturing can shift and change to the point that implants would begin to cause issues to surrounding and shifting teeth. Implants should not be performed on patients that are younger than 18-25 years of age, or until the jaw is fully formed. We will always make sure to perform an accurate oral examination with the necessary technologies to ensure that you, or your children or teens, are fully eligible and ready for this procedure.

How are Implants Placed?

Dr. Brumbach will implant the titanium root directly into the jaw bone where your tooth is missing. This requires local anesthesia only, although if you are anxious or nervous Dr. Brumbach can provide a range of sedation options. Over the span of a few months, the implant fuses to the jaw bone through the process of “osseointegration.” Once you have fully recovered from the placement of the implant, we top the implant with a custom crown created to match the color of your existing teeth. Titanium is a very safe and biocompatible material.

Safety of Implants – Why They work

Dr. Brumbach takes great care to review all necessary areas to ensure that no complications result from your implants. He checks the following:

• Bad quality or quantity of bone mass where the implant will go
• Gum diseases
• Preexisting oral conditions that cause excessive bleeding or inhospitable environments to the implant
• Breakage of the implant itself
• Allergies

Again, these can be preempted by careful planning and evaluation of medical history.

One of the amazing benefits of dental implants is that they are long-term solutions that work well with the natural components of the human body. Dental implants are made out of a Titanium Alloy that is strong and most importantly, very biocompatible. This meas that when the implant is inserted into the jaw bone to fuse, the body recognizes the implant instead of rejecting it as a foreign object. Thus, the tissues and bones successfully fuse and heal together.