Why Dental Implants?

Although dental implants were originally placed by the ancient Egyptians centuries ago, it wasn't until the late 1980s that dental implants came of age in the United States. The titanium implant was first used in Europe in the mid-1960s — but it was its introduction into the U.S. that saw its uses and cosmetic applications truly explode in development.

A dental implant is a titanium screw placed into and fused to the jawbone.

A dental implant is basically a titanium screw which is inserted into and fuses to your jawbone. On this implant a permanent post is placed, and then your restorative dentist cements a cap, or crown. There are many variations on this depending upon how many missing teeth are involved.

Sometimes implants are used to support false teeth or dentures. These are either screwed into your implants (only your dentist can remove this prosthesis) or the denture is snapped over a retaining bar screwed to your implants — you can take these out to clean.

Implants give us the ability to perform extreme makeovers of your mouth to improve your appearance and smile. Foods long avoided — such as steak and corn-on-the-cob — can be eaten once again without concern or discomfort. Implants truly open up new horizons for making people happy with their looks, their function, and their state of mind.

Dental implants have gotten significantly better over the years, and improvements now come over months rather than years. If you are seeking implant information, be sure to check when an article was written — here is where we are now:

Dentures affixed to dental implants for a secure, comfortable fit.

The Modern Implant Experience

A Painless Procedure

Only the area being treated needs to be anesthetized — over 99% of patients do not need a nerve block for implant placement. It generally takes less than an hour for a simple dental implant placement in our office.

Quicker Recovery Than Ever

Using the latest materials, implants typically take about 8 weeks to fuse with bone (older implants took 4–6 months at a minimum). Softer bone may take longer, and bone regeneration or sinus augmentation requires additional healing time.

Implants at the Time of Extraction

Implants can often be placed at the time of tooth extraction unless there is infection in the area or not enough bone above the socket. Previously we had to wait until the socket healed with new bone.

Same-Day Teeth Options

Implants in the front of the mouth can be immediately loaded with a permanent post and a temporary tooth. New one-piece implants may need only a temporary crown — many patients leave with front teeth the day of placement, and same-day lower fixed prostheses are possible too.

High Success & Reliability

About 96% of implants fuse successfully to the bone. Titanium is very similar to materials used in hip replacements, and we are not aware of any reported allergic reaction to titanium in our 15 years of placing implants.

Manufacturer Backing

Implant manufacturers stand behind their product and will replace it at no charge for 10 years — some for your lifetime. This says a lot about product reliability.

Implant Or Bridge: Which Is Best?

If you face the prospect of losing a tooth, you have a choice: replace it with an implant or a fixed bridge.

The best choice is an implant. Here's why: with an implant you don't have to cut down two adjacent teeth to replace and hold the missing one. Cleanliness is also easier — a bridge space is difficult and annoying to clean and becomes more susceptible to tooth decay. An implant stands by itself: you don't involve adjacent teeth, you can floss normally, and you aren't aware that it's not yours. What's more, implants don't decay and don't need root canals.

Free Yourself From Dentures

If you are about to lose all of your remaining teeth, or have no teeth now, we have solutions that free you from wearing dentures. Placing enough dental implants allows your dentist to build a fixed prosthesis that is probably stronger than what you had with your natural teeth.

Since implants are placed directly into the bone, they also preserve your jawbone. When teeth are lost and dentures are worn instead, the jawbone begins to shrink over time and the face can develop the "old person," caved-in appearance. This doesn't happen when you have implants — implants preserve bone and help you keep a more youthful face. That's another reason "why implants."

Discuss your options. We are always happy to talk with you about the benefits of implants, the latest advancements, what's on the horizon, and how implants can help if you face the prospect of losing a tooth — or want to replace what's already missing. Implants open up a new world of solutions for you.

The Implant Procedure Step by Step See Before & After Cases