Remarkable Advances in Implant Dentistry

Innovation in Dentistry Practices:
Now more than ever dental implants are the most convenient, effective and advanced treatments for replacing missing teeth.

Dental implants have been around in dentistry for a few decades, however, recent ground-breaking developments in medical treatments and technologies have made these once considered expensive procedures more affordable and the best choice for millions of people around the world, who consider dental implants as their long-term solution.

For a long time, most people considered replacing their missing teeth with partial or full dentures that never looked, felt and functioned naturally but now everybody is embracing dental implants as the best alternative to improve their unique dental needs.

Specialized Dentistry:
Dentistry has evolved into many areas of specialization that cover: general family dentistry, dental implants and cosmetic dentistry.

Dentists are not just dentists per se but highly trained oral health specialists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons that can offer patients advanced procedures that are safe, accurate and successful with overall effectiveness in every aspect of restorative dentistry

Innovation in Implant Technologies:
Dental implants are now been manufactured in several countries using advanced technologies and high quality materials to better integrate with the surrounding bone for greater stability and long-term endurance.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons can determine after careful oral examination the shape and thread design of dental implants that can be easily inserted in the bone to become a more stable fixture that will support permanent prosthesis. There is an implant for every unique case.

Innovation in Dental Imaging:
The use of 2 dimensional X-Rays images have been replaced by innovative 3D CAT Scanning Technology, which is currently used by most dental professionals to diagnose and plan dental treatments and procedures around the world.

In recent years dentists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons have been relying on the practical applications of 3D CAT Scanning and the accurate information to plan and perform advanced dental procedures such as placing titanium implants after evaluating the density of the bone where the treatment is performed. The new technology offer greater precision in the placement of implants and better long-term results.

Innovation in Dental Implant Treatments:
Most dental implants follow a mandatory two-stage process that starts with an oral surgeon placing one or more dental implants that are usually covered and left alone for a period of 6 months or more, which has been considered traditionally the required time to allow implants to grow new bone around them, thus ensuring stability.

However, when there is not enough bone to perform implants, patients are informed about correcting this deficiency first through a process called bone grafting, which required some additional time to heal prior to placing implants and consequently adding more time to stage one, including the waiting process before been ready for stage two.

After the required waiting period of 6 months or more patients are ready for stage two, assuming that the implants are stable and no complications have been an issue. In this stage of the process the oral surgeon is ready to uncover the implants and place abutments of top of the implants in preparation for making and placing the new teeth, this restorative process can require from one or two weeks considering that more people will get involved into the taking impressions, sending impressions and measures to the dental lab that will create the prosthesis according to specifications and finally placing the new teeth and making the necessary adjustments to achieve a great smile and a strong bite.

The use of 3D CAT Scans allows oral surgeons to insert implants in a more accurate, safe and with better success rates than traditional approaches. Some dental facilities are even offering a one-stage implant approach to speed up the process by using what it is known as the “Immediate Function” from Novel Biocare, the world’s leading manufacturer of dental implants.

Some clinic prefer the two-stage implant approach in order to allow the patient to heal properly prior to completing the process and ensuring long-term satisfaction with overall effectiveness. Without the proper healing time the patient could encounter some unexpected complications that will need further treatments and procedures to make the necessary corrections.

The patient needs to grow new bone around the newly placed implants to firmly secure the implants prior to moving on the second and final stage. The benefits of having an “Immediate Function” implant treatment or in other words, a one-step-procedure can translate into a shorten treatment time including the placement of dental implants and new teeth.

However, this fast treatment cannot be recommended if the patient has oral infections, requires bone grafts to correct bone density deficiencies, needs several implants to replace several missing teeth and needs a prolonged period to recover after the implants. The advice is to consult with your oral surgeon about your particular case and the best dental implant treatment.

Innovation in Dental Implants:
After many years of research and development we are finally arriving to consider dental implants as the ultimate treatment of choice for people of all ages looking to replace their missing teeth.

Whenever, they need to replace one or more missing teeth and in a lot of cases all their missing teeth due to accidents or severe periodontal disease, dental implants can be the most cost-effective solution in the short, medium and long-term.

Innovative dental implants look, feel and perform just like natural teeth not only giving the patient a healthy, strong and beautiful smile but also the confidence to recover their integral health.

Dental implants are rooted in the bone and promote the growth of additional bone around them, which helps the patient correct any facial deformity as a result of the loss of teeth and the supporting bone.

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons place the implants into the jawbone to simulate and function as the original root of the teeth for a long-lasting root replacement.

Innovative dental implants come in several shapes to accommodate the specific needs of each patient and it has 3parts: a) the titanium implant that integrates with the jawbone (usually made in Switzerland, Germany and U.S. for best quality. However, there are implants made in Brazil and other countries with comparable characteristics), b) the abutment, which connects to the implant and c) the crown, which is created by a Prosthodontist in a dental lab according to accurate measurements and specifications for best results and natural appearance.

After almost 50 years of clinical research and millions of dental implants performed by oral surgeons all over the world each year with a success rate of 96%, we can safely say that implant-supported teeth are the best treatment option when it comes to replacing missing teeth permanently and will overall effectiveness.

Innovative Dental Implant Procedure for Full-Arch Replacement:
In recent years, the popularity of the dental implant procedure called “All-on-4” has been used as an effective and economical treatment for restoring a complete upper or lower set of teeth; with this new technique, the patient requires only 4 implants where a beautiful set of functional teeth will be placed.

By using longer and stronger implants in both jaws a new replacement set of teeth can be secured. This optimal use of implants to restore a full arch of teeth in the upper or lower jaw provides high-quality restorative results in the most timely and cost-effective way.

The “All-on-4” procedure requires only four titanium implants, two in the front (regular size in a vertical position) and two in the back (longer and stronger in an angulated position) to support a full upper or lower restoration.

This innovative procedure maximizes the use of existing bone without recurring to bone grafts (augmentation of bone) and additional implants and prolonged treatment. Patients can have full sets of replacement teeth that are fixed and look and function as close to natural teeth. No more uncomfortable and embarrassing dentures.

It takes a period of 3 to 6 months for the bone to grow around the titanium implants and secure them in place, making this less invasive and lightly procedure a permanent and affordable solution.

Some clinics offer this procedure in only one visit, which means that a patient without teeth can have a full restoration done the same day. Other clinics don’t advocate this “one-day-procedure” due to the fact this procedure will require the patients to complied with regular weekly or monthly check ups at the dental clinic to make sure the implants are integrating to the jaw bone successfully and to make the necessary adjustments until the implants are completed fused to the natural bone.

After 6 months the patient will receive a final, stronger and permanent set of teeth that will adjust perfectly to his fully secured implants and will provide maximum support and beautiful and functional teeth for decades.

Multiple Advantages of Dental Implants:
Millions of people all over the world are losing their natural teeth due to poor oral health, medical conditions that affect the gums, accidents and natural causes such as age.

Dental implants technology is becoming the best dental alternative to replace a single tooth, a few teeth or all the teeth on the upper or lower arches of the mouth as a permanent, attractive and affordable solution.

Here are some of the advantages of considering dental implants as a tooth replacement procedure:

• Implants are made of titanium, which ensure a full integration with the jawbone of humans.

• Implants are fixed in the jawbone and do not move, offering a reliable base to support a prosthesis.

• Implant supported teeth look, feel and function just like natural teeth.

• Implants allow patients to eat all kinds of foods just as they would do with natural teeth.

• Implants are safe and reliable with a 95% or higher success rate. Hundreds of thousands of dental implants have been performed all over the world successfully, giving satisfied patients a new set of teeth.

• Implants do not have any negative impact to healthy teeth, gums or jawbone; on the contrary they prevent bone loss that results from missing teeth and promote the grow of bone around implants.

• Implants provide patients with a long-term solution that will last a lifetime; prosthesis may be replaced in 10 or 15 years but dental implants are placed in the jawbone forever.

• Implants can give patients the confidence they need to live a normal life, eating, talking and smiling without any restrictions. Dental implants are the closest alternative to having natural teeth.

• Implants improve the overall medical health of the patient including the prevention of the overall deterioration of patients’ oral health (gum infection, tooth decay and other oral diseases), loss of other teeth and jawbone that change facial features and the ability to chew food properly, which affect the digestive and metabolism systems. Patients that choose dental implants look younger and healthier than people who rely on traditional bridges and partial dentures.

• Implants are safe because they are anchored into the jawbone and fusion though the natural process of Osseo-Integration, providing great stability and long-lasting benefits.

Dental implants are changing not only the appearance of people who relied on bridges and partial dentures to keep up with their lives but also changing their life-style, giving them the confidence they need to maintain a healthy social life, share their experiences and improve their overall health significantly.

People who have experience the liberating experience of replacing their missing teeth with permanent implants are already enjoying the benefits of eating, talking and smiling confidently.