The Science Behind the Type of Dental Implants We Provide

For thousands of years, the concept of dental implants followed, pretty much the same pattern. Then, with the advent of modern medicine, a scientific miracle took place and implants became some of the most viable means of replacing lost teeth. Today we focus on things like seamless integration, osseointegration, and bio-integration as ways to ensure that your body accepts the implant and treats it as part of itself. Titanium played a significant role in the advanced development of the dental implant. Being that Titanium is the only metal which has the ability to meld with human tissue, known as osseointegration, it has become the cornerstone upon which all implants are based. To help this process along and to ensure that the body heals quickly after an implant surgery, some implants are actually coated with hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite occurs naturally in the bones and tricks the body into believing that the implant is truly part of the bone for maximum stability and security.

For dental implants to be successful, integration is an essential component. It is one that we have paid a great deal of attention to and, over the years, have developed a number of ways to ensure that the body integrates the implant into itself. We use a variety of surfaces that help facilitate integration. Some of the surfaces that are available include grit-blasted implants, acid-etched implants, plasma-sprayed implants, and hydroxyapatite-coated implants. There are also a number of different styles of dental implants from which we can choose in order to best match your needs. However, the choice is a little misleading since your body will be making the choice for you. The type of implant that is used depends very heavily on the amount and strength of the bone mass you have under the teeth. Sometimes it becomes necessary to use a different type of dental implant in order to protect the bone, and also give the new teeth strength and stability.

We use dental implants known as Ramus Frame implants when a patient does not have enough bone mass, or the bone isn’t strong enough to withstand a traditional implant. The Ramus Frame implant is anchored a short distance away from the actual site of the tooth or teeth. It is installed in a place where the bone has enough density to withstand an implant, and then a thin metal bar is left visible for us to place the bridge or dentures. We traditionally will anchor the implant near the back corner of the mouth near the wisdom teeth or in the center of the chin.

The more traditional type of dental implant is known as a root-form implant or an endosseous implant. This implant is typically place directly under the site where the fake tooth is going to be placed and drilled into the bone itself. These implants are cone shaped, often in the form of a small titanium screw or nail so that they can be easily anchored. One the implant has been placed and has had a chance to heal, the bone will be responsible for the stability of the device.  During your consultation, we will let you know which solution we feel will work best for you.

Is Laser Dentistry Completely Safe For My Teeth?

We offer laser dentistry as a safe and comfortable alternative to working with traditional dental tools. Understandably a lot of people hear the term “laser” and are afraid that a strong beam of light will be aimed at their mouth causing intense heat to radiate, steam to go everywhere and mouth irritation to occur. While this sounds like a good sci-fi movie, it is not modern day dentistry. In fact, using lasers is nothing to fear but rather a technology to embrace, due to a laser’s ability to make dental procedures more comfortable overall.

When a laser is used, it allows us to focus more precisely than we can using a traditional metal tool. The laser beam is smaller and finer so that the area it targets can be incredibly small. Simultaneously, when using a laser the risk of the surrounding tissue being irritated is greatly reduced. With a metal dental tool, one small slip can lead to scraping, scratches and overall irritation. That doesn’t happen with a laser because it is easier to control and won’t damage your tissue. In fact, a laser can actually help to restore your tissue and in some procedures the laser helps to stop the bleeding while the work is being performed, making it a true help, rather than a concerning new technology.

In our office, we use laser dentistry as a way to perform a procedure that could otherwise be rather uncomfortable. We focus on the health of gum tissue and do a lot of work treating gum disease. Gum disease will affect the majority of U.S. adults at some point in their lifetime. In the lucky ones, the disease goes away after a bi-annual teeth cleaning, never to be thought of again. For everyone else, the condition can spread and lead to gum recession. This is a bad scenario because the gums are in place to protect the tooth, roots, and jawbone. When the gums recede, these areas are exposed and susceptible to attack. Our job is to eliminate the gum disease so that the healing process can start.

Since we use lasers, it is easier to do so. Where a traditional cleaning procedure would involve using a dental tool to get under the gum tissue and physically scrape away and plaque or tartar, we can use lasers to break up the tartar before wiping it out along with any lingering bacteria. This allows the gums to start the natural healing process. After all, with the irritant being removed, they can start to rejuvenate. If, however, they have receded too far, we can perform a procedure using lasers to help the gum tissue to grow back. Typically, a gum graft would be necessary which involves taking tissue from the roof of the mouth and suturing it to the remaining gum tissue. This can be uncomfortable and has a longer recovery process than what we can do using lasers. Laser dentistry allows us to rejuvenate the gum tissue to the point that they will start to grow back without the need for surgery. To learn more about this option, call for a consultation.