Dental Implant FAQ Pg 2 by Beverly Hills Dentists Drs. Stan and Feld

Dental Implant FAQ Pg 2

WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR IMPLANTS?

A typical implant consists of a titanium screw (resembling a tooth root) with a roughened surface. An osteotomy or precision hole is carefully drilled into jawbone and the implant is installed in the osteotomy.

Implant surgery is typically performed as an outpatient, under general anesthesia or with local anesthesia, by our Trained and Certified IV Sedation Doctors.

The most common treatment plan calls for several surgeries over a period of a couple of months, especially if bone augmentation (bone grafting) is needed to support implant placements. At the other end of the surgery scale, some patients can be implanted and restored in a single surgery, in a procedure labeled "immediate function" and "teeth in an hour."

A single implant procedure that involves an incision and "flapping" of the gum or gingiva (to expose the jawbone) takes about an hour, sometimes longer; multiple implants can be installed in a single surgical session. At the conclusion, the patient goes through a period of recovery, returns to consciousness and is sent home with a relative or friend.

Healing and integration of the implant(s) with jawbone occurs over several months in a process called osseointegration. At the appropriate time, our team of doctors, use the implant(s) to anchor crowns or a prosthetic restoration containing several "teeth." Since the implants supporting the restoration are integrated, which means they are biomechanically stable and strong, the patient is immediately able to chew normally.

In an immediate function procedure, the gingiva is not flapped (Flapless). Instead, the surgeon removes a small plug of gingiva directly over the drilling site. The site is drilled and the implant is installed. Then a crown is immediately added. Patients are cautioned to give their new "teeth in an hour" ample healing/integration time (weeks or months) before attempting normal mastication (chewing).

There are different approaches to place dental implants after tooth extraction. The approaches are:

1. Immediate post-extraction implant placement.
2. Delayed immediate post-extraction implant placement (2 weeks to 3 months after extraction).
3. Late implantation (3 months after tooth extraction).

According to the timing of loading of dental implants, the procedure of loading could be classified into:

1. Immediate loading procedure.
2. Early loading (1 week to 12 weeks).
3. Staged loading (3-6 months).
4. Late loading (more than 6 months).

WHAT ARE SOME CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR DENTAL IMPLANT PLACEMENT?

There are no absolute contraindications to implant dentistry, however there are some systemic, behavioral and anatomic considerations that should be considered.

Uncontrolled type II diabetes is a significant relative contraindication as healing following any type of surgical procedure is delayed due to poor peripheral blood circulation.

Anatomic considerations include the volume and height of bone available. We often perform ancillary procedures, known as a block graft or sinus augmentation to provide enough bone for successful implant placement.

At Aesthetic and Implant Dentistry of Beverly Hills, Dr. Stan and his highly experienced team of the world’s best 'Dental Implant Surgeons,' assure YOU we have the necessary training, skills and understanding to make Dental Implant Surgery a very common modality of mouth restoration.

Contact our team to request more information now!