Dental Implants

Successful Dental Implant

Replacing missing or failing teeth is easier than ever without compromising cosmetics. Instead of a bridge or partial denture, patients can enjoy dental implants that look and feel like real teeth. Dental implants are made of titanium, which, like natural teeth, allow bone to adhere to it. Dental implants are safe, effective, and proven to last longer than bridges or partial dentures. Dental implants can replace a tooth or series of teeth anywhere in the mouth without compromising the health of adjacent teeth and often result in a more functional and esthetic smile.

Dental implants consist of three parts.

The titanium piece, which is implanted in the bone like a natural tooth.
The abutment, which is held by the titanium piece above the gum.
The final crown, which adheres to the abutment.

Depending on where in the mouth the implant is to be placed determines the number of steps to be taken during the process of building a completed dental implant. The final crown of the implant will be placed by the family dentist who referred the patient to us (or to whom we referred the patient). We work with many dentists in southeastern Wisconsin, and are willing to train dentists on the final crown process, if needed.

In cases where all of the teeth have been lost and dentures are needed, dental implants are used to retain bone and hold teeth so the smile looks and feels natural. Patients do not have to worry about what they eat as the denture teeth are held firmly and are never removed. These implant- retained teeth should be cleaned just like natural teeth by the patient and by the hygienist at least twice a year.

Bone Regeneration

Bone resorption occurs over time in areas where teeth have been extracted. The jawbone requires stimulation from the teeth to maintain its integrity and structure (tooth loss equals bone loss). Bone resorption is often most severe when dentures are worn and the ridges holding the dentures in place recede requiring repeated relining of loose dentures over time. Bone grafting/regeneration is necessary in these areas of bone loss to allow for implants to be placed.

Sinus augmentation may also be necessary if implants are required in the upper arch and the sinus floor lies too close to where the implants are too be placed. This procedure is highly predictable and requires the sinus floor to be gently lifted and then bone graft to be placed in the absence of the sinus floor.

The bone grafts preferably are obtained from the patient's mouth from the backside of the lower jaw or from excess bone that naturally occurs in some patients. If more bone grafting is necessary than available from the patient, bone grafts are obtained from highly reputable bone banks. The bone takes approximately 4-6 months to completely calcify and become uniform with the adjacent bone. Once this occurs implants are placed and later crowned (See Dental Implants).