"
Dr Antolak you have changed the quality of my
life. Since having my mini implants, I no longer
have sores in my mouth from loose fitting dentures.
I can now chew foods I was not able to eat before.
I’ so glad you suggested the mini implants,
it’s like a miracle, I can not believe
the comfort they provide."
- Forever Grateful,
Eleanor Goodwin
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Single
Tooth Dental Implant
Whenever you lose a tooth, the biting forces change on the
teeth next to the space, causing them to shift. Opposing
teeth may even begin to extrude out of the socket, which
means they too could eventually be lost.Also, as your bite changes, it gets more difficult to chew
your food, and you may suffer damage to your jaw joint.
It's also much harder to clean teeth that have shifted;
harmful plaque and tartar collect in the new hard to-reach
places created by the shifting, causing tooth decay and
periodontal disease.As you can see, it's critical that we replace a lost tooth.
An excellent option for replacing a missing tooth is an
artificial tooth secured by a dental implant. Implants are
titanium cylinders that are surgically placed in your jaw
to serve as artificial tooth roots. Attaching a replacement
tooth to a dental implant allows us to avoid placing a bridge.
Bridges require that we prepare the adjacent natural teeth,
and that weakens them substantially.
Dental implants and porcelain crowns are practically indistinguishable
from your natural teeth, and they fit so securely that you
won't even notice it when you chew and speak. When we place
dental implants, it's not necessary for us to alter the
structure of the adjacent teeth, so their strength and integrity
is maintained. Also, a dental implant replaces the roots
of a missing tooth, which helps to fend off the bone loss
that occurs when a tooth is missing. In essence, an implant
is the next best thing to your natural tooth.
Start-to-finish,
the procedure may require several months to complete, because
it can take about three to four months for the dental implants
to fuse to your bone tissue through a process called osseointegration.
A dental implant won't work for you if you aren't in good
general health. Your gums and jaw bone must be healthy enough
to support the implant, and you must be meticulous about
your daily home care routine. You'll also need to visit
us up to four times a year for cleanings. We won't recommend dental implants if you suffer from
a chronic illness such as diabetes, as this can interfere
with healing. And if you are a smoker, you may not be a
good candidate for a dental implant; smokers are at greater
risk for gum disease, and gum disease weakens the bone and
soft tissue needed to support the implant. If you're interested in replacing a missing tooth with
a dental implant, we will perform a thorough evaluation
to determine whether your health and lifestyle make you
a good candidate for this relatively new approach to restorative
dentistry.
To Firm Up a Loose Denture
If you have a lower denture, you probably know how hard
it can be to eat comfortably. When lower teeth are lost,
the bone in the jaw continually recedes. Over time, this
causes a lower denture to become loose and floppy. Even
worse, there are nerves in the lower jaw that can end up
on the surface of the bone. When you bite down, it hurts!Fortunately, it's usually possible to place dental implants
into the lower jaw so that you can avoid problems associated
with dentures. Dental implants are small titanium cylinders
that are surgically inserted into the bone of the jaw to
replace the roots of missing teeth.One way to use implants in the lower jaw is to connect
the implants with a bar, and then put clips into a new lower
denture. These clips snap onto the bar and keep the denture
from rocking and shifting. The denture can still be removed
at home for easy access and cleaning of the dental implants
and bar. Another option is a lower bridge that may be cemented
in or held in place by screws.
Using dental implants to support either a lower denture
or bridge will keep the pressure off the bone and the nerves.
The implants also help stop the bone loss in the jaw that
continues once teeth have been removed. Securing restorations
with dental implants can make a world of difference, allowing
you to eat, talk, laugh, and smile with confidence again.
