Conventional Dentistry versus Implant Dentistry

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Lakewood

Why Conventional Dentistry Often Fails

The median life span of a crown or bridge is only 8-10 years?

After 8-10 years, many patients have decay below the crown or bridge, and the tooth is lost. Root canals make a tooth weaker, and are prone to repeat infection and fracture over time.

Unfortunately, many patients who regularly see their dentist over their lifetime and have conventional dentistry performed still end up losing many of their teeth. Dental implants are the answer to this difficult problem, and have been shown to have a much higher success rate long term compared to conventional dentistry over the life span of a patient.

Dental Implants — A Revolution in Dental Care

Dental implants have revolutionized dentistry, and have changed the way we manage teeth. Unlike years past, we as dental professionals do not try to “save every tooth” and instead look in terms of long term prognosis for a tooth, determining whether the long term prognosis is comparable to extraction and implant replacement. Dental implants allow replacement of a tooth, several teeth, replacement or stabilization of a partial denture and replacement or stabilization of a denture. Dental implants eliminate the worry over decay, abscess, and the need for root canals or fracture.

Bone Quality

Implant placement is dependent upon the amount of bone available in the jaws. For patients who are missing teeth, sometimes a bone graft or gum graft is required prior to or along with implant placement. For patients who have a failing tooth, an immediate implant can many times be placed at the time of extraction, most often again some type of bone graft is placed into the extraction site to prevent bone loss.

Immediate Temporary Crown

In the area of the mouth where appearance is important, an immediate temporary crown is often built on the implant. The temporary crown is important in allowing proper healing of the gum tissues, and allows the patient to smile with a tooth in place without the need for some type of removable temporary prosthesis.

If an immediate temporary crown is placed at the time of implant placement, it is important not to chew with the implant for the first 6 weeks. Initially, the implant is mechanically stable in the bone, but it takes 6 weeks for the bone bonding to reach a sufficient level capable of resisting chewing forces.