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IMPLANT RESTORATION

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are replacement tooth roots. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth.

What Are the Advantages of Dental Implants?

There are many advantages to dental implants, including:

• Improved appearance. Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth. And because they are designed to fuse with bone, they become permanent.
• Improved speech. With poor-fitting dentures, the teeth can slip within the mouth causing you to mumble or slur your words. Dental implants allow you to speak without the worry that your teeth might slip.
• Improved comfort. Because they become part of you, implants eliminate the discomfort of removable dentures.
• Easier eating. Sliding dentures can make chewing difficult. Dental implants function like your own teeth, allowing you to eat your favorite foods with confidence and without pain.
• Improved self-esteem. Dental implants can give you back your smile and help you feel better about yourself.
• Improved oral health. Dental implants don't require reducing other teeth, as a tooth-supported bridge does. Because nearby teeth are not altered to support the implant, more of your own teeth are left intact, improving your long-term oral health. Individual implants also allow easier access between teeth, improving oral hygiene.
• Durability. Implants are very durable and will last many years. With good care, many implants last a lifetime.
• Convenience. Removable dentures are just that; removable. Dental implants eliminate the embarrassing inconvenience of removing your dentures, as well as the need for messy adhesives to keep your dentures in place.

How Successful Are Dental Implants?

• Success rates of dental implants vary, depending on where in the jaw the implants are placed but, in general, dental implants have a success rate of up to 98%. With proper care (see below), implants can last a lifetime.

Can Anyone Get Dental Implants?

• In most cases, anyone healthy enough to undergo a routine dental extraction or oral surgery can be considered for a dental implant. Patients should have healthy gums and enough bone to hold the implant. They also must be committed to good oral hygiene and regular dental visits. Heavy smokers, people suffering from uncontrolled chronic disorders - such as diabetes or heart disease - or patients who have had radiation therapy to the head/neck area need to be evaluated on an individual basis. If you are considering implants, talk to your dentist to see if they are right for you.

Does Insurance Cover the Cost of Dental Implants?

• In general, dental implants are not covered by dental insurance at this time. Coverage under your medical plan may be possible, depending on the insurance plan and/or cause of tooth loss. Detailed questions about your individual needs and how they relate to insurance should be discussed with your dentist and your insurance provider.

What Is Involved in Getting a Dental Implant?

• The first step in the dental implant process is the development of an individualized treatment plan. The plan addresses your specific needs and is prepared by Dr. Goduco who is specially trained and experienced in oral surgery and restorative dentistry. Dr. Goduco's approach provides coordinated care based on the implant option that is best for you.

Next, the tooth root implant, which is a small post made of titanium, is placed into the bone socket of the missing tooth. As the jawbone heals, it grows around the implanted metal post, anchoring it securely in the jaw. The healing process can take from 6 to 12 weeks.

Once the implant has bonded to the jawbone, a small connector post - called an abutment - is attached to the post to securely hold the new tooth. To make your new tooth or teeth, your dentist makes impressions of your teeth, and creates a model of your bite (which captures all of your teeth, their type, and arrangement). Your new tooth or teeth are based on this model. A replacement tooth, called a crown, is then attached to the abutment.

Instead of one or more individual crowns, some patients may have attachments placed on the implant that retain and support a removable denture.

Your dentist also will match the color of your new teeth to your natural teeth. Because the implant is secured within the jawbone, the replacement teeth look, feel, and function just like your own natural teeth.

How Painful Are Dental Implants?

• Most people who have received dental implants say that there is very little discomfort involved in the procedure. Local anesthesia can be used during the procedure, and most patients report that implants involve less pain than a tooth extraction.

After the dental implant, mild soreness can be treated with over-the-counter pain medications, such as Tylenol or Motrin.

How Do I Care for Dental Implants?

• Dental implants require the same care as real teeth, including brushing, flossing, and regular dental check-ups.

LASER DENTISTRY

We are excited to announce the introduction of Waterlase™ laser dentistry to our practice.

What does it mean for you?

Greater Comfort.
Heat and vibration are what make dental drills hurt. Fortunately, we have a new technology that can replace the drill for many dental procedures. The Waterlase® laser does a lot of work we used to do with a drill - without the heat, vibration and noise. The Waterlase® laser uses a gentle combination of laser energy and water that works without ever touching your teeth. That means we can use fewer shots and less anesthetic in many cases. The laser works on teeth and gums. It can even be used for oral surgery on the bone around teeth.

All-Laser Dentistry
The Waterlase® laser is extremely versatile. It can be used for a wide range of hard and soft tissue procedures – from decay removal, cavity preparation, root canals, smile design, gum and bone surgical procedures and many others. Just because a dentist has a laser doesn’t mean they’re a "true" laser dentist. A Waterlase Dentist™ cares so much about your comfort that they have invested in the ultimate in dental lasers, the Waterlase™ from BIOLASE Technology – absolutely number one in dental lasers. They have also received special training in laser dentistry.

Fewer Numb Lips
No one likes to leave the dentist’s office with a numb lip. If your laser procedure can be done without anesthetic, you’ll be able to avoid this uncomfortable side effect.

A New Standard of Dental Care
The Waterlase® laser lets us work on your teeth and gums with unprecedented accuracy. Without the heat and vibration of a drill, the laser can precisely remove decay without affecting surrounding healthy tissue. Drills can cause tiny microfractures that can weaken a tooth, and sometimes nick a tooth next to where decay is being removed. Not the laser. Because it works so precisely, the dentist may use magnifying glasses or even a microscope while working.

Shorter Visits, Fewer Visits
Since many procedures can be done without anesthetic, we can eliminate the time it takes to give shots and wait for numbing to occur. So you can get in and out of the dentist’s chair faster. Giving fewer shots and less local anesthetic also allows the dentist to work on more cavities at once, since dentists usually avoid numbing more than one area of the mouth at one time.

Faster Healing
The dentist may use the Waterlase laser to prepare your gums around a tooth that requires a crown, or to fix a cavity or tooth fracture below the gumline, or to reshape your gums to improve the appearance of your smile. The laser energy of the Waterlase® laser cuts gums precisely, because it only affects tissue on gums. Waterlase laser energy is attracted to water, so it “seals” blood vessels, reducing or completely eliminating bleeding during these procedures.

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