Why?

Here are some reasons why implants may be your #1 choice:

• Dental implants are like your own teeth! They look and feel like teeth, and nobody will ever know that you have a replacement tooth or teeth – not even if they look closely.
• Adjacent teeth are not affected because neighboring teeth are not altered to support the implant. More of your own teeth are left untouched. This is a significant long-term benefit to your oral health!
• Dental implants will allow you to talk and eat with comfort and confidence! With a beautiful set of teeth attached to implants, you will gain the confidence to do anything without worrying about your teeth.
• The success rate of dental implants is highly predictable. Most dentists would consider dental implants as an excellent option for tooth replacement.

What Is Dental Implant Treatment Like?

When consulted a dentist working in cosmetic dentistry, your specific condition and the type of implant chosen, he or she will create a treatment plan right for you.

You may have other issues to consider but these are the most common:

• A Single Tooth: One implant and a crown can replace a single missing tooth. A dental implant replaces both the lost natural tooth as well as its root.
• Several Teeth: Implant-supported bridges can replace several missing teeth.
• Replacing All of Your Teeth: An implant-supported full bridge or full denture can replace all your missing teeth. Dental implants will replace both your lost teeth and some of the roots.

Dental implants greatly improve appearance of your smile. Visit us at Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa, a Plymouth cosmetic dentistry office, to get a better idea of this process. Our dentist, Dr. Jason McDowell, and staff are friendly and knowledgeable on all aspects of dental implants and cosmetic dentistry. Make an appointment online!

People who are not candidates
Some people want dental implants to replace teeth that have been missing for years. Others may need them to replace teeth that were extracted recently because of tooth decay, gum disease, infection or injury. In most cases, the teeth can be extracted and the implant placed at the same time. But, if you have a severe infection in a tooth root or your gums, your family dentist may wait a few months after removing the teeth to allow the area to heal.

Also, if you do not have enough bone to support an implant, you may be able to have the bone in the area built up, called bone grafting or augmentation. If a bone graft is done, you will need maybe up to a year to heal before having the implants placed in your jawbone. You can wear dentures or a bridge during this time, so you won’t be without teeth.

Others who are not candidates for dental implants may include:
• Smokers
• People who have autoimmune diseases or take medicines used for these conditions
• People who have had radiation therapy to the head and neck
• People with uncontrolled diabetes

At Wayzata Dental and SmileSpa, we can use advanced technology and experienced staff to help locate the dental problems you are experiencing. We are a Plymouth cosmetic dentistry that will examine you and determine if you are suitable to get implants.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are a permanent solution to our dental problems. They look and feel natural because they are attached just like natural teeth. They don’t slip so eating your favorite food is enjoyable again – like corn on the cob.

Another positive thing about dental implants is that you don’t have to take your dentures in and out – which can be quite embarrassing (especially if you forget where you put them.) With dental implants, you can relax and talk like you always have without any stress that your teeth may loosen and fall out.

Also, dental implants can improve your overall oral health since there is no need for surrounding teeth to be altered; your natural teeth remain intact, which will improve your long term oral health. In fact, good dental health will help your implants last a lifetime.

If you are confused or curious on choices for your dental health and care, contact Wayzata Dental and SmileSpa. Our focus in on you and ways to improve the health and appearance of your teeth. Our office is comfortable and dental staff is knowledgeable on modern dentistry. Call or make an appointment online. We hope to see you!

If you have two or more teeth removed from the same area, there are a number of changes that can occur in the mouth. The gums that supported those teeth are no longer required – in fact, they are no longer being held in place by teeth, so they will start to shrink towards the jaw bone. At the same time, because your jaw bone is no longer supporting teeth, it too starts to recede.

Where patients have had all of their teeth removed, and not had dentures in place for a long time, the gums and jawbone can shrink to a point where there is support for future dentures. These individuals could be condemning themselves to a future with no teeth at all. Implants used early can help to support both the jawbone and the gums. Modern technology has reached the point where, if your jawbone has receded too far, a piece of bone can be seeded into the jawbone with the implant – this will help to regenerate some of your jaw bone.

Dental implants do make life easier when it comes to replacing teeth. Just as importantly, they help to stabilize the gums and jawbone to prevent them from shrinking and causing long term effects – costly effects at that.

One of the more common treatments for missing teeth is a dental bridge. This is a false tooth that is fused between two crowns with those crowns permanently attached to existing teeth either side of the gap. The results are far better than those obtained using partial dentures since there is no plate for the mouth to become accustomed to. In effect, your teeth are restored to their normal state.

For those looking for a longer lasting solution, dental implants could be worth considering. While these can be used to replace a single tooth, they are more commonly used to support a permanent denture where several teeth are missing. Permanent dentures are those that are fixed in place rather than being removable. This resolves the problems that are sometimes associated with full or partial dentures, however, they do have their own issues.

If you have a dental bridge or dental implant to restore your teeth, you need to maintain a very good standard of dental hygiene. There is a risk of infection when a dental implant is first inserted, and longer term, thorough brushing and regular rinsing is required to ensure that all food particles are removed from around the teeth and gums. When it comes to your speech, both restoration programs will restore your speech – you’ll no longer sound like your talking with a lisp.

Dental implants try to replicate the feeling and control of natural teeth. A rod is inserted into the jaw bone, and once that has healed into place, a crown can be attached. If multiple teeth are missing, then a dental bridge may be fixed across the dental implant, or for those with many teeth missing, special dentures created which are permanently attached to the implants. The benefit of permanently attaching a denture to an implant is that the denture is held tightly against the gums. This means that food cannot pass under the denture to irritate the gums. More importantly, those dentures will not move during eating and this means the patient can eat almost everything they were once able to eat, including nuts, apples, and celery.

The downside to implants is that they can be costly and the process can take as long as six months to complete. However, when comparing costs, it’s important to take a long term view. Normal dentures require frequent replacements while dentures secured by implants do not. One of the main reasons for replacing dentures is not because there is a problem with the denture itself, but that the patient’s gums continue to recede so the denture no longer fits snugly. When implants are used, the gums do not shrink as fast, this means the dentures remain tight fits for far longer – eventually helping to save money rather than costing more. Talk to your dentist if you have multiple missing teeth – you may be suitable for a dental implant to help restore your bite.

Dentures lose their fit for a number of reasons. Dentures sit on the gums and rely on a vacuum seal between the denture and the gum (roof of the mouth for uppers). Over time, gums shrink while dentures start to lose their shape. This breaks the vacuum seal required for a good firm fit. If your dentures are loose, then seeing your dentist should be a priority. There are a number of options you and your dentist can agree on to restore your dentures’ grip. These include:

• Re-lining the dentures – the least expensive option is to have your dentures re-lined. This will reshape the inside of the dentures to better fit your gums. This is only a temporary measure and eventually you will need to replace them anyway.
• New dentures – new dentures can be made that perfectly fit your gums. This will return that vacuum seal making it much easier to eat.
• Dental bridge – if you have a partial denture, then a more permanent option is to have a dental bridge made. Dental bridges cannot be taken out like dentures, so they provide a better fit and a better bite. You will be able to comfortably eat a range of foods that may have been difficult with a partial denture.
• Dental implants – for best results, dental implants with dentures give a good fit that doesn’t rely on a vacuum. Rods are implanted into the jaw bone and special dentures are created that are then attached to those rods. The rods hold the teeth in place and provide users with the best bite possible out of all the false teeth options.

You needn’t live with loose dentures. Your dentist can help to either get a better fit temporarily or a better and more permanent fit.

When a denture is fixed in place using this method, the patient will find them (the dentures) far more comfortable than having just a full set of dentures loose in the mouth. Dentures that are made to be fixed in the mouth have a much smaller plate. This means there is no gag reflex when putting the dentures in our taking them out. It also mean the teeth are rock solid in place – they won’t move around, and won’t fall out when you laugh or sneeze.

Dental implants work on a simple process. A metal rod is inserted into the jaw bone. Once the bone has healed and fixed the metal rod in place, a crown can be fixed to the rod. With dentures, the tooth that has the implant is designed to be a crown, however, it is permanently fixed to the to denture. The denture is put in place with crown fixed to the dental implant. This locks the denture into place.

With a combined dental implant and denture, the patient can lead an almost normal life eating most of the foods a person with all their teeth can eat. With standard dentures, there are many foods that cannot be eaten comfortably – that’s the benefit of a dental implant and denture treatment.

A common problem often found is that one or more of the teeth either side of the implant starts to shift or lean inwards. Any tooth that does start to lean inwards is going to impact on the crown and will result in crooked teeth. Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem.

Invisalign have a system of invisible braces that slowly straighten teeth. These are used in place of the traditional braces. One of the products created by Invisalign is the Vivera Retainer. This is an invisible mouthpiece that is custom made to fit an individual patient’s mouth. With a Vivera Retainer, the teeth either side of the implant are held in place preventing any movement of those teeth.

Once the patient is ready to have the crown fixed to their implant, the retainers can be discontinued. They will have done their job. The alternative to retainers is either internal wires, similar to braces, or a temporary dental bridge. The problem with a bridge is that the teeth either side of the implant will require permanent reshaping in order to accommodate the bridge. Vivera Retainers are non-invasive and help to preserve the teeth.

If you are opting for a dental implant to replace a missing tooth, ask your dentist if a Vivera Retainer would help to maintain the teeth either side of the implant.

Why use a dental implant? If you have a missing tooth, you have a number of options. The most common has been a false tooth, but that requires metal clasps to be placed around the adjacent teeth. Over time, these clasps can damage those surrounding teeth. The second option is to use a bridge, however, this requires the cutting back of the teeth either side of the gap to allow for crowns to be fitted.

In both of those options, there is no direct involvement of the gums or jaw bone. With a tooth missing, the jaw bone can start to lose some of its bone structure and this can, over time, impact on the surrounding teeth. A dental implant places a metal screw into the jaw bone, thus imitating the original tooth. This stimulates the bone and maintains its long term health.

When it comes to cost, dental implants are a little more expensive than bridges or partial dentures, however, dentures may need to be replaced every three or four years while bridges have a life of around ten years before they too require replacing. Well looked after, a dental implant can last twenty years. This makes the option a much more effective long term cost option.