What are Dental Implants

Highlands Ranch Dental Implants Denver Dentist

Our Highlands Ranch dentist and Denver Dentist have patients who wish to improve their smile by replacing missing teeth with dental implants have an option that was not available years ago. Secure dental implants can give you the confidence to smile and chew that removable partial or full dentures fail to do.  Our Highlands Ranch Dentists and staff are here to help you achieve that secure smile with dental implants for dental patients living in the Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, and Castle Pines area along with dental patients in the Centennial, Englewood and the Greater Denver area.  Click here for Denver Implants Dentistry.

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• Dental Implants replace a single missing tooth without drilling or crown and bridge placement on teeth on either side of the missing tooth.
• Two or more dental implants may be placed to give tooth coverage over a broader area where a fixed bridge or removable partial denture exists.
• If your are missing "all" your teeth dental implant options may include:
• Place two implants in the lower jaw for better retention of a lower denture
• Place four to 6 dental implants and a bar placed between them makes a removable denture have greater resistance and retention

Place a "mouth full" of dental implants and non-removable bridges and crowns can be placed over the implants.  This can give the look and feel of a mouth full of teeth!

Costs of Dental Implants for a single tooth can run "around" $4,500.00 per tooth (circa 2009) and in full mouth cases can range from $40,000.00 up to the price (or exceed) the cost of a condominium. Of course this depends on the requirements of the case, some need more implants... some less. A few patients are not candidates for implants while other patients need some type of modification.  The vast majority of patients are in this "routine" situation.

One-visit Placement of Dental Implants... teeth in a day!

Single visit placement of dental implants is possible but a majority of patients may not fall in to this category.  As a general rule, substantial planning, consisting of radiographs, impressions of the jaw, 3Dcomputer imaging, etc. are needed prior to placement of any dental implant regardless of whether it is planned for single visit or multiple visits. The key for "teeth in a day" is how tight the implant fits into the bone.

Why can some dental implants be placed immediately after extraction while others can't?

There are so many factors that affect our ability to place an implant immediately after extracting a tooth.  Matter of fact... almost entire textbooks have been written that address this scenario but is too voluminous to discuss at this time.  An example might be a multi-rooted tooth (with three roots) would be replaced by one cylinder implant not directly in the hole vacated by the extracted tooth.  Single rooted teeth have a better chance of this occurring.  Without going into extreme details, the implant has to be torqued down to a certain amount (in Newton centimeters) in order for it to properly ossieointegrate (fuse to the bone).  We do not know how secure this dental implant will be until we try to tighten it.

First and Second Stage Surgeries (the "norm")

 During the "First Phase," your mouth is numbed and channels are made in the bone and overlying gum to receive the dental implants.  After the dental implants are tightened into place, the gingivae (gums) are closed over each of the implants with some sutures.  Over a period of a few months the implants become oseointegrated (fused) to the bone and "secures" the implant to the bone.  As a general rule of thumb, it takes lower jaw (mandibular) implants less time to oseointegrate (fuse) than does the upper bone (maxillary).

The "second stage" starts with the uncovering of the dental implants by making small incisions over the implants.  Once uncovered there are a variety of ways to approach your treatment again too numerous to mention in great detail.  This is why customization of your individual case is so important!  In most instances impressions can be made of the implant and your surrounding gum tissue and models of your mouth made from them.  From this several appliances can be made such as:

• Crowns for individual teeth either screwed in or cemented (most of the time cemented)
• Implant crowns for a fixed bridge (crowns linked together)
• Dental mplants for a removable appliance either full or partial denture.

The greater the number of dental implants, the more treatment planning needs to be made to affect a favorable outcome.

Need for Bone Grafting and Dental Implants

More and more we are recommending bone grafting in our dental implant cases. Especially in the esthetic area how the teeth look is influenced by the underlying bone and gum.  If the tooth has been missing for some time the bone resorbs lower and the ridge becomes narrower.  Optimum esthetic in this case is difficult without grafting.

Dental Implants help preserve bone

Dental implant also helps preserve bone.  When a tooth is lost the bone melts away without the stimulus of a tooth and its root.  The dental implant acts like a tooth root and reduces the melting away of the bone normally seen when teeth are extracted.

Immediate placement and CAD/CAM diagnosis and treatment planning

Computer Tomography Scans  (in this case a double scanning technique) are able to evaluate your bone density from radiographic guides allowing the doctors to evaluate the bone structure at a 3D level never before seen.  The Procera CadDesign Software is an image based program for planning and the orientation of dental implants, evaluate the bone density, and select the optimal sized "virtual implant" that may be placed at the most ideal angle. This software is used to determine the optimal sites for implant placements taking into account bone density, anatomic differences, and where to place a crown.  Nobel-Biocare is able to fabricate a surgical template (a 3Dguide) to guide in placing implants.  This software is able to fabricate crowns that may be temporary or final.

In order for crowns, either temporary or final, to be placed at the time of the implant placement requires that the implants be tightened to a predetermined torque (tightness).  If the dental implant cannot be "tightened" to this level, the crown or prosthesis cannot be "loaded" (stress placed on it) and the patient and doctor need to wait until oseointegration (fusion) occurs.  This process can take between 3 months to 6 months or more... it just depends upon the healing of the dental patient. Unfortunately, we do not know for certain until the day of surgery.

The field of dental implant placement and tooth replacement is an ever- evolving field. Both Dr.'s DeLapp are life-long learners and attend numerous study clubs and continuing education courses.  What we knew 10 years ago has in most cases been modified or updated to techniques or materials that improve both the esthetics and longevity for our patients.

Alternatives to Dental Implants

Alternative to Dental Implants include but are not necessarily limited to:

• Delaying treatment or no treatment after a tooth has been removed. This "tends" to lead to shifting teeth and dental malocclusion.

Typical Dental Bridges ... two crowns fused together with a false tooth (crown) between them.  These are cemented in your mouth with dental adhesives or cements and are not readily removable.

 For patients without teeth... full dentures.  We discuss with our patients that an fits O.K. (not good ... certainly not great) and a lower denture "never" fits! A upper denturelower denture at best is balanced in your mouth.  Today the standard of care in dentistry is to have implants supporting your denture.

Risks of Dental Implants

Dental  Implants occasionally do not fuse to the bone (oseointegrate).  The good news is it is an infrequent occurrence but is disappointing to you when it occurs. Healthy... non-smoking patients have a less likelihood of implant not fusing to the bone.  Patients taking bis-phosphonates for osteoporosis (e.g.) are at "extreme" risk for any procedure involving bone structure and you MUST inform you doctor if you are taking any of these types of medications. The consequences are substantial and should be avoided at all costs.  Newer procedures have decreased the common risks of infection, bleeding and nerve damage. Patients should be aware that any "adverse problem" might occur even with the best of care.  As with any medical procedure adverse outcomes occur and no one is happy when they occur.  You should be informed of the risks and consequences before having any medical/dental procedure.  An open and frank discussion with any of your doctors is always the best!

Make an appointment now!

Feel free to make an initial no-charge evaluation appointment at (303) 694-9740 to see if Dental Implants are for you.  Our Highlands Ranch family and General Dentists also see dental patients living and working in Parker, Lone Tree, Centennial, Castle Pines, and the Greater Denver Area.