Dental Implants

Valley Oral Surgery has made a major commitment to providing comprehensive dental implant care. The Valley Institute for Dental Implants has been established under the direction of Dr. Mark H. Grim and Dr. Laurence D. Popowich to promote advanced implant dentistry offering the most current techniques in implant reconstruction. This has provided the Lehigh Valley with a premiere center in which patients can receive dental implant care.

In addition, The Valley Institute for Advanced Dental Education was established in 1998. This is the educational arm of the Institute and serves to provide an active forum for local dentists to advance their knowledge in the area of dental implant reconstruction.

Dental Implant Presentation

To provide you with a better understanding of dental implants, we have provided the following multimedia presentation. Many common questions pertaining to dental implants are discussed.

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Dental implants are changing the way people live. They are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth which look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The restored implant patient regains the ability to eat, smile, and function with confidence.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are small titanium posts, which act as tooth root substitutes. They are surgically placed into the jaw where teeth are missing. With time, the bone bonds to the titanium creating a strong foundation for replacement teeth.

Implants also help to preserve facial structure and prevent bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing. Dental implants are designed to restore normal function and aesthetics for people who are missing one ore more teeth.

The Surgical Procedure

For most patients, the placement of dental implants involves a two-step process. The first procedure is the physical placement of an implant into the upper or lower jaw. This is followed by a healing time which varies. It can range from three months in the lower jaw to five to six months in the upper jaw. This is due to varying bone density in these two structures. During this time, the bone fuses (integrates) to the implant.

The second step involves a small incision to locate the implant and place a temporary healing cap called an abutment. Soon after the placement of the abutment, the patient is referred back to the restoring dentist / prosthodontist for fabrication of the final teeth.

The patient should be aware that during the healing phase, temporary teeth may be worn for aesthetics. These temporary replacement teeth are made by the treating dentist.

Most patients choose to have the initial surgery performed under intravenous anesthesia. This is a very comfortable way of having the surgery performed. The second step, when the abutment is placed, can be performed with either intravenous anesthesia or local anesthesia.

For a brief narrated overview of the Dental Implant process, please click the image on the right. It will launch our flash educational MiniModule in a separate window that may answer some of your questions about Dental Implants.

Surgical Advances

Dental implant placement at the time of tooth extraction - immediate placement. With new technology, the doctors at Valley Oral Surgery can now place an implant at the same time a tooth is extracted. This often necessitates a minor grafting procedure utilizing a bone substitute such as Puros or Bio-os to help stabilize the implant.

To have an immediate placement, the extraction must be done atraumatically in order to preserve the residual bone socket. If the socket cannot be preserved, the doctors will elect not to place the implant immediately and allow the healing time of four to eight weeks prior to returning to this area for delayed implant placement.

"Same day teeth". In certain instances, implants can be placed and the temporary teeth can be placed on the implants on the same day. This can involve one or multiple teeth. The bone condition must be solid enough to withstand the immediate placement of the teeth and the surgeon must determine this at the time of surgery. This advancement is revolutionary. The ability to have implants placed and teeth made the same day is an amazing advance in implant treatment.

It is important to remember that the implants will still take 3 - 6 months to fuse or integrate fully into the bone. Therefore, your dentist will delay making the final teeth until this time frame has elapsed.

Bone Substitutes - Grafting

Several bone substitutes are now available to make bone-grafting procedures easier for the patient. Products such as Puros and Bio-os are used to replace deficient bone areas, and to eliminate the need for using the patient's own bone for donor sites. The bone substitutes act as scaffolding and eventually dissolve, as the patients own natural bone replaces them. This technique is referred to as bone regeneration surgery.

Zygomatic Implants - New extremely long implants are available to be used in the upper jaw when not enough bone is available for standard implants. These specialized implants can eliminate the need for bone grafting procedures in certain cases. Please view www.nobelbiocare.com

Who actually performs the implant placement?

Collaboration between the Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon and the restorative dentist is the key to overall success and management of dental implants. The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon is responsible for the placement of the implants, performing bone grafts when indicated, and placing the temporary abutments. The restorative dentist is responsible for the fabrication of temporary teeth, as well as making the final prosthesis (teeth) which is supported by the implants

Doctors Grim, Popowich, and Laski routinely perform implant surgery in the office setting. A hospital style operating suite is utilized to optimize the level of success. Hospital based implant surgery is also available for patients who have special medical needs, anesthetic concerns, or who require extensive bone grafting.

What types of prostheses are available?

A single implant/crown is used to replace one missing tooth – each prosthetic tooth attaches to its own implant.

A partial prosthesis (fixed bridge) can replace all the teeth in the upper or lower. The number of implants needed to support a complete prosthesis in each jaw varies with the type of prosthesis recommended.

There are two basic types of full arch prostheses available. The first is a fixed prosthesis in which the teeth are attached to the implants and are not removable by the patient (these are removable by the doctor with special techniques).

The second type is an over denture prosthesis. Here the denture attaches to a fixed bar or a combination of ball/socket attachments. This can be removed and reinserted by the patient.

Why dental implants?

Dental implants are an excellent way to improve and stabilize your overall oral health. They can serve as a doorway to renewed self-confidence and peace of mind.

In 1964, a Swedish scientist and orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Per-Ingvar Branemark, developed this concept for oral rehabilitation. With his pioneering research, Dr. Branemark opened the door to a lifetime of renewed comfort and self-confidence for millions of individuals facing the frustration and embarrassment of tooth loss.

The surgeons at Valley Oral Surgery use the Nobelbiocare system developed by Dr. Branemark and have over 20 years experience in this field.

Why would you select dental implants over more traditional types of restorations?

DENTAL IMPLANTS:

ARE THE MOST ADVANCED TOOTH REPLACEMENT SYSTEM EVER DEVISED.
HELP PRESERVE THE JAWBONE TO PREVENT THE APPEARANCE OF PREMATURE AGING.
LOOK AND FUNCTION LIKE NATURAL TEETH.
ARE PLACED/RESTORED IN THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE WITH MINIMAL DISCOMFORT.
IMPROVED COMFORT, APPEARANCE, AND SPEECH.
HAVE A 98% SUCCESS RATE.
ALLOW YOU TO EAT, TALK, SMILE AND LAUGH WITH CONFIDENCE.
REPRESENT A CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT OPTION - ADJACENT TEETH ARE LEFT UNTOUCHED.
NEVER DEVELOP DECAY.
NEVER REQUIRE ROOT CANALS.
CAN PROVIDE GREAT STABILITY FOR A LOWER OR UPPER DENTURE.
CAN COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR A DENTURE ( UPPER OR LOWER ).
CAN HELP PEOPLE OF ANY AGE.

Are you a candidate for implants?

There are very few contraindications to having implants placed. Certain medical conditions, such as uncontrolled diabetes, may be a contraindication; however, most patients can undergo the procedure safely in the office environment.

All patients undergo a thorough examination, x-ray evaluation, medical and dental history to determine that individuals are good candidates for dental implants.

If you are considering dental implants, the doctors at Valley Oral Surgery have the latest surgical techniques available to optimize your outcome. Please feel free to contact our office for an evaluation and consultation.

What type of anesthesia is used?

Almost all implant procedures are performed utilizing intravenous anesthesia in combination with local anesthesia. On occasion, they can be placed with local anesthesia alone.

Do Implants need special care?

Implants require good oral hygiene (brushing and flossing), as well as regular appointments with your dental specialist for professional cleanings. By following these guidelines, implants will remain stable and healthy for many years.

How to Schedule an Appointment? Please contact Tyisha Jordan, our Implant Coordinator at 610.437.1727. Tyisha will be happy to coordinate a convenient time frame for your evaluation and consultation. Also, she will ensure the entire process through our office will be coordinated with your restorative dentist to optimize the success of your case.