Are you Missing one or more teeth?

If you are there are usually several options available when you want to replace one or more missing teeth – ultimately the choice comes down to 3 basic factors:

1. Your overall physical health
2. the overall condition of your mouth and
3. your finances.

Assuming that you are in good physical health, don’t smoke and don’t’ have diabetes or osteoporosis then as long as the condition of your remaining teeth, gums and supporting bone are in good shape then you may be a good candidate for a dental implant.

What exactly is a dental Implant?

A Dental implant is an artificial screw made of a biocompatible titanium metal which the Dentist permanently anchors into your jaw bone. A dental implant can be used to replace a single tooth with a crown or multiple teeth with a bridge. More extensive implant treatments can be used to rebuild a collapsed bite using an implant supported over-denture.

Dental implants are the most permanent form of dentistry available, they have been around for almost 40 years and their success rate is 95+%. The treatment is highly predictable and the result is usually highly esthetic. Dental implants are ideal for replacing one or more teeth in situations where teeth have been extracted due to failed root canal therapy, gum disease or trauma so long as the patient is in good general health and has a stable dentition. Dr Willoughby has been successfully placing and restoring dental implants since 1993 so he and his staff are suitably qualified to determine if you or a family member are a good candidate for dental implant treatment.

There benefits of Dental Implants include:

• look, feel and function like natural teeth.
• incredibly durable and should last a lifetime.
• Are cared for as your natural teeth.
• Prevent the shrinkage of the surrounding bone and gums.
• Fixture is permanently fused to bone.
• Will not decay.
• Implant crowns can be retrieved and replaced if they break or fracture.
• Do not interfere with speech, chewing or swallowing.
• Require little maintenance and are not visible.
• Are designed to last a lifetime.

Basic steps in placing a dental implant.

When Dr Willoughby places the titanium dental implant fixture into the patients jawbone he uses a flapless procedure to reduce pain, post operative discomfort and increase healing. is placed in the jawbone. After this quick simple little surgical procedure several months of healing are required allow your jaw bone to rigidly attach to the implant. This process of “bone fusion” is referred to as “osseointegration”. After the successful integration of the dental implant the next step involves the attachment of a trans-mucosal implant abutment. Dr. Willoughby has considerable knowledge when it comes to the CAD/CAM manufacture and clinical placement of dental implant abutment systems.

The implant abutment is typically screwed down into the implant fixture and acts as a universal joint between the implant fixture and the overlying crown or bridge prosthesis. Dr. Willoughby typically utilizes custom implant abutments milled from a ceramic white material called Zirconium. These abutments are anchored to the implant fixture below and the porcelain crown above. Dr Willoughby prefers to use the Zirconium abutments to compliment the aesthetics of the overlying ALL porcelain crown.

After the lab has fabricated a custom shaded ALL porcelain crown Dr. Willoughby will permanently bond this crown to the abutment. This new porcelain crown is shaped and colored to match the surrounding teeth exactly so that the crown has a life-like natural appearance.

Why do Patients choose Dr. Andrew Willoughby and his Team at Bayview Dental Studio to replace their missing teeth with Dental Implants?

There are 4 REASONS why:

Convenience

All phases of the treatment planning, implant surgery and crown fabrication can be done by a Dentist with extensive training and experience in the surgical placement and restoration of dental implants.

Technology

Dr. Andrew Willoughby has access to a CT Scan x-ray machine which allows him to take 3-D views for precise implant placement. He uses these 3-D x-rays in a sophisticated digital implant planning computer program to place the implant in the ideal location using a CT guided surgical stent.

The following are 2 examples of the Digital Treatment Plans created by Dr Willoughby for patients of his undergoing CT Guided Implant Surgery in his Dental office.

Experience

Dr. Willoughby often uses a CT scanner and computer software program to fabricate a custom made surgical guide to control the precise placement for his implant surgeries. Dr. Willoughby has been successfully placing and restoring implants since 1993.

Comfort

Placing implants with a CT guided surgical technique is much more comfortable than the older techniques since the implant is placed through a tiny hole in the gum using a flapless procedure. This makes the healing time much shorter and far less painful.

Next Steps

If you are interested in learning if implant dentistry is the right option for you we would encourage you to contact one of our dental offices and book a personal cosmetic consultation with Dr. Willoughby and his team. A dental implant is one procedure that can help transform your smile and when combined with other cosmetic procedures it can transform your smile.

It is very important to replace missing teeth right away to avoid future dental problems including drifting and tipping of adjacent teeth, loss of the supporting bone, and changes in your bite which can affect your TM joints. Please contact our office to schedule your complimentary dental implant consultation. Dr. Willoughby and his team will be happy to answer all your dental implant related questions and show you some before and after photos of patients who have received dental implant treatment.

Click here for further information about implant supported overdentures.