Oral Implantology Of Southeastern Wisconsin FAQs

In general, a dental implant is just a part of an artificial tooth. Dental implants are the roots of artificial teeth that are used to replace teeth that are missing. When a person has lost teeth, dental implant therapy is usually an option.

In a nutshell, this is how it works: the implant is placed in the jaw and then an abutment is added. The abutment makes it possible to connect the artificial tooth or crown to the implant.  Once the crown is attached to the abutment, the implant therapy process is complete.

Just like your real teeth, artificial teeth also need maintenance. Normal brushing, flossing, and keeping up with your dental hygiene appointments on a regular basis keeps gum tissue healthy. If routine maintenance does not occur, infected tissue can cause a dental implant to fail. Keeping up with good dental habits is important for oral health and dental implant success.

Many people get regular dentures and they feel like their teeth slide around too much. An option that is often available is to stabilize the dentures using implants and denture snaps. This makes the denture more comfortable and secure. Having dentures loosen in public becomes practically a non-existent experience with dental implants with snap-on dentures.

Every person is different and unique. Implants come in many types, brands and styles and each is suited for a specific situation. It is important to find a dentist that is familiar with these nuances so that everyone can work together to find what works best for you.

Those who smoke, have diabetes, undergo head or neck radiation therapy or hormone replacement therapy have increased failure rates. A study conducted by UCLA school of dentistry that tested longevity over a 20-year period for dental implants found that implants placed in the upper jaw have a failure rate of around 8% while implants placed in the lower jaw have a failure rate around 5%. This is where picking the best treatment is so essential. Some patients consider getting extra implants placed in their mouth to help combat this low, but noteworthy failure rate. Consider the teeth to be fancy china on a table and the four legs of the table are four implants. If one leg breaks, the table collapses and the valued china shatters. By adding extra support, like an extra implant, a therapy's success rate can increase tremendously without the need for further surgery.

Everyone is unique and sometimes implants are not the best option. I've had patients come in saying they want implants, though after some discussion we find that a different type of dental treatment is better suited for their health and lifestyle. I cannot stress this enough, before committing to a particular dental treatment, it is essential that you hear about all your options. Knowing and understanding all of your options is what puts you in the driver seat.

Waiting a short period of time to get dental implant therapy comes with minimal risk. As such you should always have time to get a second opinion. However, don't wait too long. The jaw shrinks over time when there are missing teeth. If a patient waits too long, excessive bone loss in the jaw can make dentures tremendously uncomfortable, and will affect future dental implant options.

As always, get a second opinion. Although the American Dental Association does not recognize implants as a dental specialty, there are some court recognized implant credentials. The American Board of Oral Implantology / Implant Dentistry (ABOI) and American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) both provide court protected and recognized implant certifications. Not all dentists have the same credentials or the same experience.

For some patients it is best to have different doctors in different locations do different parts of the implant therapy process. For other patients, they do not want to drive to multiple locations and they grow uncomfortable with different dentists. Rather, they want everything done in one location by one dentist. If a dentist does implants from start to finish, the patient's entire implant process occurs in one location.

As strange as it may sound, some patients choose to not have provisional teeth during implant therapy. It often is a personal preference balancing affordability and overall treatment success. In general, patients choose to not go a day without teeth during implant treatment.

Although most dental insurance plans do not cover the placing of implants, some cover the placing of a crown on an implant. On occasion, health insurance will cover a portion of an implant therapy procedure. Understanding your insurance coverage can save you money and may cut down some out of pocket costs.

Even if you are positive you want dental implants, take your time and get your options. Looking around not only can save you thousands of dollars, but it can also help you understand more options that may be available to you. As with any life changing decision, sleep on it overnight before you make up your mind.