Implants

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that a periodontist places into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Dental implants are an ideal option for people in good general oral health who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason.

While high-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more tooth-saving than traditional bridgework, since implants do not rely on neighboring teeth for support.

Dental implants are so natural-looking and feeling, you may forget you ever lost a tooth.You know that your confidence about your teeth affects how you feel about yourself, both personally and professionally. Perhaps you hide your smile because of spaces from missing teeth. Maybe your dentures don't feel secure. Perhaps you have difficulty chewing. If you are missing one or more teeth and would like to smile, speak and eat again with comfort and confidence, there is good news! Dental implants are teeth that can look and feel just like your own! Under proper conditions, such as placement by a periodontist and diligent patient maintenance, implants can last a lifetime. Long-term studies continue to show improving success rates for implants.


Impression requirements

Use manufacturer's tooling to remove healing cap. For multiple units, start in the posterior and work toward anterior. Then, use manufacturer's tooling to place transfer coping. Ensure components are fully engaged before tightening screw. Take an X-ray to verify proper seating of components. Next, ensure transfer coping does not hit tray. Use heavy body polyvinylsiloxane impression material. Record impression. Finally, when impression tray is removed, the transfer coping stays in the mouth. Remove transfer coping and replace healing cap. For multiple units, start in anterior and work toward posterior. Check fit of impression coping into impression. Send to lab.


Recommended cementation

Seat abutment. Torque screw into place per manufacturer's recommendations. Next, use composite to fill over the implant screw. Cement restoration over implant with a resin-reinforced ionomer (i.e., RelyX, 3M ESPE).