Simply Dental Implants
by Dr. Rich Guerra
5447 N Harlem Ave
Chicago, IL 60656
CONTACT US
773 - 763 - 6116
Dental Implant Process
Start with an Experienced Dental Implant Dentist
Dr. Rich Guerra has placed over 1600 implants. I focus on dental implants as most of the dental work I perform involves implants, extractions and bone grafting. I value quality and strive to be known as the best provider for Implants. I can place implants that support a single tooth, bridges, retain dentures and even support full FIXED dentures. I have specific training with regards to dental implants, most importantly I have the experience of placing and over 1600 dental implants. With dental Implants, experience counts and I place more implants per year than almost any other provider.
Pain prevention is very important. We use a device to virtually emiminate pain and ensure your comfort before, during and after your dental procedures. Our goal is to provide implant treatment as pain free as possible. With our great prices there is also less pain on your wallet.
Whether you are getting a dental implant to replace a single tooth or multiple teeth this is what you can expect throughout the process.
How are dental implants placed?
Most dental implant surgery procedures are performed in the dentist's office and occasionally in a hospital setting. Local anesthesia is usually adequate for these out-patient procedures but various other forms of patient sedation (such as nitrous oxide, and oral/or intravenous sedation) may also be used. Adjunctive surgical procedures, such as bone augmentation, may be performed as separate procedures or at the same time as implant placement. Each surgical procedure is different depending on the clinical situation as well as the preferences of the patient and dental practitioner/ surgeon.
The most widely practiced method of placing dental implants is a "staged surgery" procedure. The first stage consists of surgically burying the implant (which replaces the tooth root) flush with the bone but underneath the gum. This protects the implant from
force while it is healing. At the end of this healing period, the implant needs to be surgically exposed by removing some of the overlying gum.
At this second stage, the surgeon checks the implant for its successful integration and connects some form of post which penetrates through the gum into the mouth. This post is called the abutment. Abutments come in many forms and can be stock-manufactured or custom-molded by your dentist and a laboratory. The gum is allowed to heal around the abutment and form a cuff or collar through which the dentist has access to the implant when preparing the final restorative stage of placing the prosthetic tooth or teeth.
Research has shown that it is often possible to place a suitable abutment at the same time as the implant. This has certain limitations but can eliminate the need for a second surgery to expose the implant. However, the implant still requires adequate healing time for the bone to osseointegrate.
The abutments must also be protected from chewing forces during this period to assure effective bony integration and successful healing. Once the implants have had a chance to heal and have been tested for successful integration, the final restorative step takes place. This stage consists of fabricating and connecting the prosthetic teeth to the successfully osseointegrated implants.
How long does it take for dental implants to heal?
Healing times for implants vary depending on the quality of the patient's bone and are often extended in cases where performing adjunctive procedures is necessary. In general, dental implants require four to seven months for the bone to heal (without being exposed to extra forces from biting).
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel, and function just like natural teeth. No more need to deal with uncomfortable dentures or bridges. With dental implants, a person who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat and smile like with natural teeth. During your consultation both options will be discussed along with which option is better for your individual needs.
Do I need Dental Implants?
For one thing, quality of life is affected. As teeth are lost, it becomes more difficult, over time, to eat and chew food. The jaw bone melts away with disuse. You may be surprised to learn that 29% of denture wearers eat only soft or mashed foods and 50% avoid many foods altogether. Replacing teeth as soon as they are lost keeps the mouth in its optimal function so you will, hopefully, never have to mash your food! If you are missing one tooth or all of your teeth, implant dentistry might be right for you.
Why is replacing these missing teeth so important?
Replacement of missing teeth is essential to maintaining the bone in the jaw. The longer a tooth is missing the more bone is lost in that site. That is why a tooth should be replaced very soon after it is lost. Dental implants are man-made replacements for natural teeth. The implants are made from titanium, the same metal that hip and other joint replacements are made from. The actual dental implant replaces the root of the missing tooth. It is then used as an anchor to secure the replacement tooth or teeth. Implants allow us to replace missing teeth without harming the healthy natural teeth adjacent to the space. This reduces the future risk of root canals and decay under crowns. Over time, due to lack of use, more and more of the jaw bone disintegrates until it becomes very difficult to place an implant restoration.
Do I have to go without a tooth while my Dental Implant heals?
Once a tooth has been extracted and a dental implant placed there is a healing time of 4-7 months. During that time you will have several options depending on your surrounding teeth. The options for esthetic temporary teeth are:
Essix Retainer
An Essix is a custom clear retainer, similar to the Invisalign product, that snaps over all of the upper or lower teeth. It is a fairly hard acrylic and has teeth in it that look natural when wearing it. It can affect speach and must be taken out when sleeping and eating, but overall is a great option during the healing process.
Flipper
A Flipper- An acrylic tooth is selected that most closely matches the shade of your teeth, and a pink plate is molded to fit your palate (on the upper) or to fit just inside the tongue side of your teeth (on the lower). For a little extra cost, wires with little ball ends can be placed to help secure the dental flipper in your mouth. Otherwise, it is secured by the pink acrylic snapping between your teeth.
Bridge
A dental bridge that consists of a metal or porcelain framework with a porcelain artificial tooth which is put into the front of the framework. It has 1 or 2 wings and attaches to the two surrounding teeth for support.