Technology of Dental Implants
Frederick, MD
Dental implants are a modern solution for replacing missing teeth. This unique treatment provides you with an incredible alternative to traditional bridges and dentures. Implants have been around for just over 50 years. In these few decades, dental implants have undergone numerous developments to improve their functionality, their stability, and their reliability. At Dental Arts of Frederick, we are proud to offer dental implants to meet some tooth loss needs. We use the latest dental implant technologies to provide you with the best possible results.
3D Imaging
3D imaging is a special type of x-ray that takes a 3D image of the structures inside your mouth. This technology uses a cone-shaped x-ray beam that rotates 360 degrees around your head. The scan itself takes less than a minute to complete, and the image appears almost instantly on our computer monitor. The scan shows us your teeth, their roots, your jawbone, soft tissues, sinus cavities, nasal passageways, nerve passageways and more. With a 3D scan, we can help to determine optimal implant placement or determine if a bone graft is required first.
Digital Impressions
Digital impressions provide an alternative to messy, uncomfortable impression putty. Instead, we use an intraoral wand to take an impression of your teeth and gums. These impressions are quick and accurate, preventing the need for multiple impressions. This can also aid in the creation of much more accurate dental restorations. Additionally, digital impressions have greatly improved the patient experience.
Alternative Materials
Most of the implants placed today are made from a titanium alloy. These posts are titanium with other metals added for incredible strength. While this material is incredibly successful, it is not ideal for everyone. Over the years, research has been done in the development of alternative materials. One material that has proven effective is zirconia. Referred to as ceramic implants, zirconia is considered to be metal free, despite the presence of trace metals for strength. Your bone fuses to zirconia just as well as it fuses to titanium. With zirconia and further research, implants are becoming more widely available.
Alternatives for Full Arch Replacement
A typical full arch restoration uses 6 to 8 implant posts to support your replacement teeth. However, after you lose teeth, you begin to lose bone mass in your jaw. If you have lost too much bone mass, your jaw may be unable to support all of these posts. Even the failure of a single post can fail your entire restoration. Typically, a bone graft is required to restore strength to the bone, but this requires additional surgery and costs more. Today, we can provide alternatives to a full arch restoration that allow you to receive dental implants without a bone graft. These options include the All-on-4® Treatment Concept, which uses 4 implant posts to support your new teeth, and TreFoil, which uses only 3.
Mini Dental Implants
Mini dental implants are smaller, thinner implant posts. These types of implants are generally used in the lower jaw to provide stability for dentures. Rather than screwing into place, your dentures snap into place. This allows them to be easily removed for proper cleaning. Mini implants help to provide denture stability for patients who may not want or are unable to afford, regular full arch replacement.
Guided Implant Surgery
Guided implant surgery is a revolutionary technology that shows us the step-by-step placement of your dental implants as well as your dental restorations. We begin with a CT scan, which shows us all of the structures in your mouth. Using this scan, we can develop a unique surgical guide just for you. With step-by-step instructions, we can see every step we need to take before we do anything. This helps to increase predictability and reduce discomfort. This also helps us to avoid complications, both during surgery as well as during recovery.
Same Day Implants
Typically following implant surgery, temporary teeth are placed. These teeth remain in place while you heal and your permanent restorations are created after you have fully healed.
In some cases, we can now provide same day dental implants. This allows your permanent teeth to be secured in place immediately following implant surgery, rather than waiting several months. Your teeth are made from impressions of your mouth taken before implant surgery and are waiting for you when you arrive for your procedure. Once your implants have been placed, your permanent teeth are affixed into place.
If you have any questions about the technology of dental implants, we can help. Call Dental Arts of Frederick at 301-732-7277 for more information today.
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