Dental Implants
Dental implants are small titanium screws that are placed in the jaw bone to anchor replacement teeth in the mouth. After a period of healing, they fuse with the bone and provide a stable and long lasting solution for missing teeth.
Snap In Dentures
Two Implants
Two implants is the minimum number of implants needed on to hold in a snap in denture on the lower arch. Most patients have trouble with their lower denture, not their upper. This is why lower implants are placed much more often.
Four Implants
Four implants is the minimum number of implants needed to hold in a snap in denture on the upper arch. Four implants can also be used in the lower arch to add more stability to a snap in denture.
Dental Implant Restorations
Implant Crown
When a single tooth is missing, it can be replaced by an implant with an implant crown.
Implant Denture
When all of the teeth are missing they can be replaced by an implant denture. Implant dentures can be fixed, meaning they stay in permanently, or they can be removable so that the wearer can snap them in and out.
Implant Bridge
When two or three teeth are missing in a row, they can be replaced by two implants and an implant bridge.
Bone Grafts
In order to place an implant, there needs to be a certain height and thickness of bone. If that amount is not as much as it needs to be, it can sometimes be built up with bone grafts.
Socket Preservation
Bone is placed in the tooth socket after extraction, creating a more favorable foundation for future implants.
Guided Bone Regeneration
Rebuilds short or thin bone in order to prepare for implant placement. Involves placing a membrane used to hold bone graft material in place in healing occurs.
Sinus Lift
Bone is placed under the sinus membrane effectively increasing the height of maxillary bone to make more room for implants