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Posts for tag: replacing teeth

By SouthEnd Dentistry
March 11, 2012
Category: Dental Procedures
DentalImplantsQuiz

How much do you know about dental implants? Test yourself with this quiz.

  1. Earliest recorded attempts at using dental implants were from
    1. Medieval England
    2. The ancient Mayans
    3. U.S.A. in the 1950s
  2. Dental implants are called endosseous. What does this mean?
    1. They fuse with the bone
    2. They are inside the mouth
    3. They are not real teeth
  3. What are most dental implants made of?
    1. Aluminum
    2. Titanium
    3. Steel
  4. What part of the tooth does an implant replace?
    1. The implant is the root replacement
    2. The implant is the root plus the crown
    3. The implant is the crown
  5. What is the success rate of dental implants?
    1. 50 percent or less
    2. 75 percent
    3. 95 percent or more
  6. What could cause an implant to fail?
    1. Smoking or drug use
    2. Poor bone quality and quantity at the implant site
    3. Both of the above
  7. What is a tooth's emergence profile?
    1. The implant and crown's shape as it emerges from beneath the gum line
    2. A measure of the urgency of the tooth replacement
    3. A measure of the time it takes for you to be able to chew on the new implant
  8. What are some of the factors that go into the aesthetics of designing the crown?
    1. Choice of materials
    2. Color matching
    3. Both of the above
Answers:
  1. b. The concept of dental implants goes back to the Mayan civilization in 600 AD.
  2. a. The word endosseous (from endo meaning within and osseo meaning bone) refers to the implant's ability to fuse with or integrate with the bone in which it is placed.
  3. b. Most implants are made of a titanium alloy, a metallic substance that is not rejected by the body and is able to fuse with the bone.
  4. a. The term “implant” refers to the root replacement, which is anchored in the gum and bone. A crown is put around the implant where it emerges from the gumline.
  5. c. The majority of studies have shown long term success rates of over 95 percent.
  6. c. Factors that could cause an implant to fail include general health concerns such as smoking and drug use, osteoporosis, or a compromised immune system; poor bone quality or quantity; and poor maintenance such as lack of proper brushing and flossing.
  7. a. The emergence profile has a lot to do with the implant's natural appearance. It involves the way the crown, which attaches to the implant, seemingly emerges through the gum tissue like a natural tooth.
  8. c. Choices such as materials, color, and position can be worked out in the design of a customized temporary crown, which acts as a template or blueprint for a final crown.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions about dental implants. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Matching Teeth & Implants.”

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By SouthEnd Dentistry
December 04, 2011
Category: Dental Procedures
HowWeMakeDentalImplantsMatchExistingTeeth

Dental implants are replacements for missing teeth. They are very stable and can be made to look as good as or better than the teeth they replace. How do we do it? Here are seven frequently asked questions.

What are the parts of a dental implant?
The implant consists of a root, usually made of a titanium alloy, which extends below the gum tissue into the bone; and a crown, which emerges from the gum and resembles the crown of the original tooth.

Why is a dental implant so stable?
Titanium has a property of fusing with the bone of the jaw, so that it actually becomes part of the bony structure. The new implant's stability depends on having the needed volume of bone and gum tissue in the right position to anchor the implant.

How can you make sure I have enough bone?
When a tooth is lost, the bone in which it was anchored will resorb or melt away if care is not taken. It is important to minimize trauma during tooth removal to preserve bone tissue. If tissue has been lost it can be built up by bone grafting techniques.

What factors make a crown on an implant look real?
How real the crown looks depends on its shape, particularly as it emerges through the gum tissues, its color and its position relative to the teeth around it.

What is the emergence profile?
This term refers to the way the crown emerges through the gum tissue. It involves both the shape of the implant and how far it is placed into the gum and bone tissues.

How do you match the color of the crown?
We analyze your tooth color using shade guides and/or photography to provide the dental lab with as much information as possible to create the best color match. This is part of the artistry of reconstructive dentistry.

How will my gums look with my dental implant in place?
When people use the word “gums” they are often referring to the small pink triangles of tissue that fill in the spaces between teeth, called “papillae.” An implant must be placed at the correct distance from adjacent teeth and at the correct depth below the gum tissue for natural looking papillae to form.

You can see that success in matching of color, shape, and location of an implant is not simple and depends on the skill, artistry, and experience of your dental team.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions about dental implants. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Matching Teeth & Dental Implants.”

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