How You Can Benefit from Implant Dentistry

Implant dentistry is one of the modern marvels associated with today's dental care. With implant dentistry, we have been able to recreate the natural function of teeth in a way that makes sure your teeth look and feel exactly like your natural teeth. What is even more amazing is that with dental implants, we are not only giving you the effect of having natural teeth but are actually mimicking the biological functions of the various elements of teeth. In addition to this, and potentially the most important, you do not have to live with tooth loss anymore.
Dental Implants Are -

• Strong and allow you to eat like you would with normal teeth.
• Durable enough to last a lifetime. 
• Natural-looking so that your smile appears intact. 
• Beautiful like your natural teeth.
• Mimic your natural teeth so that your jaw also benefits. 

Tooth loss adversely affects a large portion of the population, and while it is common that tooth loss is mostly in the domain of people of a certain age, it is also true that people of any age can lose the tooth. This is because gum disease, accidents, etc. can happen to anyone at any time. All of these can lead to you losing a tooth and needing to have a replacement. If you do need to get a tooth replacement, you have several choices, including dental implants or dentures. There are pros and cons with every method of replacing teeth, and the good news is that no matter what method you chose, you will not have to live with tooth loss. With implant dentistry, however, you also do not have to live with the sticky, gooey mess that is associated with the adhesives used to bind dentures.
Implant dentistry functions on a very simple concept. If we are able to duplicate the natural functions of the teeth, its roots, and its interaction with the jawbone, you will have far better chances of having a strong and stable replacement tooth. As such, implant dentistry uses titanium, one of the few materials known to man that can actually fuse with human tissue, to replace the root of your tooth in a procedure known as placing an implant. The implant itself is actually a tiny titanium screw that screws directly into your jawbone. There are several reasons why a dental implant is placed directly into the jawbone. First and foremost, it allows the jaw to support the dental implant in much the same way as it supports the natural tooth root structure. Secondly, this added stability and support allows for you to have a dental implant that is strong, stable, and more importantly, able to sustain a dental crown, or fake tooth, for a much longer period of time. The third and most important reason from a biological standpoint is that when we place the titanium screw into the jawbone, it duplicates the functions of your naturally occurring tooth root. Essentially, what this does is stimulate the jawbone, allowing for the body to continue supporting its functions, which in turn makes the jawbone healthier and stronger.

Dental Implants  >  Cosmetic Dentist

Why We are Number One for Implant Dentistry

We are number one for implant dentistry and can easily replace your missing teeth.  Whether you have lost one or several teeth, we can provide you with a durable and secure replacement solution that looks entirely natural.  We love dental implants because this is the only solution that replaces both your missing root and the tooth.

Here is how the process works –

We implant a small titanium post under your gums and secure it to your jawbone.  The body responds to titanium like it would natural matter.  As a result, bone will be deposited around the implant, literally fusing metal and bone through the process of osseointegration.  It takes a couple of months for this to happen but once it does, your new tooth will be as secure as a natural one.  When ready, we will attach an abutment to your implant at the surface of your gums and then secure a dental crown (new tooth) to it.  The crown will have been created in the dental lab using an impression of your mouth, measurements and a shade card.  This way it will blend in with your surrounding teeth and look completely natural.

We are number one for implant dentistry because –

#1 We specialize in complex dental treatments and implant dentistry.

Some dentists perform implant surgery as a small part of their practice.  Without ongoing clinical experience, they may inadvertently make a mistake or perform the procedure in a way that causes unnecessary irritation.  The procedure has a high success rate but the more often it is performed, the more successful it is likely to be.  We are constantly placing dental implants and are focused on this area of our practice.

#2 We are a laser dentistry.

Whenever possible we use lasers to help improve the process of our procedures.  Lasers can be used to help reduce bleeding in implant surgery.  We generally use them to make what we do more comfortable and to reduce recovery times.  By leveraging dental technology, we can improve your experience.

#3 Our service is amazing.

Yes, we are a dentist but that does not mean that you should not expect amazing customer service.  We want you to be excited to visit our office and we will provide you with excellent service so that you are.  You can depend on us to greet you with a smile, to gladly answer your questions and to provide you with the information you need to be fully prepared and well-informed. You can also call us at any time after the procedure and during your recovery process.

#4 We are focused on quality.

Your dental implants can last a lifetime if they are placed correctly.  We use the best materials and focus on quality so that your new tooth or teeth can stand the test of time.  You should not have to worry about regularly replacing your teeth and when you visit our implant dentistry office, you won’t. 

To learn more about us or to schedule an appointment for implant dentistry, call today.

What You Should Know About Implant Dentistry

As a provider of implant dentistry, we provide patients throughout the area with the ability to regain the appearance and functionality of their smile.  Losing teeth can be ridiculously challenging.  Most people never realize how important their teeth are to daily life until they lose one or several.  All of a sudden, smiling and speaking becomes embarrassing.  Speech sounds different than it used to, eating becomes a challenge, etc.  The entire ordeal can leave people stressed out and unsure of what to do.  If you are in this situation, we encourage you to call for a consultation so that we can examine you and present you with solutions to address your tooth loss.

Why we recommend implant dentistry –
If you have lost one or several teeth, we recommend implant dentistry as the best way to replace them. The reason is simple – osseointegration.  This is the only option for tooth loss that is surgically placed in your mouth.  In this procedure, a titanium post is inserted under your gums and secured to the jawbone.  This is done surgically under anesthesia and it takes a week or so to fully recover from the procedure.  Over the course of several months, the jawbone and titanium post will fuse together through the process of osseointegration and this is what makes an implant so strong and so durable.  The jawbone essentially provides the same level of stability to the implant that it did to the natural tooth.  In turn, the implant provides stimulation to the jawbone which serves to prevent resorption.  As a result, a dental implant is the most natural way to replace teeth and it can improve your health while restoring your smile.

The process of implant dentistry –
Before we can place the implants, we will need to examine you physically to ensure that you are in good oral health.  If you show any signs of gum disease or infections, we will have those corrected prior to getting started.  On the day of surgery, you will be given anesthesia and will most likely fall asleep.  How long the actual procedure takes will depend on how many implants are being placed in your mouth.  To stay comfortable afterwards, we recommend that you take ibuprofen, use an icepack and are careful with what and how you eat for several days.  Your gums will heal before you know it and once they do, you will just need to wait for osseointegration.  During this time, we will be preparing your new tooth or teeth (dental crowns).  This is done by taking measurements and an impression of your mouth.  The dental lab will create new teeth that look so natural, they blend in with any of your remaining ones.  The results are so perfect, so natural looking, that most people cannot tell the difference after they are placed.  We will have you come in for that appointment within a couple months of the initial procedure.  In the meantime, many people will wear a temporary denture to keep their smile intact.

To learn more about implant dentistry and to find out if you are a good candidate, call to schedule an appointment.  We are confident that this solution will impress you as it is the most natural looking and durable of all tooth replacement solutions.

Implant Dentist  >  Cosmetic Dentist

Modern Tooth Replacement: Implant Dentistry

Implant dentistry has taken the idea of tooth replacement to an entirely new level. We are so confident in what our dental implants can do for you, we have no trouble stating that implant dentistry is changing the entire conversation about tooth loss. You might be asking yourself who exactly has a conversation about tooth loss and implant dentistry. The truth is, not very many people consider the potential that they might need an implant or that they might lose a tooth before they are old. Of course, from an implant dentist perspective, old is relative. In a recent study, it was found that 69 percent of people over the age of 35 have lost at least one tooth and are in need of implant dentistry. Thirty-five is not old by any means, and certainly not old enough to live with tooth loss. Nobody should live with tooth loss in today's day and age. Tooth loss can be quite a devastating event in the lives of people who have to deal with it.

We rely on our teeth for a vast number of things, which is why implant dentistry is so critical to restoring lost teeth. We use our teeth to start the digestive process by chewing our foods. We also use our teeth to enunciate words, which are critical to our ability to communicate clearly and concisely. Believe it or not, your teeth play a very prominent role in your social skills as well, something most people do not realize until they are embarrassed to smile because of a lost tooth. Implant dentistry has taken an ancient art, completely modernized it, and has given you a reason to smile. When we say that implant dentistry is an ancient art, we mean it is more of a science that developed. Ancient Mayans would hammer pieces of bone or shell into patients' gums to replace lost teeth. Luckily, we have long since moved on from the hammer. Today's implants are made of space-age material and placed with revolutionary methods.

The primary material used in the manufacturing of dental implants is titanium, also used by NASA to manufacture spacecraft and other objects that have to withstand tough environments. This makes your implants extremely durable, since titanium is one of the hardest and strongest substances known to man. In addition to being strong, the way we place the implants plays a critical role in supporting the jaw bone. Often, when you lose a tooth, the jawbone loses a critical support structure in the root. The root provides stimulation to the jawbone, which in turn translates to the body as a reason to support the bone itself. When the stimulation stops, the body will stop supporting the jaw, and more often than not, this will result in bone density loss. The implants we place recreate the stimulation of the natural root, bringing back the support for the bone and ensuring its viability.

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation  >  Lanap Laser Dentistry Palo Alto CA

How Implant Dentistry Can Benefit You

The primary focus of implant dentistry is to provide you with a strong, stable, and great looking replacement when you have lost a tooth. For your natural teeth, the job of stability and strength falls to the root. The root also has a symbiotic relationship with the jawbone that helps it to provide additional support for your tooth. In order to replicate the work done by the root, we use a tiny titanium screw that is placed directly into your jawbone, in most cases, which not only gives your new tooth the security it needs but also imitates the relationship with the jawbone. There are numerous reasons we can give you as to why you should consider using implant dentistry to replace a lost tooth. The most popular reason we have heard from our patients is the convenience. Since the dental implant is virtually the same as a tooth, in many aspects, it requires no additional maintenance and places no further limitations on what you can and cannot eat. For many people this ability to carry one with their lifestyle, despite having lost a tooth, is the critical component to choosing implant dentistry over some of the other alternatives.

As implant dentistry continues to make great stride in improving the quality of people's lives after they have lost teeth, there is more information available about them and more patients who actually come in with some information about implants. This is good because it then allows us to work with you on understanding the process even better and explaining some of the nuances. It also allows us to create a plan that will help you reach your goals with implant dentistry. For example, most people know about implant dentistry using a tiny titanium screw that is placed directly into the jawbone. This is known as an Endosteal Implant, and is definitely the most common type of implant that we use. However, we base the type of implant we use on the amount of bone density available and if the jaw bone can actually sustain an implant. If we find that your jaw cannot sustain a regular implant, we have the option of doing what is known as a Subperiosteal implant. A Subperiosteal implant is placed in the gum but slightly above the jawbone, or resting on the jawbone so that there is no added pressure placed on the already weakened bone structure.

Another small nugget that we like to sometimes share with patients is that there are two schools of thought when it comes to the healing process after the implant has been placed. One group favors a one-step approach. This approach completes the implant surgery by covering the implant with tissue and then leaving it to heal naturally. The bone and the gum tissue heal over a period of 4 to 6 weeks. The other school of thought is to use a two-step approach. In this method, the dentist places a small device known as a dental abutment over the implant, allowing for the bone and tissue to heal around it. The healing takes exactly the same amount of time as the one-step approach though the abutment does provide some additional protection.

Cosmetic Dentist  >  Gum Recession

The Importance of Implant Dentistry for Your Overall Health

We perform implant dentistry procedures for patients that have lost one or several teeth.  Losing teeth is an unfortunate reality of adulthood.  It is common for adults to lose at least one tooth in their lifetime, in spite of advances in dental care.  This can be due to poor oral hygiene, a lack of dental care, or an accident.  Regardless of why a tooth has fallen out, replacing it is critical for the health of your jaw and your body.  

Many people make the mistake of thinking that replacing a tooth is about vanity or keeping their smile intact.  This is an important part of it, but there are greater health reasons for undergoing the procedure.  When a tooth falls out, the roots do as well, and the roots are important for the ongoing health of the jaw.  They help to strengthen it, and when a person has lost too many teeth, the jaw can actually become weaker.  With implants surgery, a titanium post is inserted under the gums and screwed into the jawbone. While this may sound uncomfortable, we will provide you with sedation to ensure that you feel well during the procedure.  This aspect of the procedure is critical to helping your jaw to remain strong.  Through the process of osseointegration, the metal post and jawbone will fuse together, similar to how a natural root would.  As a result, your jaw will be strengthened, and the shape of your face preserved. 

The importance of jaw preservation cannot be overstated and if you look at pictures of people that have lost teeth you can see why. Once a tooth has fallen out the alveolar bone will start to decrease in height, width and volume.  In the first year alone, twenty-five percent of this bone can be lost.  As the starts to deteriorate the gums around it will also be compromised, and if left untreated, this can greatly influence your ability to eat and speak clearly.  Over time, more of the bone structure will be lost until the face starts to have a sagging appearance unless you undergo an implant dentistry procedure.  

When the back teeth are lost only, some people don’t see the importance of getting dental implants since this area cannot be seen when smiling.  It is, however, incredibly important because when the back molars are lost the front teeth have the burden of supporting the jaw.  They were not designed to do so and have difficulty supporting the weight.  This can cause the space in between your nose and chin to shrink, further impacting your appearance. 

While bone loss does play a major role in your appearance, it can also be dangerous to your health.  As the jaw becomes weakened, it is more susceptible to breaking. Even a slight bump or something like a basic car wreck can then cause a major break and subsequent surgical procedures to be required. This can be avoided by replacing missing teeth with implant dentistry that can in turn strengthen the jawbone and prevent further damage to your health or appearance. 

Implant Dentistry Will Restore Your Smile

For people that have lost teeth   implant dentistry is the solution to regaining their beautiful smile while being able to eat like normal.  This is a permanent solution and once the new teeth have been implanted a patient can go about their life without adding extra steps to their daily routine.

People lose teeth for a variety of reasons including:

• Gum Disease
• Tooth Decay
• Cavities
• Autoimmune Disorders
• Diabetes
• Dementia

Tooth loss can impact people of all ages, and when a tooth falls out, it can damage a person’s self confidence, desire to interact with others, and cause them to be embarrassed.  Fortunately, there is a solution.  Implant dentistry replaces missing teeth while preserving a patients facial structure and appearance.

How Does Implant Dentistry Work?

Small titanium posts are inserted into the jaw bone where the teeth are missing.  The metal anchors and attached posts act like the roots of the tooth.  An artificial tooth is then secured to the post.  This procedure creates teeth that look completely natural and function like a normal tooth.  Patients can eat whatever they want and care for their artificial teeth like they would their natural ones.

The Process

The entire process normally lasts around six to eight months with two dental surgeries. 

• Implants are placed under the gum surface, within the jaw bone.
• Over three to six months these implants bond with the jaw bone.
• Artificial teeth are made.
• Surgery is completed to attach a post to an existing implant and secure the new teeth to it.

Patients will often wear dentures while waiting for the process to be completed.  During this time, they will be able to eat softer foods and regain full functionality after the final surgical step is completed.  Though the process lasts for a while, it should not interfere with a patient’s lifestyle.

Once the new teeth have been implanted patients will have their old smile back, and the confidence that goes with it.  Being able to speak clearly, have self-confidence, and eat normal foods are all benefits of having a full set of teeth. Losing even one tooth can disrupt a person’s life style.  Implant dentistry is the best option for regaining that lovely smile.

Caring for Teeth

It is critical that dental patients take care of their new dental implants and the rest of their teeth.  Oral health impacts the entire body.  Ignoring it will only lead to long term pain and health risks.  There are steps everyone can take to improve their oral hygiene and long term health.

• Brush and floss twice a day.
• Eat green vegetables and other calcium rich foods.
• Eat nuts.
• Visit the dentist every six months.
• Stop smoking.

It is especially important to practice good habits after having dental implants put in.  If some of your teeth have fallen out this puts you at a higher risk for losing additional teeth in the future.  Caring for them now will keep your teeth healthy and you out of the doctor’s chair.

To learn more about implant dentistry call Dr. Pechak at 831-648-8800.