implant dentist chicago

CONSIDERING DENTAL IMPLANTS?…...TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!

From the moment a person looses a tooth and healing begins or gum disease is present, the bone that supported that tooth starts to change. This change is always a loss of the width and height of the bone. If you are considering dental implant replacement for a tooth/teeth that has gum disease, is gone or is going to be removed then time is of the essence.
Let us start with a patient that goes to his or her dentist and is told a tooth must be extracted for whatever reason. Most knowledgeable dentists would give several options to replace the missing tooth. Usually, but not always, the best option is a dental implant. If this option is not suggested then it is very important you ask because there are still some dentists that are not implant savvy. Most importantly, if implant replacement has been chosen, unless the tooth is or can become infected, it is better for your dentist to send you to an implant dentist immediately without extracting the tooth. At our office we offer emergency implant services. Recent research now shows that (especially for front teeth) the best functional and aesthetic results occur when a dental implant is placed immediately into the socket of the extracted tooth. What this means for you the patient is that the most natural looking results are achieved when the implant dentist carefully extracts the tooth and places the implant immediately. In most cases a temporary tooth can be placed and the patient leaves with a natural looking smile. If the tooth must be extracted by the dentist then the patient should go to the implant dentist within 3-5 days and have a bone graft placed in the socket to help preserve the precious bone.
Now let’s talk about the most common scenario in our office, that is, the patient has already lost a tooth/teeth and would like it replaced with a dental implant. Depending on the person and how long the tooth has been gone, implants may or may not be placed without special bone graft procedures. So it is important that if you are considering implants in areas of missing teeth you should get a consultation right away. You may have enough bone today but next year it may all be gone. You may be wondering that if I can just have a bone graft and implant done later why bother going through the trouble of making the decision right away. The reason is three fold. Bone grafts significantly add to the cost of the procedure. The natural look of the implant tooth is compromised and the treatment time is increased approximately 8-12 months. This is due to the healing time needed for the bone graft. Don’t worry, a majority of patients go through these extra steps. In the end, they are very pleased with their implants and would do it all over again!
I hope this article has helped you to better understand the implant process. If you have any other questions feel free to call me anytime.