Interviews

Basics of Dental Implants

READ THIS REPORT IF…

You are missing teeth and . . . . . . you are embarrassed by your smile. . . . you can’t eat the food you like. . . . your bite and/or facial appearance are changing. . . . you are tired of wearing dentures.

Dental implants have been around for over 50 years. Per-Ingvar Branemark, an orthopedic surgeon, was researching how blood flow affects bone healing when he discovered that bone would fuse (osseointegrate) to a titanium surface.  This led to the development of dental implants.  Early implant technology was invasive and unpredictable.  “Root form” implants were developed between 30-40 years ago and, as their name implies, mimic the root form of a tooth.  They are very successful, with osseointegration rates nearing 97%.  Dental implants have become THE solution for replacing missing teeth. They help maintain healthy bone, properly shaped gum tissues, and allow people to smile, speak, and eat as they would with their natural teeth.

In this special report, Dr. Edward Warr of Today’s Dentistry talks about implant dentistry, what to consider if you want missing teeth replaced, and how the Dental Plan helps make implant dentistry more affordable.

Hi, Ed Warr here, owner of Today’s Dentistry located here in Ashland, Oregon.  Our practice has served Ashland for over 15 years.  During that time we have been fortunate to work with many wonderful people, serving their dental needs and helping them to enjoy life!

Almost 10 years ago I decided to learn how to place dental implants myself.  I wanted to have complete control of the case from start to finish so I could provide a better experience for my patients. So I sought out a surgical training program that provided me with academic knowledge as well as hands on training.  In addition, I received training from prosthodontists (dentists who specialize in the complex restoration of broken down mouths) specific to implant supported teeth (because implants interact differently with bone than natural teeth do).

With effort I earned Fellowship status in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI) by completing the required amount of continuing education in dental implants and submitting a number of cases for their review.  Recently, I completed another surgical training program through the premier implant educator in the world, the Misch International Implant Institute, and completed the necessary requirements to earn Diplomate status in the ICOI.

Dental implants are the most natural form of tooth replacement we have available.  Many people are surprised by this statement because they feel it is very invasive to place a titanium post into the jaw bone.  However, consider the previous standard of care for replacing a missing tooth, a bridge.  With a bridge, the neighboring teeth are used as supports and must have crowns placed upon them, which, of necessity, damages them.  When you consider that dental implants have much better survival rates than bridges do, and that bridges result in damaging adjacent teeth while implants do not, and that implants preserve bone volume while bridges do not, then it becomes clear that the best choice and the most natural choice for tooth replacement is the dental implant.

If you are missing teeth and embarrassed to smile or have trouble eating, please give us a call, we’re happy to take time and answer your questions about whether dental implants are right for you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Edward Warr

Learn More:

www.AshlandDentist.com

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