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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there discomfort
involved?
- How long does
it the treatment take?
- How long can
I expect to be off work?
- Is there a
chance of rejection?
- Who is a candidate
for implants?
- What can happen
with missing teeth without?
Is there discomfort involved?
Just as with any surgery, there can be some slightly discomfort.
However, anesthetic and pain-controlled medications are used
to eliminate any discomfort at the time of the procedure.
Approximately 95 percent of patients report discomfort of
0-2 on a scale of 0-10 the day after the implants are placed.
The doctor will prescribe medications to ease any discomfort
that may occur. Special care will be taken to stay in contact
with you after the surgery to be sure that you remain comfortable.
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How long does it the treatment
take?
To complete treatment takes an average of 6 to 8 weeks or
shorter. Nowadays, in some cases, a temporary crown can placed
on immediately so called " Immediated loaded implants
" or " One day implants ". We do, however,
provide patients with temporary teeth if it is the anterior
tooth in all cases. AT NO TIME are you without teeth unless
you elect to do so.
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How long can I expect
to be off work?
Generally, we recommend the day of and the following day
after surgery, that no strenuous exercise be done. Generally,
taking time off work is not necessary for a single tooth replacement
case because the procedure is not more complex than a tooth
extraction. However, the amount of time off required is an
individual decision.
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Is there a chance of rejection?
The body does not reject a dental implant, as it might a
soft tissue transplant, such as a lung, heart or kidney. This
does not mean that an implant cannot fail, but it would be
due to other factors, such as improper force on the implant
or other conditions or existing diseases of the patient or
poor oral hygiene. Dental implants are made of a material,
titanium, that is totally compatible with body tissues and
actually integrates with the surrounding bone and becomes
part of the body.
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Who is a candidate for
implants?
Anyone who is missing one or more (even all) of their teeth
may be a candidate for implants.
If one or a few of the teeth are missing, implants in conjunction
with a crown or bridge can replace those teeth and function
as normal teeth without losing more bone and being subject
to decay.
If all or most of your teeth are missing, then implants may
be placed to anchor a loose denture. Sometimes, if there is
already some bone loss, bone can be added and regenerated
or a technique called bone expansion can be used to create
a more ideal site for the implant(s). Ultimately, a consultation
with a dentist who is knowledgable on these procedures can
help determine your individual needs.
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What can happen with missing
teeth without treatment?
When you lose your teeth, you gradually lose the bone that
supported them. As this bone disappears, problems with other
teeth nearby and a lack of support for dentures, partials
and bridges increase. These could include pain, mobility,
lack of retention for prosthetics, sharp, painful ridges,
mobile gum tissue and sore spots.
The tongue enlarges to accommodate spaces of missing teeth.
With tooth loss, a five-fold decrease in function occurs and
the diet shifts to softer foods. Also, when bone is lost,
numbness to the lower lip or even the possibility of fracture
of the jaw rises.
Since the bone is deteriorating, it will spread and deteriorate
around healthy teeth and ultimately cause the loss of those
teeth smiliar to a domino effect.
This progresssion affects the ability to provide the same
treatment in the later stages of bone loss than if treatment
had been started earlier in the process. It's much better
to replace a tooth BEFORE these side effects occur. A patient
risks the possibility of not being able to provide the same,
simple type of treatment that would have been possible earlier
if treatment is delayed.
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