IMPLANTS

Dental Implants  are replacement tooth roots. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth.

Gum Surgery

A gum graft may be necessary to protect your teeth from the damaging effects of gum recession or you may choose to have one to improve the appearance of your smile.Gum recession is the process in which the tissue that surrounds the teeth pulls away from a tooth, exposing more of the tooth or the tooth's root. This can cause damage to supporting bone. Gum recession is a common dental problem -- advanced gum disease affects 4% to 12% of adults -- that often goes unnoticed until it becomes more severe.

Many people don't even notice that their gums have receded since it is a gradual process. However, over time, an exposed tooth root can not only look ugly, but can cause tooth sensitivity, especially when eating cold or hot foods. Eventually, gum recession, if not treated, can cause tooth loss. To repair the damage and prevent further dental problems, a gum tissue graft may be needed.

                      BEFORE                                                            AFTER

Bone Graft and Sinus Lift

Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. The bone is either obtained from a tissue bank or your own bone is taken from the jaw, hip or tibia (below the knee.) Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.

The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. Sinuses are like empty rooms that have nothing in them. Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone.

There is a solution and it’s called a sinus graft or sinus lift graft. The dental implant surgeon enters the sinus from where the upper teeth used to be. The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and donor bone is inserted into the floor of the sinus. Keep in mind that the floor of the sinus is the roof of the upper jaw. After several months of healing, the bone becomes part of the patient’s jaw and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone.

Osseous Surgery

During this procedure, your gum tissue is folded back, so that disease-causing bacteria may be removed from the pockets, and then the tissue is secured back into place. In some cases, irregular surfaces of damaged bone are smoothed to limit places in which disease-causing bacteria can hide. This way, the gum tissue is allowed to to better reattach to healthier, bacteria-free bone.