Dental Implants: The New Standard for a Healthier Smile

Dental Implants: The New Standard for a Healthier Smile
HealthSavvy
Summer 2004
Here's something to smile about: Dental implants can replace the discomfort and high maintenance of partial or full dentures. And, you won't have to have healthy teeth ground down to act as a buttress for a dental bridge.
Bradford Porter, DDS, a Virtua oral surgeon explains the implant procedure. "First, we surgically expose a small area of the jawbone where the missing tooth once was. A titanium implant ÇƒÓ shaped like the root of a real tooth ÇƒÓ is placed into this space. The area is stitched closed to heal for three to six months. During this time, bone grows around the titanium anchor, making it extremely secure."
After the healing period, a small procedure may be necessary to expose the top portion of the implant where a screw is placed. The person's general dentist or prosthodontist then creates a crown, which is attached to the implant.
Getting an implant is an in-office procedure done with the usual dental anesthetics, and has been successfully performed for over 20 years.