Prepare For Dental Implants
Dental implants offer a long-lasting solution for tooth restoration, and it’s crucial for our Birmingham, MI, implant provider, Dr. Abdullah Sayed, to take all necessary steps to ensure the success of your treatment. The success rate of dental implants stands at an impressive 95 percent, but this depends on the condition of your oral health before the surgery and your healing process afterward.
To determine if any additional care is required before proceeding with implants, we recommend scheduling a consultation at Pristine Periodontics and Implants. During this consultation, you will undergo a comprehensive examination of your oral health. Whether you initially qualify for dental implants or not, Dr. Sayed provides a range of supplemental procedures to prepare you for the upcoming tooth replacement surgery.
Pocket Reduction Surgery
Gum disease can lead to tooth loss by creating pockets in the gums that are difficult to clean and provide a favorable environment for bacteria to thrive. These pockets lack oxygen, allowing bacteria and toxins to accumulate at the base. Pocket reduction surgery aims to address this issue by smoothing out bone imperfections and repositioning the gums at a lower level on the tooth, thereby reducing the depth of the pocket.
During the procedure, Dr. Sayed will create small openings in your gums and gently pull them back to expose the tooth roots. This allows for a thorough scaling and planing procedure, which effectively removes tartar and smoothens the damaged bone surfaces. The gums will then be placed back into their original position and tightly stitched around the tooth to minimize the risk of bacteria residing and multiplying within the pocket.
Sinus Lifts
If you have a weak or unstable upper-back jaw, a sinus lift may be recommended before your dental implant procedure. At our Birmingham dental office, we offer two types of sinus lifts that can help create the necessary vertical bone support for your dental implants:
- Antral Sinus Lift: This type of lift is performed when there is minimal existing bone, and additional bone is required. Dr. Sayed will make a small opening in the side of your jaw to access the sinus membrane. The membrane will be gently lifted, and donor bone will be inserted into the floor of the sinus. The site will then be closed and stitched. Over a period of six months, the donor bone will integrate with your upper jaw, providing the necessary height to support your dental implants.
- Osteotome Sinus Lift: If there’s enough bone to support an implant but not enough to completely surround it, an osteotome sinus lift is necessary. This procedure can be performed simultaneously with your implant placement. After creating a hole in your bone for the dental implant, a bone graft will be passed through this hole. The implant will then be placed, and it’ll gradually integrate with the newly placed bone graft.
These sinus lift procedures are designed to ensure that your upper jaw has sufficient bone support for successful dental implant placement. By increasing the vertical bone height, we can provide a stable foundation for your implants, allowing for optimal function and long-term success.
Tissue Grafting
In some cases, dental bridges can lead to gum recession, which exposes sensitive root tissue. This can cause discomfort, an elevated risk of infection, and tooth decay. Tissue grafting can address this issue and make the gingival tissue more resistant to recession.
During gum tissue grafting, a small sample of tissue is taken from the patient’s palate. This tissue is then repurposed and used either before or during the dental implant placement, depending on the patient’s specific needs. The purpose of the tissue graft is to preserve the necessary soft tissue and reduce the likelihood of gum recession after the surgery.
By utilizing tissue grafting, we can enhance the stability and health of the gums surrounding the dental implant. This procedure helps to minimize discomfort, decrease the risk of infections, and protect against further dental complications. Overall, tissue grafting plays a crucial role in achieving long-term success and improving the overall aesthetics of the implant restoration.
Guided Bone Regeneration
When teeth are missing, the jawbone naturally begins to deteriorate over time. The jaw relies on the stimulation provided by teeth to maintain its strength, so the absence of teeth leads to bone weakening.
To counteract bone deterioration, we utilize bone grafting to prepare our patients for dental implants. This procedure helps create a stronger and more stable jawbone, increasing the likelihood of successful implant placement. Our guided bone regeneration technique, overseen by Dr. Sayed, offers the following benefits to enhance your dental implant success:
- Regrowing bone lost to periodontitis around affected teeth
- Preserving tooth sockets for future implant sites
- Rebuilding lost bone in empty spaces
Socket Grafting
The daily stress of chewing affects both our teeth and the surrounding bone. Our bodies have a natural process of reducing unused bone, which means that when a tooth is removed or missing, the body starts to resorb the bone. This leads to the shrinking and deformation of the jawbone, making it unsuitable for dental implant placement.
To prevent this bone loss and maintain the jawbone’s shape, socket preservation should be performed at the time of tooth extraction. This procedure involves filling the space left by the extracted tooth, and protecting it until you’re ready for your implant treatment. Without socket preservation, there can be a significant loss of 40 to 60 percent in bone volume within the first couple of years.
Socket preservation is vital to ensure a healthy foundation for dental implants. By filling the socket with grafting material, we can preserve the bone structure and prevent the jawbone from deteriorating. This allows for successful implant placement in the future, as the preserved socket provides a stable and supportive base for the implant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are supplemental procedures necessary for dental implants?
Supplemental procedures can be a crucial factor in being able to receive dental implants depending on the patient and their unique needs. Due to the effects of permanent tooth loss, many patients suffer from bone loss or other oral health issues that can hinder their candidacy for dental implants. We utilize supplemental procedures so our patients can restore their oral health and offer them a better chance to have successful dental implant treatment.
Can I still get implants without a supplemental procedure?
If you have insufficient bone density, it’s unlikely that you’ll be a candidate for receiving dental implants without a supplemental procedure. Many implant providers require their patients to undergo any supplemental procedure that’s necessary, such as a bone graft, to increase the amount of bone in their jaw for successful implant placement. Without it, patients face a significantly higher risk of implant failure, infection, and possible tooth or bone loss.
If I have a weak jawbone, can I still qualify for dental implants?
Yes! Even if you have a weak jawbone due to missing teeth, your implant provider can provide you with a supplemental procedure before dental implant treatment. Bone grafting allows your implant dentist to prepare your jawbone for a successful implant procedure.
Bone grafting helps improve your functionality to eat and speak with ease. This procedure is safe and effectively done at your implant dentist’s office.
Will insurance cover my supplemental procedure?
Many insurance providers will cover a portion of your supplemental procedure expenses. However, we recommend contacting your insurance provider to learn about your coverage plan. If you have any questions about supplemental procedures or payment options, call your dentist’s office. You can ask if they provide in-house plans to ease your financial worries.
Receive Your Supplemental Treatment Today
Improving your oral health with a supplemental procedure can help ensure the long-term success of your dental implant. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Sayed to understand which treatment option is best for you and to see if preliminary surgery is required. Once we’ve decided to move forward with the treatment, your smile will be restored with our beautiful, long-lasting dental implants in no time.
If you’re ready to take the next step towards your restored smile, call our Birmingham office at (248) 901-0000 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Sayed today. Our Birmingham dental practice is conveniently located near Pontiac, and Highland Park, MI. Our Canton office is near Ann Arbor and Dearborn, MI. We look forward to seeing you!