Implants

Perhaps the greatest advancement in dentistry in the past 50 years has been the advancements made in implantology. Dental implants are small cylinder-shaped fixtures that are surgically placed in the bone to support a crown or fixed bridge.

In the case of a patient with dentures, implants can even be used to support and retain the dentures. This provides increased comfort and function as well as decrease the volume of denture acrylic necessary to replace the missing teeth.

Implants can replace teeth that have been missing for years. Recent advances in implantology allow for immediate placement of the fixture and temporary on the same day that the tooth is removed. Imagine extracting a tooth that has to be removed and having the option for replacement the same day.

Dr. LaTocha has teamed with Nobel Biocare (NobelSmile) to offer patients restorative options with implants. Our surgical placement costs are substantially lower than the average found at a specialist’s office, such as an oral surgeon or periodontist.

Dental implants are an ideal replacement of missing teeth to allow for restoration and function. If bone is preserved at the time of extraction the probability of replacement with an implant is greater. At the time of tooth extraction all attempts to preserve the remaining bone and remove the tooth via a traumatic surgical technique is of the utmost importance. Implants have become part of a cutting edge mainstream treatment modality offered to patients since the late 1980’s. Careful development of proper protocols and systems have reinforced success rates since that time. With the advent of CBCT Cone Beam Tomography we have streamlined the process that allows for complete restoration of a missing tooth or several missing teeth. Digital workflow and technological advances have provided streamlined techniques that offer virtually no postoperative discomfort and short appointment times necessary to place the implant fixture. Once osseointegration is complete (usually taking about 4 months) the implant connection is uncovered and a healing collar is placed to allow the soft tissue to form around that interface known as an abutment. A fibrous connective tissue collar forms that become the biological seal protecting the implant from bacterial infiltration. Once the healing has occurred around the healing abutment the final impression or digital optical scan is completed and the patient’s crown is fabricated by the dental laboratory. Approximately 3 weeks from this date the crown is delivered to the patient. Our office makes every attempt to utilize screw retention for the final crown implant interface. This allows for removal of the unit should a porcelain repair be necessary in the future. Furthermore, recent studies published in our clinical trade journals have been demonstrating that screw retained implant crowns are superior to cement retained crowns due to concerns with cement interaction on the soft tissue interface.​

Our office utilizes the benchmark standard in implant quality and protocol for placement. Utilizing a team approach with a proven implant provider, such as: Nobel Biocare, allows for the best possible end result. As the implant market continues to grow in our country, and across the world, there has been a tremendous competition for market share of the industry. As a consumer, many patients fail to understand that a tremendous amount of research has been done by reputable companies to bring their product to the standard demanded by our industry. Beware of offices that choose to use a “budget” implant fixture. The competition for market share by these companies has led many dental offices to put profits over quality. A discriminant dental consumer will see the value in an implant company that has longevity and a proven track record for research and success. Our office chooses to use only the best quality products and you can rest assured that the same implant line that we use on our family members is the same that we choose for our patients.