Preparing For Dental Implants: Your Guide To Supplemental Procedures
Oct 31, 2017
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There’s a reason why dental implants are considered the most effective tooth replacement around. The durable and adaptive nature of this treatment makes it applicable to almost every smile and any degree of tooth loss. However, enjoying long-term dental implant success depends heavily on the condition of the smile before implants are placed. While some patients might be ready for surgery immediately, it’s not uncommon for others to require preliminary, supplemental treatment first.
There a number of factors that go into successful dental implant treatment ranging from your dentist’s experience to post-surgery care. The condition of your smile before dental implant surgery is among the most important factors that our Chicago implant dentist looks at. Even if your implant is perfectly placed and you follow the post-surgery instructions to a T, dental implants placed in an unhealthy or compromised smile have a high risk of failure. Conditions that pose a threat to your final results include gum disease, bone deficiency, and tooth infection.
So how do you ensure that your dental implant investment lasts? Supplemental treatments.
Fundamentally, supplemental treatments are procedures completed before dental implant placement with the goal of creating a healthy environment for your final restoration. As no two smiles are exactly alike, these preliminary treatments vary from patient to patient, depending on the condition of your teeth, gums, and jawbone.
Because the bone and gums are often the most compromised foundations following tooth loss, supplemental treatments typically focus on these aspects of the smile. Depending on the degree of damage, your recommended solutions may include one of the following treatments:
Tooth Extraction
Used when a patient is replacing a tooth that was damaged or failed root canal with an implant, tooth extraction is often completed the same day as your dental implants are placed.
Bone Grafting
When teeth are missing, the bone surrounding the empty socket deteriorates through a process known as resorption. Bone grafting is an outpatient procedure in which donated bone tissue is grafted to the deficient area, essentially rebuilding the bone and ensuring there is enough tissue to support the implant. In most cases, we’re able to place the implant during the bone grafting procedure.
Sinus Augmentation
When patients lose teeth from the upper arch, resorption weakens the bone at the roof of the mouth (the palate). This thins the tissue separating the sinus cavities from the mouth. Sinus augmentation addresses this issue by adding more tissue to the palate and creating additional space so the implant fixture can be placed.
Gum Disease Treatment
Tooth loss is a common complication of advanced periodontitis, or gum disease. For patients getting implants to replace the teeth lost because of this condition, it’s important to remove all evidence of infection before placing the implants. If dental implants are placed prematurely, patients face the risk of implant failure as well as reinfection. In some instances, bone grafting may also be used to reinforce any surrounding bone tissue also compromised by gum disease.
With locations in St. Charles, South Elgin, Sleepy Hollow, and Chicago, implant dentist Dr. Keith Bram and his team specialize in helping patients restore their entire smile with dental implant and implant-supported treatments. Call today to explore your treatment options and schedule your consultation.