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General Dental Information and Education Page
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Dental Implants Implants are a prosthodontic procedure use to provide permanent replacements for lost teeth without attachment to other teeth. Implants are an alternative treatment for crowns, bridges and dentures and are considered unnecessary by most insurance companies. Because the process can involve procedures performed by more then one dentist, implants can be very expensive and time intensive. The normal process for implants is to first discuss what you want. This is very important to insuring satisfactory results. We will then explain the process of making models of your mouth to be used in the fabrication, by a dental lab, of the replacement teeth. The policies of the implant manufactures use to permit sales only to Oral Surgeons. Recent changes in these policies by some manufactures now make it possible for qualified dentists to purchase and place implants. Because of these old policies in the past, at this point you would have been referred to an Oral Surgeon to place the implants. In our office we no longer need to refer our patients to an Oral Surgeon, our doctor is experienced at placing implants..
After placement of the implants the prosthodontic treatment can be done. Depending on the situation the pontic (crown) can be placed immediately or after healing (2-6 months). Finally the replacement teeth, custom fabricated by a dental lab, will be attached to the implanted posts and the treatment completed. Care and maintenance for these teeth is basically the same as for your natural teeth.
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