408-740-5317
Dr. Keith Cooper is here blogging from San Jose, CA to explain to patients that suffer bone loss diseases that dental implants can be used to remedy the lack of bone in the teeth and jaw over time. The first suggestion we give to patients that suffer from osteoporosis is to consult their doctor before they contact us for dental implants to make sure that they have the condition under control. Getting this under control means to find out the medication, proper exercise needed and maybe even a better diet. Once they have taken this step and their doctor has approved them for implant dentistry, they are welcome to come see us at Contemporary Dental Arts.
Throughout the consultation Dr. Keith Cooper will examine your jawbone and gum state and determine whether you qualify for dental implants. Most likely you will need a bone graft or a soft tissue augmentation, maybe even both. A bone graft is a bone tissue transplant in which the doctor replaces the damaged and fractured bone with new and healthy osseous tissue. Most of the time this bone will be extracted from an area like the patient’s hip, but the option of animal bone from cows is also offered to patients. Depending on the damage done to the jaw due to the bone deficiency disease, this procedure can take up to a few hours. Over time, most likely the next 2-3 months, the new jawbone will fuse with the remaining jawbone to create a natural and complete layer of healthy osseous tissue in the patient’s jaw.
A soft tissue augmentation is needed when patients do not possess enough gum tissue in the gum area due to this disease or weakened tissue from a missing tooth or teeth. The dentist will slightly remove the excess gum tissue from the roof of the mouth and gently place it in the gum area which will help to build it up gradually. This is quick procedure and does not take much time to recover from, but the patient must make sure their gums are fully healed before they are ready for dental implantation.
Implant Dentistry: The Solution
Once the patient has healed the proper amount of time from either or both of the procedures, the dentist will determine whether or not the patient is ready to begin the process of dental implantation. If he approves of the recovery, he will make slight incisions in the patient’s gums where the teeth used to be. He will gently place the titanium screws into the jawbone and stitch the gum tissue when he is finished. For the next few months the process of osseointegration will ensue in which the titanium alloy will fuse naturally into the jawbone, allowing the mouth to accept them as a functioning part of the oral system. Once the process is completed the oral cavity will obtain the dental implants as real teeth to help patients chew, bite, smile and speak with comfort and confidence.
The last step is to place the actual tooth- colored crowns in the patient’s mouth and attach them to the dental implant abutments. We spend a great deal of time comparing each dental implants to every patient’s individuals teeth. We match the color, contrast, size, and shape of the two to make sure that they are virtually indistinguishable from one another. Dental implants have the ability to provide a youthful and confident smile to all patients that they will look forward to sharing with the world.
Want to learn more? Visit our Dental Implant Info page.
Call us Today to Schedule a Consultation in San Jose, CA
Dr. Keith Cooper has spent his life providing successful dental implants to all patients, even those with bone deficiency diseases. Thanks to the supplemental procedures we provide here at Contemporary Dental Arts, all patients have a chance of qualifying for dental implants. Don’t let your bones get you down, call us to schedule a dental implant consultation with Dr. Keith Cooper today. We can be reached at (408) 740-5317.