Dental implants have revolutionized how we treat lost teeth! Implants are titanium roots that can be used to replace missing teeth. They offer a natural feeling and looking alternative to a bridge and can be used for denture stabilization. The best thing is that dental implants last longer than anything else I use as a dentist. Implants are simply man made titanium root replacements that are placed in the bone and allowed to heal. Once this implant is healed into place, a tooth can be built on top of it or it can be used as a very strong anchor to support a denture. The technology to accomplish this has been around for over 60 years, but the last 20 years have seen a rapid improvement of the materials and techniques necessary to make it an everyday, common procedure.
How long do dental implants last?
The simple answer: A long time! That is their great advantage. When you look at all the research available you find approximately a 95% success rate over 30-45 years. The 5 % of people who have one not work (it usually happens in the first year) still have a 95% chance of success on the second try. After that initial period of healing and acceptance by they body, dental implants are the closest thing we have to a permanent solution to a lost tooth. Failure of the materials is very rare.
Does it hurt?
With the techniques we use it is common for our patients to report some, but very little discomfort. Most patients say that the placement of dental impants hurts less then having a tooth extracted and they have to take very little pain medication. Nevertheless, each person and each situation is different . We have a very well researched and balanced pain management protocol to make sure that your healing is as comfortable as it can be.
Is Dr Wetherington the right dentist in Sonora to provide this service for you?
All implant procedures require two basic phases, a surgical phase and a restoration phase. The general dentist always completes the restorations on top of implants. Having a well trained implant dentist who is also the restoring dentist do all phases of your implant treatment has many benefits in planning and implementation because there is no break down in communication between the oral surgeon, and the dentist making the restoration. When the unexpected arises during surgery, one person does not have to guess what the other person would like done.
Many dentists do not provide implant surgery in their offices, and many that do, have received training in a weekend course from a product manufacturer. When Dr. Wetherington wanted to expand his involvement in implant dentistry to include the placement of implants he decided that these short courses were inadequate, and he chose to go to the oldest and one of the most respected implant institutes in America: The Misch International Implant institute. It was a 5 month program with personal training by the most recognized face in American implant surgery and author of the best selling dental implant text in America – Dr. Carl Misch. Dr. Wetherington’s experience both educationally and clinically have afforded him a robust background in managing surgical procedures in general. He completed a 1 year Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency where he spent 1 week per month working in the operating room side by side with oral surgeons at a hospital doing wisdom teeth extractions and assisting with facial reconstruction surgeries. Implants are a routine procedure in our office, and for the most part it is a quite simple procedure. Nevertheless, there are some situations that should be managed by a specialist. When this is necessary we have some wonderful specialists here in Sonora, CA and in the surrounding area with whom we work closely.
Cone Beam 3D X-Rays
We are currently the only general dental office with a Cone Beam CT scanner. This new, very advanced technology allows for precise three dimensional viewing of all of the anatomical structures of the head and neck. This leads to safer surgery because we can visualize exactly where important things like nerves and major blood vessels are. It also allows us to give more accurate predictions on outcome and surgical planning, thus reducing the risk of surprises during the process. For those concerned about radiation you will be glad to know that this new technology uses advanced digital imaging that keeps the radiation for an implant scan below that of what you receive on a flight from San Francisco to New York and 95% less than that from a traditional CT scan.
