Dental Implants

    /24-7PressRelease/ - June 20, 2008 - One of the most famous myths about George Washington was that he had wooden false teeth. While he did suffer from many dental problems and eventually lost all of his teeth, none of his denture sets was actually made of wood. In fact, General Washington's wealth and stature as the father of the United States gave him access to the best dental care of the time. Unfortunately dental implants were not an option, and he had put up with numerous pairs of ill-fitting dentures and constant tooth pain.

What dentures don't do
Dentures, in Washington's time and now, merely adhere temporarily to the top and bottom jaw where natural teeth used to be. The chewing action of healthy teeth with strong roots maintains bone density. When teeth fall out, the gap left by the missing tooth root needs to be filled, but dentures fill only the gap left by the missing tooth crown.

When the gap in the jawbone is left there, the bone will shrink to fill it. This reduces and distorts the jawline and facial shape, making a person look older.

What implants can do
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root and a strong, efficient, and permanent way to anchor replacement teeth. The implant is placed in the jawbone to fill the gap left by the old tooth root, and your dentist attaches a porcelain tooth. By filling the gap in the jawbone, implants prevent bone resorption - bone shrinkage.

How implants are done
Dental implants are made of titanium, a biocompatible metal that is used in many surgical applications. It is well received by the body, resulting in minimal rejection and low risk of infection. The most common form of dental implant is the root form implant, which looks like a cylinder with ridges running around it (like a screw, but it is not "screwed in").

• The implant is inserted surgically into the jawbone's gap. Over about three months, the bone grows in, or ossifies, amongst the implant's surface ridges, bonding to it.
• Your dentist will do a second but minor surgery, exposing the top of the implant and attaching a small projection to it called an abutment. The gums heal in a couple of weeks.
• In a quick and simple procedure, your dentist bonds a porcelain tooth to the abutment. The tooth is previously designed and custom-made so that your bite will be comfortable and smooth.

You now have a new pearly tooth which needs only the same daily care as your natural teeth, and will last indefinitely.

Dental care has progressed remarkably in the last two hundred years, making full tooth replacement a superior option to false teeth. If General Washington were around today, he certainly would seek out the best "colonial dentists" (in this case in the Chicago area) trained in the latest technology to manage his dental needs and relieve his constant pain.

Contact Dr. David Dooley at Colonial Dental Group for more information about cosmetic dentistry and why dental implants may be the right choice for you.

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