Missing teeth negatively impact much more than just the appearance of your smile. Tooth loss can make it substantially more difficult to chew comfortably, speak clearly, and enjoy other aspects of your day-to-day life. What’s more, missing even just one tooth can lead to significant jawbone loss, shifting teeth, and a higher risk of serious oral health issues. While there are plenty of options you can choose from to replace your teeth, dental implants stand head and shoulders above the rest. This state-of-the-art treatment is the only one that can help you say goodbye to gaps in your smile permanently!

Recognized as Arlington’s only Board-Certified Dental Implantologist, Dr. Ravi Doctor has regularly been sought out to teach up-and-coming dentists how to effectively use this treatment to improve the lives of their patients. At his own dental office located in Arlington, this state-of-the-art procedure enables him to replace any number of teeth for a lifetime to come, and he uses the latest technology to ensure fantastic results, including intraoral scans, low-radiation X-rays, 3D facial scanning, and 3D CAT scan images.

What Are Dental Implants

A dental implant is a synthetic tooth root in the shape of a post that is surgically placed into the jawbone. The “root” is usually made of titanium: the same material used in many hip and knee replacements and is a metal that is well-suited to pairing with human bone. An implant crown is then fixed to the post. The implant crown can be either attached using an adhesive or with a screw that connects to the implant “root”. Implants are stable and feel more like natural teeth. The ideal candidate for implants is a non-smoker who has good oral health, sufficient amount of bone in the jaw, and healthy gums with no sign of gum disease.

The 5 Step Dental Implant Process

Since dental implants replace missing teeth both above and below the gum line, they naturally require a more involved process than traditional options like dentures and dental bridges. Every patient’s journey towards a completed smile will be slightly different, but there are five main stages of treatment you can expect:

• Initial consultation and preliminary treatments- (i.e., extractions and grafting, surgical guide fabrication)
• Dental implant surgery
• Abutment placement
• 3d digital intraoral scanning for implant custom abutment and crown
• Placement of your implant crown

With most other dental offices in Arlington, patients need to visit multiple doctors to have this all completed. Dr. Doctor, however, has the advanced training, experience, and equipment to provide the entire treatment from start to finish. From your first consultation, all the way until you walk out of our dental office with a new smile, you’ll be able to work with the same dentist and team that you know and trust, saving plenty of time and money along the way.

Additional Surgical Services

Other services you may need before, in conjunction, or after dental implants are placed include:

Sinus Lift Augmentation: Who is a candidate for a sinus lift?

A sinus lift is not a procedure that most people think about before dental implant surgery, but it is a process that may be necessary. Not all people who need dental implants will require a sinus lift. Those who have lost upper back teeth are more likely to need a lift to support the implant.

Understanding the sinus lift

A sinus lift occurs when the sinus floor is elevated to create enough room for bone grafting materials to be placed in order gain necessary vertical height for a dental implant to be placed. The dental implant will not secure well if there isn’t adequate bone height.

The recovery process will vary, but it can take about 6 – 12 months to heal.

Autogenous Bone Grafting

Occasionally, the ideal areas for dental implants do not have sufficient bone quantity to support the implants. In these cases, it is often necessary to “borrow” bone from another area of your mouth and graft it into the deficient area. Often, the area of choice is from the chin or in the back of the jaw where your wisdom teeth used to be.

Implant Site Development/Ridge Augmentation

When a tooth needs to be removed due to infection, it is not uncommon to have lost bone around the infected tooth. In these cases, various types of bone grafting can be done at the same time the tooth is removed to facilitate the placement of a dental implant at a later date.

3D Treatment Planning and Implant Surgical guide Fabrication.

We have special software that allows us to evaluate your dental 3D CAT scan, 3D digital facial and intraoral images to evaluate bone quality, important anatomical structures, and bone location, enabling the best possible placement of your dental implants. This also allows us to ensure an ideal result in restoration where your dental implants are concerned.

Implant Maintenance

Once your dental implant restoration is completed, it is important to keep the area clean and infection-free. Dental implants can accumulate plaque and tartar just as teeth can. Whether you have just one tooth replaced by an implant or several, a professional cleaning schedule will be necessary to keep your implants healthy. The time interval for these professional cleanings will be determined by your individual needs.

Implant Dentures

Severe tooth loss can have a dramatic effect on a patient’s quality of life, impacting everything from day-to-day activities to their long-term health. If you’re trying to manage without your teeth or if you’re frustrated with your removable denture, we can help you achieve the confident smile you deserve with implant dentures at Arlington Dental Professionals

Implant dentures are carefully crafted from high-quality materials to mimic the appearance and strength of natural teeth. Similar to traditional removable dentures, implant dentures consist of a gum-colored base that has custom-made replacement teeth set into it to replace an arch of teeth. However, instead of resting on top of your gums, this type of denture is securely anchored in place with the help of dental implants. Thanks to this unique placement, your new denture will look, feel, and function almost exactly like real teeth. Depending on your unique needs and preferences, we may recommend one of two options:

Fixed/Permanent Implant Dentures

Usually 4-6 strategically placed dental implants are used to hold and support the denture 24/7 and you won’t have to worry about taking it out to soak or clean. Instead, it will only be removed by Dr. Doctor for maintenance and cleanings. For this ultra-convenient denture, you’ll need to have a strong and healthy jawbone.

Removable Implant Dentures

Alternatively, removable implant dentures (sometimes called overdentures) can be snapped onto and off of your dental implants when needed. While you’ll need to take this denture out now and again, you’ll be able to fully enjoy all the benefits of dental implants when wearing it. No more denture adhesive! This type of denture may be a better choice for patients with weaker jawbones. Sometimes, an existing denture can be retrofitted to work as a removable implant denture.

Teeth in A Day / All-on-X

A new, beautiful smile in just one day!

Maintain optimal oral function and aesthetics with All-on-X same-day teeth replacement. Using state-of-the-art technology, All-on-X treatment replaces traditional dentures, which can be uncomfortable, inconvenient, and poorly fitted. All-on-X turns problematic chewing and speaking into relics of the past.

Using only four to six dental implants to attach a full dental restoration, Dr. Doctor can give you the stable, functional, and cosmetic solution you’ve been looking for. Best of all, your dentures can be placed on the same day as your implants, so you don’t have to wait to get the restored smile you deserve.

• Full-arch restoration with only four to six implants can replace a full arch of missing teeth.
• Reduced treatment and healing time.
• Lowers the need for bone graft surgery while ensuring greater stability in the existing bone.
• Is more comfortable than traditional dentures because All-on-X implant restorations are more secure and feel like natural teeth.
• You’ll never have to worry about your false teeth slipping or falling out while you eat or engage in conversation.
• There is no need for denture adhesive!

Are you a candidate for Teeth in A Day / All-on-X?

Here are a few things that may disqualify you as a candidate for Teeth in A Day:

• Not enough bone present
• Large active infection
• Heavy smoker, alcohol, or narcotic drugs
• Long history of SSRI/Anti-depressants
• Certain medical condition(s), such as uncontrolled diabetes
• Dietary and nutritional habits
• Clenching or grinding of teeth
• Inadequate oral hygiene

But…

• You may still qualify for an implant supported denture after areas of infection are treated and bone grafting sites have healed. Once areas have healed, Dr. Doctor will evaluate your individual situation to see if All-on-X is right for you.

Give us a call to schedule a comprehensive Teeth in A Day / All-on-X consultation to see if this procedure is right for you!