Lybrook Dental Center – Fruita Times Featured Article – December 2009

By Dr. Carol Lybrook

Editor’s Note: The author, Dr. Carol Lybrook, along with husband Dr. Scott Lybrook, operate Lybrook Dental Center in Fruita.

Since 1946, every holiday season surrounds us with the words and lyrics of a song written by Don Gardner called:  All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth!  This special holiday song is popular with children but true from some adults. Crowns and conventional bridges or dentures may not be the only options when replacing missing teeth. For some people, dental implants offer a smile that looks and feels very natural.

According to the American Dental Association, dental implants offer a replacement system for missing teeth that look and function like natural teeth. They’re durable and do not damage existing structures. Many dentists are optimistic that the latest generation of implant technology will fulfill these goals.

What are dental implants?

An implant starts with a titanium metal screw that is surgically inserted into the alveolar bone of the upper or lower jaw where a natural tooth has been lost. The screw acts as a substitute for a natural tooth root, forming the base for a replacement. A dentist can place implants alone or in combination. They can serve as individual replacement teeth or as abutments for fixed bridges, or as anchors for full or partial removable dentures.

Implants had been used for decades with mixed success. The materials and techniques were less than ideal until a breakthrough occurred in the late 1960s, when researchers explored the use of titanium. They discovered that bone would grow directly into the surface of a titanium implant and create a bond so firm that the implant could not be dislodged. This osseointegration was something that didn’t happen with implants made of other materials. These devices became known as osseointegrated implants.

Are you a candidate for dental implants?
Implants aren’t a good choice for everyone. Pregnant women and people with chronic illness or immunosuppression (due to the increased risk of infection during surgery), children (because their jawbones are still developing) and people who grind or clench their teeth (this habit can put too much pressure on implants), are not good candidates for dental implants. Keep in mind that the surgery to place dental implants takes several hours, and more than one procedure may be needed. So anyone who is at increased risk for infection may not want to choose dental implants.

The ideal candidate for a dental implant is in good general and oral health. Adequate bone in your jaw is needed to support the implant, and the best candidates have healthy gum tissues that are free of periodontal disease. Dental implants are intimately connected with the gum tissues and underlying bone in the mouth. Since periodontists are the dental experts who specialize in precisely these areas, they are ideal members of your dental implant team. Not only do periodontists have experience working with other dental professionals, they also have the special knowledge, training and facilities that you need to have teeth that look and feel just like your own.

If you feel you are a candidate, talk to your dentist because there is an option with dental implants. You will not have to experience another holiday season signing … All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth. Happy Holidays from all of us here at Lybrook Dental Center.  See you in 2010.