Dental Implants

Implants are titanium screws that can be used for many applications. Single tooth. An implant can be place in the bone to support a single crown.  This is typically the preferred option to replace a single missing tooth.  The alternative is a dental bridge that requires cutting down the adjacent teeth. (more…)

A dental implant is a small titanium screw that replaces the root of a missing tooth. The implant is anchored in the jaw bone serving as an anchor for replacement of teeth.  Implants are generally made of pure titanium and bond to bone, a phenomenon known as "osseointegration." (more…)

THE IMPLANT PROCEDURE: CONVENTIONAL PLACEMENT. conventional =  implant placement in mature bone , typically 3-4  months after the tooth extraction. Stage I surgery  - the gum is lifted back to place the implant in bone. The gum is then sutured around the implant. Then the implant heals for 2-3months while bone grows on the surface of the titanium (osseointegration). Integration verification  - after 2-3 mos healing Dr. French takes an x-ray and tests the implant for integration to the bone. If the case was done with…

What holds the implant in the bone? The term is called osseointegraton. It is a stable bond between bone and titanium. The connection is very strong, as the bone contact is very close to the titanium surface, at about one-billionth of a metre. Below is an image of titanium implant integrated to bone.  Titanium is dark, bone is pink due to microscope staining.   Are implants ever rejected? Implants made of pure titanium have very low corosion and…