May 15, 2017

Dental Implant PricingMissing Teeth? Denture Problems? Dental Implants Offer The Ultimate Solution

 

Do you have missing teeth? Or have been told your teeth are failing and should be removed? Do you have dentures that give you nothing but trouble? Make you feel bad every time you take them out of your mouth? Are your dentures bulky and unaesthetic and cause pain and embarrassment?

 

The good news is, highly aesthetic and strong implant teeth can now restore your mouth to natural condition. Dental implant teeth are strong and stable, and attached permanently to the jaw bone.

 

Traditionally, missing teeth were replaced with dentures or dental bridges. The following are some serious disadvantages of these obsolete restorations:

 

Dentures: are very bulky and  unstable in the mouth. They are either anchored to other remaining natural teeth (partials),  or just placed over the gum and not attached to anything (full dentures). They are made of plastic teeth and acrylic base. They move while chewing and under function and catch food under and around them. They don’t provide very efficient chewing, forcing the patients to limit their diet to soft food and avoiding healthy fiber rich food such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, or even meat. This compromised diet lead to nutritional deficiency and multiple health problems such as digestive disorders, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and possible dementia.

Many people with denture problems develop a sense of embarrassment and guilt, they tend to smile less often and ultimately adopt an alternative life style of avoiding socialization and public appearance. Afraid of being judged by their teeth (dental handicap), this feeling of consciousness becomes much more pronounced when meeting new people.

 

Dentures San Diego Dental Implants
A denture in the cup. This is old dentistry.
Dental implant teeth never come out of your mouth.
They fuse to the jaw bone, and like natural teeth, they stay in the mouth permanently

 

Dental Bridges: also have serious disadvantages. Bridges are made by shaving down the healthy, natural teeth adjacent to missing teeth space to almost half the size. After shaving down, the dentist makes a mold of those teeth and have a dental laboratory technician fabricate a bridge that fits over those cut down teeth. The bridge is then cemented to those teeth with a special dental cemented.

 

If one or 2 teeth are missing, 2 healthy adjacent natural teeth are shaved down for the bridge. For 3 or more missing teeth, 3 or more healthy natural teeth should be shaved down. It is obvious that drilling the healthy natural teeth causes long term damage, making those teeth more prone to decay, possible nerve damage and even loss of those teeth.

 

Another disadvantage of dental bridges is the compromised oral hygiene. Since teeth in a dental bridge are connected together, flossing becomes very difficult and sometimes even impossible. This results in  plaque accumulation, periodontal (gum) disease, decay and ultimate loss of more teeth.

 

Because of all these disadvantages, modern dentistry is now considers dentures and bridges as obsolete methods of teeth replacement. Dental implants are now considered the best and ultimate solution for tooth loss.

 

Implant teeth consist of a bio-compatible titanium screw (dental implant) which is surgically inserted  into the jaw bone. The surrounding bone grow into the micro-structure of implant and create a strong bond to it. The dental implant is then used as a base or anchor to hold a natural looking porcelain tooth.

One, several, or even all missing teeth may be replaced with dental implants. For example an entire upper or lower arch of missing teeth can be restored with 4-6 dental implants. These implant teeth are permanently attached to the jaw bone, just as natural teeth do, and are strong and natural looking. Eating with implant teeth is efficient, comfortable, and enjoyable, and there is no dietary limitation. Switching from dentures to implant teeth is a life changing experience. Dental implants enhance your life style, make you feel more confident about your teeth and smile, and make socializing more enjoyable.

 

There has been great advances in dental implantology field in the past 20 years. Dental implant surgery is no longer considered a major procedure. Almost all dental implant and bone grafting surgeries can now be done quickly, comfortably, and under local anesthetics. If performed by an experienced and skilled dental implant expert, such surgeries are done in a very comfortable setting and with very little or no post-operative discomfort.

 

To find out more about dental implants and how it can enhance your life style, you may call Dental Implant Centers for a free consultation/x-rays. To make an appointment call 866-4my-smile (866-469-7645) or click here for an appointment or more information on cosmetic dentistry options.

 

Dental Implant Centers™ is an all-in one provider of advanced dental implant treatments in San Diego. This means all your implant treatments are done in one office by Dr. James Khazian. You avoid the confusion of seeing several doctors and/or different offices. Your treatment, no matter how complex will be started and finished by Dr. Khazian. To make an appointment for a free  consultation/x-rays you may call 866-4my-smile (866-469-7645) or click here.

 

The following case represents full reconstruction of upper teeth with dental implants. This patient was a middle aged female patients who had lost all her upper teeth many years ago and was using an upper denture. She was extremely unhappy and was seeking a better option.

Replace missing teeth

This patient lost all her upper teeth many years ago
8 dental implants are inserted
(Actual patient of Dr. Khazian)

Cosmetic Dentistry Dental Implants Broken Teeth

Beautiful, permanent porcelain teeth are attached to 8 dental implants
These teeth are strong and solidly connected to the jaw bone
This patient can once again eat comfortably and socialize with no fear of embarrassment

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May 2, 2017

Tooth Implant ProcessDental Implant Pricing

Generally a dental implant treatment process consist of the following:

  1. Initial evaluation and diagnosis by an implant dentist: The goal of this evaluation is to:
  • determine the scope and nature of dental problem.
  • Examination of the patient’s oral condition, including the health of the gum and volume and quality of jaw bone.
  • Reviewing patient’s general health condition to make sure he/she is a candidate for dental implant process and the treatment can be done in a safe manner.
  • Discuss the patient’s expectation and make sure the doctor clearly understands why the patient is seeking this treatment and what final result is he/she expecting.

 

  1. Treatment planning and discussion with patient: At this time different treatment options will be discussed as well as advantages and disadvantages of each option. This will be a time for the patient to fully understand different options and select the one that best works for him/her.
  2. Starting the treatment, surgical phase: By this time the patient should be well informed about the dental problem at hand as well as the treatment that will be done. The doctor and patient have established good communication and the patient has confidence in, and is fully comfortable with the doctor. A comfortable and good relationship between the doctor and patient is critical to a successful treatment outcome.

Depending on the nature of your dental problem and what treatment is going to be done the following scenarios will play:

  • Most patients present with an infected, broken, of severely decayed tooth or teeth that cannot be saved. In most cases it is possible to do the extractions, bone grafting, and implant placement in just one visit. There are however cases that require a few months of healing after extraction and bone grafting, before dental implants can be placed. Ask your doctor if you are a candidate for immediate implant placement at the time of extractions. This will save you about 3-4 month.
  • If the tooth or teeth are already missing and area is healed sufficiently, surgery can be done to place implants. Although many dentist prefer to do these procedures under general anesthetic, It is important to know almost all dental implant and bone grafting surgeries may be done under local anesthetic, just as if you are going for a filling or crown. General anesthesia, although is an option for patient who prefer it, is unnecessary and exposes patients to additional risks and cost.
  1. Finishing treatment, restorative phase: This is the final part of treatment when teeth are made and placed over implants. Implant supported teeth are strong and stable. Chewing with dental implant is as comfortable as healthy natural teeth. Implant teeth feel, function, and look like natural teeth. The first step in replacing those missing or failed teeth is to have a consultation with Dr. Khazian. Dr. James Khazian is a leading dental implant expert with over 27 years experience. For a free consultation and x-rays you may call 866-4my-smile (866-469-7645) or click here

Dental Implant Centers is an all-in one provider of advanced dental implant treatments in San Diego. This means all your implant treatments are done in one office by Dr. James Khazian. You avoid the confusion of seeing several doctors and/or different offices. Your treatment, no matter how complex will be started and finished by Dr. Khazian. To make an appointment for a free x-rays and consultation you may call 866-4my-smile (866-469-7645) or click here.

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March 7, 2017

If you have an infected tooth and have been told you need root canal treatment, you may be in a dilemma to proceed with root canal or just have the tooth pulled and get dental implant. This is indeed a tough decision to make.

There is no easy answer to this dilemma and quite a few factors should be taken into consideration. It definitely requires an expert and experienced dentist to carefully evaluate the condition and advise the patient.

I come across quite a few patients with such dilemma who try very hard to make the right choice. My advice to them is to get as educated and informed as possible can about the issue at hand and consult with the your trusted dentist. Make sure your dentist is fully knowledgeable about both dental implantology and root canal treatments.

Root canal was an important treatment option for many years but has lost popularity since dental implantology has become a mainstream treatment in dentistry.

 

What is root canal treatment?

Each natural and healthy tooth has one or more tiny canals that contain nerve and blood supply to the tooth. These canals are well protected by the hard outer enamel. A tooth with intact and healthy nerve is a vital tooth. If there is damage to nerve due to decay, fractures, or other reasons, infections develops inside the canal and in the jawbone surrounding the tip of the tooth root.

Root canal treatment is an option that has been used for many years to eliminate such infections. The dentist opens an access to the canal and removes the dead nerve, eliminate the bacteria, and cleans the canal with tiny files. The canals are then sealed with special rubbery material called Gutta Percha.

 

How effective are root canal treatments?

Root canal is a complex and difficult technique which requires skill, knowledge and experience. Certain dentist are specialized in doing root canals and go through 2 or more years of education and training to become root canal specialist. Such dentists are called endodontist. Endodontists usually limit their practice to root canal treatments only. Obviously, due to their extended training, endodontists perform root canals with higher success rate than general dentists.

Although the short term success rate of root canals may be as high or above 90%, the long term success rate is a subject of controversy. There is certain belief by some researchers and scientists that root canal, no matter how perfectly done, will never eliminate all the bacteria in the infected tooth. they believe there is always some residual bacteria left in the tooth which may leak to other body organs such as brain, heart, and cause substantial health problems. It may also cause secondary infection and root canal failure even 20 or 30 years later. This is quite common in dentistry.

 

Disadvantages of root canal treatment

  • A root canal tooth becomes more fragile and brittle than vital healthy teeth. This makes a root canal tooth more prone to fractures.
  • A root canal tooth may get infected again, requiring new root canal treatment and/or possible loss of tooth.
  • A root canal tooth develops certain grayish discoloration which may be a major esthetic complication, particularly in front teeth.
  • Root fractures are quite common in root canal teeth. such fractures are not treatable and the tooth should be extracted.
  • Possible residual bacteria in the tooth after root canal may spread to other parts of the body, resulting in serious health problems.
  • Root canal treatment is an expensive procedure. Additionally most, if not all root canal teeth need additional strengthening with a post/buildup and a crown. These procedures may bring the cost to about $2000 to $3000. Spending such amount on a questionable procedure may not seem wise to many people.
  • A root canal tooth may develop decay, resulting in additional cost and/or possible tooth loss

 

The following case represents a failed root canal tooth that was extracted and replaced with an implant tooth

North County San Diego Root Canal Dentist

This case is an actual patient of Dr. James Khazian.
The extraction, bone graft, dental implant, and final tooth was performed by Dr Khazian

 

This molar tooth was previously treated with root canal
The tooth broke due to becoming weak after root canal
North County San Diego Dental Implant Center

The tooth was extracted and bone grafted in preparation for dental implant

North County Dentists Root Canals

Dental implant and final tooth is in place

 

 

Are dental implants a better choice than root canal?

To best answer this question we should look at the advantages of dental implants. The following is only a limited list of dental implant advantages over root canal teeth. Dental implants have many other benefits which are out of the scope of this topic.

 

  • Unlike root canal procedure, dental implant is a very predictable treatment approach. If properly done by an expert implantologist, it has a solid 98-100% success rate.
  • Unlike root canal, dental implant procedure eliminates the infected tooth and all the bacteria in the jaw bone. It assures a fully sterile outcome with no chance of bacterial spread to other parts of body and possible health problems.
  • Unlike root canal teeth, an implant tooth do not decay. Implant teeth consist of titanium, zirconia, and porcelain. The never decay.
  • Implant teeth are much stronger than root canal teeth. Implant teeth have a much lower risk of breaking than root canal teeth.
  • Considering the risks and possible failures associated with root canal treatment, dental implant may be a much more cost effective.
  • Unlike root canals, the implants have a very low possibility of secondary infection. If maintained properly, implant teeth last for decades or possibly life time.
  • Unlike root canal teeth, implant teeth will not develop root fractures.

 

Dental Implant Centers is an all-in one provider of advanced dental implant treatments in San Diego. This means all your implant treatments are done in one office by Dr. James Khazian. You avoid the confusion of seeing several doctors and/or different offices. Your treatment, no matter how complex will be started and finished by Dr. Khazian. To make an appointment for free x-rays and consultation you may call 866-4my-smile (866-469-7645) or click here

2 Dental Implant Locations to serve you: San Diego and North County cities and communities.

North County Office:
Escondido, San Marcos, Poway, Rancho Bernardo to Vista, Oceanside & North County Coastal Communities.

San Diego Office:
Coastal and inland cities including Hillcrest, El Cajon, Chula Vista, downtown San Diego and Coastal Communities.

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