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3322 Route 22 West, Suite 1207-1208, Branchburg, NJ 08876 908-218-0300 908-218-0301 (fax) www.branchburgoralsurgery.com We Accept Most Major PPO Dental Plans Karl Maloney, D.D.S. Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon Wisdom Teeth Dental Implants Bone Grafting General Anesthesia 3D Cone Beam CT Jaw Surgery Oral Pathology Facial Trauma4 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville, NJ 07924 • 973-241-5502
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DENTAL IMPLANTS By: Karl Maloney, D.D.S. Branchburg Oral Maxillofacial & Implant Surgery 908-218-0300 What are dental implants? A dental implant is a titanium screw that is placed in the jaw that acts as an anchor to support a single tooth, mul- tiple teeth or a denture. Why do people get dental implants? When someone would like to replace an infected or non-restorable tooth or has been missing a tooth for years, a dental implant can be used to replace a single tooth or multiple teeth or as an anchor to give a denture more sta- bility. Dental implants also preserve and maintain the volume of the jaw- bone in the area of the implant. How does the process work? There are two separate, but related components to the implant process. One is the restorative aspect and the second is the surgical aspect. The workup or planning prior to the place- ment of implants is the most important part of the entire process. The dentist placing the implants and the dentist restoring the implants will need to be in communication at the start of and throughout the process. The restorative dentist and the patient first discuss and decide what the goal of the treatment is, which can be as simple as having a single missing, infected or non-restorable tooth replaced, replacing multiple teeth or providing better stabilization for an existing denture. After this is deter- mined, the surgical workup is done, which involves evaluating the bone and soft tissue in the area to make sure they are healthy and of adequate vol- ume for an implant to be placed. This is usually done by a simple examination and an x-ray or in-office cat scan. If there is inadequate bone present, sometimes a minor bone grafting pro- cedure may be necessary either prior to or at the time of implant placement. After the implants are placed, there is usually a healing period of a few months. After this period the tooth, teeth or denture are fabricated and attached to the implants. Is the placement of dental implants time consuming and painful? The placement of a dental implant takes approximately 30 minutes and usually involves minimal pain. I tell my patients that the most painful part of the placement of the implant is the injection of the local anesthetic, or “novocaine.” If the patient prefers, the procedure can usually be performed under IV sedation where the patient will be asleep during the procedure. Pain medication is prescribed after- wards, however many times over the counter pain medication is all that is needed. Most patients will return to work the following day. Are dental implants covered by insurance and are they expensive? Insurance coverage for dental implants varies depending on the insurance plan. Some plans may cover the entire cost, portions of it or none at all. This can all be clarified at the initial consul- tation appointment. The price for a dental implant and restoration is similar to the price of a bridge, which prior to dental implants was the standard method of replacing teeth. If patients prefer to finance their treat- ment, this is often an option. What is the success rate of implants and do they require any special long term care? The overall success rate of implants is 95%. Because implants are so pre- dictable many dentists believe that implants are the ideal option for replacing missing teeth. Though implants are not susceptible to cavities, implants do require good oral hygiene and regular visits to your den- tist to maintain their health. Will people be able to tell that I have an implant? No, the actual implant is located below the gums and the restorations that go on top of implants are identical to those that go over natural teeth.