Advances in implant dentistry
While dental implants have been around for decades, recent advances in technology and treatment protocols have made treatment more convenient, more effective, and more affordable; making implants the treatment of choice for missing teeth.
In addition, your ClearChoice Dental Implant Center team includes specialists in all new technologies working together for the mutual purposes of better treatment and better patient care.
New implant technologies
Over the past decade, dental implant manufacturers have made major advances in the design and effectiveness of dental implants. New and advanced coating technologies help implants better integrate with the surrounding bone for greater stability and long-term endurance. New shape and thread designs help implants to be more easily inserted, and become more stable upon placement. And new component designs allow greater flexibility in implant placement to maximize use of existing bone.
New 3D CAT Scanning technology
For decades, 2 dimensional x-rays have been the standard imaging used by dental professionals for diagnosis and treatment planning for dental cases.
In the last few years, new 3D CAT Scanning technology has been developed for use in dental applications, providing dentists and oral surgeons an entirely new level of information that is extremely valuable in treatment planning complex dental cases, particularly those involving implants. The 3D CAT Scan provides detailed data such as the density of bone that can be used to computer-model implant treatment before it is performed. This results in greater precision in both the placement of the implants to avoid nerves and sinuses and the development and placement of the new teeth.
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 Dr. Mark Adams (ClearChoice Dental Implant Center-Denver) discusses the importance to ClearChoice Doctors of 3D CAT Scanning technology.
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3D CAT Scanners cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and are rarely found in conventional dental offices. However, ClearChoice recognizes the extreme value of a 3D CAT Scan and has a machine in each of its centers. You may think of it this way: you wouldn't have a hip or knee replacement without a 3D CAT Scan--nor will you have any dental implants at ClearChoice without one either!
New treatment protocols
Traditionally, dental implants have been placed using what is called a “two-stage” treatment approach. In this approach, implants are typically placed by an oral surgeon, and then covered and left for up to six months to allow the bone to grow around the implant for stability (stage one). The process may even take longer if bone grafting is required prior to implant placement. Once the implant is stable, the surgeon uncovers the implant, places a healing abutment on top of the implant, and sends the patient off to a restorative dentist to begin the process of manufacturing and placing the new teeth (stage two). This could take another several months to complete, given that fittings and lab work are required.
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ClearChoice patient Deana discusses her experience with brand new teeth in just one day. ClearChoice patients always leave with teeth!
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Today, modern implant design and the use of 3D CAT Scans allow experienced dental professionals to insert the implants, and immediately place the new teeth on the implants. Research has shown that when properly applied, this one-stage approach results in as good or better implant success rates as the traditional two-stage approach.
As an example, Nobel Biocare, the world’s leading manufacturer of dental implants and components, has been at the forefront of the research and development of the one-stage implant approach. Nobel Biocare provides a full protocol for what it calls Immediate Function™ that is valid for all clinical indications and bone types. This simple protocol allows dental professionals to select and use the implants and give patients immediate and functioning teeth in one visit.
The benefits of Immediate Function are:
- Shortened treatment time (it is possible to go from tooth loss to having functional and aesthetic teeth in one treatment session),
- Better clinical efficiency,
- Greater patient comfort,
- The elimination of bone grafts and sinus lifts, and
- Patients always leave with teeth!
The All-on-4 technique for the full-arch replacement is a particularly effective Immediate Function protocol.
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