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A Dental Implant is a substitute for a missing tooth. Major advancement has been made in the field of Implant Dentistry over the last several years. In the past it took up to six months before a tooth could be attached to an implant. With new designs and techniques this time is often greatly reduced. In some situations teeth are attached to the implants the very same day. The length of time depends on several factors and is determined at the time of surgery. One of our doctors can determine the best sequence for your case.
1.) What are Dental Implants? Dental Implants are titanium artificial substitutes for missing tooth roots. They are placed in bone just like the tooth they replaced. There are different designs for different applications. 2.) What Advantage is an Implant? Because implants do not need other teeth for support they do not require attaching to adjacent teeth. They can be used to secure a denture or span an area where there are several missing teeth. They are also the ideal replacement for a single missing tooth. 3.) Can I Expect Discomfort with Dental Implants? Most patients report little or no discomfort with the surgery required too place the Implants. Most return to work the next day. Complex cases may require a little more recovery time. You may feel a little pinch during the numbing but otherwise we predict you will be perfectly comfortable. 4.) Still Not Sure Speak to someone who has had an Implant procedure like you may need. Because we have so many satisfied Implant patients many agree to speak to other patients to answer questions. They are happy to share their experience. |
Dental implants are small titanium pins that act as artificial tooth roots. The left side of the drawing shows a natural tooth's root and crown. The right side shows a porcelain crown supported by dental implant. Notice how the shape of the implant is tapered, just like a natural tooth root. |
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Cone Beam CT Scanner
Simpson Dental Associates, Dr. Mark and Dr. Christen Simpson have acquired the first dental Cone Beam CT Scanner in the area. This new technology allows three dimensional images of the head and neck area for an accurate evaluation of our patient’s dental situation.
Never before has this technology been available in a dental office.
“We made a commitment several years ago to incorporate technology that would truly improve patient care”, said Dr. Mark Simpson. We want our patients to have access to the very best diagnostics, treatment planning and surgical care. This is the most significant advancement in technology since the dental x-ray nearly 100 years ago. We have had to look at two dimensional films since the early 1900’s. Now we can see an accurate 1:1 relationship of the actual anatomy of the patient in three dimensions.
The Cone Beam CT Scanner is a new dawn in dentistry. From the 3-D images we can construct exact models of a patient’s jaw and perform surgery on the model prior to performing the surgery on the patient. The result is more accurate planning and surgical treatment. Dr. Mark Simpson states, “I predict that in ten years every dentist that is involved with implant dentistry will have to have this technology. Because of the large number of complex case we treat we decided sooner was better than later. Our patients deserve the very best!”
Our office will provide imaging for other dentist’s in the area that, perhaps can not justify the cost of the Cone Beam CT Scanner themselves. We are happy to share the technology with anyone who can benefit from it. Our goal is to improve the quality of care of all West Virginians.
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