The practice of dentistry has been dramatically changed over the last 30 years by dental implants. Actually implants have been used for over 3000 years but in the last 30 years major advances have occured. We at Simpson Dental Associates have been placing and restoring implants for over 25 years.
Implants have given us so many opportunities to help people. The treatments available today give many options that were never available before. Talk to us to find out how implants may help you.
Call our office today to set up your appointment 304-342-6162.
A dental implant is a substitute for a missing tooth. 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.
For more detailed information, please click here to view one of our brochures.
Frequently Asked Questions on Implant Dentistry
Q. What are dental implants?
A. Dental implants are artificial, titanium substitutes for missing tooth roots. They are placed in the bone just like the tooth they are replacing. There are different designs for different applications.
Q. What are the advantages of implants?
A. 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.
Q. Can I expect discomfort with dental implants?
A. Most patients report little or no discomfort with the surgery required to 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.
Q. I’m still not sure about dental implants. What do you recommend?
A. We advise you to speak to someone who has had an implant procedure. 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!
A Guide to Dental Implants
Dental implants are small titanium pins that act as artificial tooth roots. Pictured below are the parts of a dental implant. 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.
Cone Beam CT Scanner
At Simpson Dental Associates, Dr. Mark Simpson 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 patients’ dental situations. 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,” Dr. Mark Simpson said. “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 1900s. 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. “I predict that in 10 years every dentist that is involved with implant dentistry will have to have this technology. Because of the large number of complex cases we treat, we decided sooner was better than later. Our patients deserve the very best!” Dr. Mark Simpson said.
Our office will provide imaging for other dentists 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.