Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the soft and hard tissues of the jaw (mandible), the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent.
An Interview with Dr. Pedro J. Cuartas on Dental Implants
Dr. Pedro J. Cuartas is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Dental Implants.
Q. What are dental implants?
A. Dental implants are essentially artificial tooth root replacements.
Q. What are the benefits of dental implants?
A. There are many benefits of dental implants. WIth a dental implant it is possible to replace either a singe missing tooth or multiple missing teeth without having to depend or even touch the remaining teeth at all. The teeth can then either be made to stay in permanently or be removable depending on the patient’ s goals and how many teeth are being replaced. Dental implants also replace the function of missing tooth roots and in doing so help maintain ideal bone structure of the jaw and face. Dental implants will not form tooth decay around them either. For denture patients who suffer with loose and sore dentures, implants help anchor them firmly so patients find an increased quality of life.
Q. How long does an implant last?
A. A dental implant may last from several years up to a lifetime depending on the location of the implant, health of the patient, and other factors such as smoking.
Q. What are implants made of?
A. Implants are made of surgical grade titanium. This is essentially the same material used by orthopedic surgeons. Titanium is used because it is extremely biocompatible. This simply means that the human body likes the material and does not see it as a foreign body, and therefore does not want to reject it. Very few people have reported issues with rejection or allergy to the implants.
Q. Who is a candidate for implants?
A. Anyone past their growing years who is generally healthy would be a good candidate for dental implants. Some patients who may potentially have lower success rates with dental implants may be uncontrolled diabetics, heavy smokers, or patients who have received radiation treatment to their head or neck for cancer treatment. With only a few exceptions, most people are candidates for dental implants.
Q. How are dental implants placed?
A. Dental implants are usually placed with some local anesthetic (like for someone having a filling done). The jaw bone where the implant will be placed does not have any nerve sensation, only the gum tissue around the area has sensation. The local anesthetic is actually for the gums, not the bone. Some patients choose to have some form of sedation used if they are particularly anxious, but most patients do incredibly well with local anesthetic alone.
Once the area is temporarily numbed, a small opening is created at the intended implant site. A pilot space for the implant is made and the implant is gently placed in the space created.
Q. How long does it take?
A. After anesthesia is achieved it will usually take about 25 to 45 minutes to actually place a typical dental implant in a routine case. A bit more time would be required as the number of implants placed rises or if there are other anatomical factors to consider during implant placement.
Total treatment time from implant placement to permanent (final) tooth restoration may vary from about 2 to 6 months depending on various factors usually involving bone density (quality) and bone availability (quantity).
Dental implants truly offer the latest in modern dentistry.
Q. How to contact Dr. Cuartas if we have further questions?
A.
Address:
600 Valhi blvd.
Houma, LA 70360
Phone:(985)872-3677
Email:cuartasdentalgroup@hotmail.com
Website: http://houmadental.com/
