Dental Implants in High Prairie
All over the world, new inventions have been tried and tested throughout history – some successful, some less so. From the invention of the first battle axe to the first automobile, we have learned with every iteration of the idea in order to inform the next. Eventually, we hope for a ‘break through’, unlocking the key to offering the best solution for the problem we are trying to solve – be it in the field of transportation, the medical field or problems which are philosophical in nature.
Modern dentistry is no different than other disciplines in the way that the practice has grown and evolved over time – from early days where dentists played roles as dental practitioners as well as the town’s blacksmith. Major advances in medicine were made once we understood how to make and utilize anesthetics. More crude versions of sedation and pain control took the form of liquor, ether or chloroform, and later developed more ability to offer local pain control with the discovery of cocaine. These days, it is possible to provide local freezing to a patient and reverse the freezing effect immediately following their procedure. Pain control has been a big win for providers and patients alike.
More recently, discoveries in implant technology have progressed rapidly after the breakthrough in osseointegration in 1952. At that time, a surgeon discovered the fusing together of titanium and bone when he examined a rabbit’s leg bone during lab testing. The implications were huge! For the first time, dentists saw a way to offer a dental implant that would integrate with the surrounding bone rather than be rejected by the body as a foreign object. To that point, dental implants had been tried as far back as 2000 BC (a bamboo implant in ancient china) and what followed was a series of iterations, none of which proved successful such as precious gems and seashells.
High Prairie Dental Dental’s friendly dental team makes it a priority for patients to experience their dental appointment as swiftly and comfortably as possible.
High Prairie Dental Centre is a full service dental clinic offering a wide range of procedures from general check ups to Invisalign and Wisdom Extractions.
Why Osseointegration Matters
Learning that we could fuse bone with titanium meant that we had an alternative to dentures – one that would behave and respond like a real tooth. Problems with dentures, although they are always reiterating also, are many. Although materials and structure have improved, a mouth without natural teeth is an ever-changing mouth. This is because once the jawbone stops feeling that deep pressure provided to it by the roots of the teeth driving pressure into them, the jaw stops receiving minerals to remineralize and keep its form and density within about 6 months of losing stimulation.
This is further understood if you know that human jaws are very, very strong. Would you believe that they are even stronger than an ape’s? True story. Although the apes have us beat in longevity, our bite in and of itself is stronger. Ask us to chew thick foliage all day for our sustenance, however, and the ape would have won the race in a matter of minutes. If this is true, it’s understandable that the jaw must expect and require, not a gentle stimulus from the teeth, but very strong pressure in order for it to remain strong and healthy. Dentures provide about ten percent of the bite force pressure of natural teeth, which results in changes to the jaws structure over time – and a denture wearer that rarely feels that their dentures fit properly.
Dental Implants
Whether you need one or several dental implants to replace your natural teeth, dental implants now offer the ability for patients to put their concerns about bone resorption to rest. These implants use a titanium rod to simulate an artificial root and secures the implant in the bone. The titanium rod is textured and threaded to encourage bone to integrate with it, and once it is healed the implant can be finished by attaching it to a false tooth (pontic) with an abutment.
An Investment in Your Long-Term Dental Health
Dental implants are costly investments to be sure, as a result of the skill required to perform the implantation procedure as well as the cost of associated material. Each individual dental implant cost can start around $3500 in Alberta, with full restorations costing I excess of $90,000.00. No doubt, these are costly items worthy of conversation with your dentist to weigh whether this is the right investment for you.
Full Mouth Restoration
If you are considering your options regarding full mouth restoration, you might consider asking your dental professional about all-on-four dentures. This configuration of implants uses four implants on each arch to anchor in a full set of prosthetic teeth, which can be made to match the shape and colour of your natural teeth or can be customized to improve the esthetic. Your dentist is best able to support you in your medical and dental journey if they are aware of your ultimate goals where it comes to your teeth. If you have questions about these or other services offered by our general dentists, contact our clinic today.
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