Dental Implants | Park City, Salt Lake City, Midway & Heber, UT
Every tooth is composed of two parts — the crown and the root. Your crown is the visible part of your tooth, and the root remains unseen while holding your tooth in place.
When a tooth is lost, you immediately begin to lose the part of your jawbone that held the tooth in. You might not feel any different or notice it happening, but the bone is lost quickly. Another bad thing that begins to happen right away is that your other teeth shift to fill the space left by the missing tooth. This not only causes your bite to be wrong, but this can also make you look a lot older than you are as your face begins to collapse. Replace your teeth with dental implants from Dr. Paul Peterson at Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry in Park City, Salt Lake City, Midway and Heber City, UT.
Call to Schedule an Appointment Today – (435) 503-8841
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are far and away from the best option for replacing a missing tooth. The name dental implant actually comes from the anchor portion of the entire tooth, the implant. Implants are made of titanium or ceramic and are shaped like a screw. They are screwed down into the hole formerly occupied by the tooth root. Atop the implant, a post, called the abutment, is attached and an artificial tooth atop that. The three parts make up the dental implant. Once in place, a dental implant behaves and looks just like a natural tooth. For most patients, their new dental implant will last the remainder of their life.
Replace missing teeth with dental implants
Dental implants are used if you need to replace your entire tooth, including both the crown and the root. Dental implants are as permanent a solution for your tooth loss that we have to offer.
Dental implants involve reconstructing your missing teeth along with their supporting structures. The technology, skills, and materials have advanced to a point where dental implants are predictable and long-lasting.
Your dental implants will look and feel as much like your natural teeth as possible. Dental implants allow you to speak, eat, and smile with renewed confidence.
If you are considering having dental implants placed, a good place to start is with Dr. Peterson in Park City, UT. In many cases, he will be able to place the dental implants and put the crown on the implant. With the materials and techniques that Dr. Peterson has used for the past 10+ years, he is able to restore your tooth with a crown on the implant in 5-6 weeks instead of the traditional wait of 4-6 months. Sometimes he will work with an oral surgeon or periodontist that places the dental implants. Dr. Peterson will plan the case so that the dental implants are placed in the ideal location for a terrific esthetic and functional final result.
Ideal candidates for dental implants
Dental implants have been used to restore teeth for people of all ages. You need to have healthy bones and gums, and sufficient bone to support the implant. Other health factors to consider include chronic diseases. For example, diabetes can affect healing. Dr. Peterson will make sure you meet all the criteria during your personal evaluation before making any recommendations.
What materials are dental implants made from?
Swedish orthopedic surgeon Per-Ingvar Branemark was the inventor of the modern dental implant. In the 1960s, he was researching bone healing in rabbits. In one case, he had used titanium components to stabilize a bone. When he went in to remove the components, he found the healed bone had grown all around the titanium, making it a part of the bone. From there, he developed the first dental implant in 1965.
The majority of implants have been made from titanium because, as mentioned above, the body fully accepts and grows around the titanium implant, making it a part of the jawbone. The only problem, albeit minor, is that gum tissue doesn’t always adhere to titanium as effectively.
That’s why ceramic implants have been added. The jawbone grows around these newer options in the same way as titanium. The difference is that the gum tissue adheres better, an important difference. Dr. Peterson uses predominantly ceramic implants in his Park City practice for that reason.
Ceramic vs. titanium dental implants
As discussed above, titanium implants have been the standard for almost 60 years, but recently zirconia ceramic implants have been gaining ground with many dentists and prosthodontists. Both options are great, featuring success rates in the high 90 percentiles. But Dr. Peterson believes ceramic implants are superior. Here’s why:
- Many patients don’t like the idea of placing metallic medical devices in their bodies. Hence the move away from silver amalgam fillings to composite resin fillings to address decay in teeth. Titanium is metal, and some patients don’t want it in their mouths.
- Beyond patient aversion, there is a question of gum recession away from titanium implants. This happens when the gum tissue simply will not tighten down over the top of the implant base. In some cases, the upper part of the grey titanium base can be seen.
- Ceramic implants have the obvious advantage of being white versus the grey of titanium. If patients have thin or delicate soft tissue, or in cases of recession, a white implant looks like a natural tooth, not like a piece of grey metal. Studies have proven that zirconia implants lead to better tissue attachment. They also have a lower affinity for attracting and retaining plaque when compared to titanium.
For these reasons, Dr. Peterson now uses predominantly zirconia ceramic implants from the Straumann Company in his practice.
What are the benefits of using Straumann technology for my dental implants?
The Straumann Dental Implant System is a single system that incorporates all of the necessary elements, giving Dr. Peterson excellent flexibility in implant sizes and styles. The Straumann Company is known for innovation in the design and fabrication of today’s most advanced implants, including zirconia implants. Dr. Peterson appreciates these aspects of Straumann Implants.
- They are backed by science — Straumann has been at the forefront of the dental implant world since the first days of implants. The company has made numerous scientific and technological achievements in the fields of surface technology, high-performance implant materials, and oral regeneration.
- Swiss quality and innovation — Straumann products are well-known through the dental world for their qualify and precision. The company constantly seeks innovation, most recently in its SLActive implant surface and high-strength Roxolid implant material.
- Reliability and integrity — Straumann products have been thoroughly tested and validated in preclinical and clinical studies. Their dedication to scientific discovery and ethics provides trust and confidence for dentists such as Dr. Peterson.
- Over 14 million implants out there — Clinicians in over 70 countries have purchased and placed more than 14 million Straumann Dental Implants.
Dental Implants Patient Case
Leonard presented to our office with this lower tooth broken off at the bone level. Dr. Peterson explained what would be involved to reconstruct what was left of the tooth versus replacing the tooth with a dental implant. After consideration of his options, Leonard chose to invest in dental implants and have the badly broken tooth replaced. Dr. Peterson was able to remove the tooth and place the dental implant on the same day. The photos you see are of the custom abutment and porcelain crown that was placed after a brief healing period.
What is the dental implant procedure?
Not everyone can have a dental implant, at least not immediately. If a person has been missing a tooth or teeth for some time, the jawbone below the gap may have resorbed to the point that there isn’t enough bone mass to safely hold the implant. In that case, the jawbone will need to be built back up with bone grafts before an implant can be placed. Otherwise, just about any adult of any age can have an implant.
The implant process involves four distinct steps:
- Implant placement — Dr. Peterson first anesthetizes you. Then he exposes the jawbone. If needed, he drills a tiny hole into the socket that held the former tooth root. Now the ceramic or titanium implant is screwed down into the socket.
- Osseointegration — The second step is what separates implants from other replacement options. Once the implant is placed, the jawbone is allowed to grow around the implant, making it part of the jaw. This process, called osseointegration, takes from three to six months.
- Attaching the post — Once your jawbone has adopted the implant you return and we attach a post, called an abutment, to the implant. Now it’s time for your gums to heal for approximately six more weeks. In some ceramic implants, the abutment is attached to the implant base, eliminating this step.
- Attaching the false tooth — When your gums have healed, you’re ready to have the crown (false tooth) attached to the post. Dr. Peterson uses only porcelain crowns in his practice, so it will beautifully match your surrounding teeth and provide unparalleled strength and durability. Once he attaches the crown, you can go out and immediately enjoy your new tooth.
Alternatives to dental implants
Dental implants are often used in place of a dental bridge or partial denture, spacer, or dentures.
Advantages of dental implants
Dental implants have the distinct advantage of being the most permanent of these choices and feel and function like natural teeth. They also help preserve bone tissue, the shape of the arch, and facial fullness. While they require good oral hygiene, they are less hassle than removable options, and, certainly, are not going to get lost.
What is the success rate for dental implants?
Dental implants have the highest success rate of any dental restoration. When placed into the jawbone of patients with sufficient jawbone mass, implants are around 95 percent successful. The extensive experience of Dr. Peterson with the placement of dental implants virtually assures you’ll enjoy your new tooth for decades to come.
What are the risks of dental implants?
These are very low-risk procedures. Of course, there is a risk of infection, but this is minimal. The biggest risk is that the implant will not fully integrate into the jawbone, but Dr. Peterson makes sure your jawbone mass is capable of successfully holding the implant. If it isn’t, he will first add bone graft material to build up the jawbone mass prior to placing the implant.
Patient Testimonial
“Dr. Peterson is a huge resource and superb professional in every sense. His ability to provide controlled arch orthodontics is where I wish we would have begun our dentistry focus; his services are excellent.” – Gina I.
“Best dentist I have ever been to. The staff is great! Dr. Peterson is always great, provides clear explanations and stats ahead of the curve with the latest technology and techniques.”– Scott M.
Schedule a Consultation Today!
Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry proudly provides Park City, Salt Lake City, Heber, Midway, Duchesne, Vernal, UT and the surrounding areas with advanced dental implants. Call today for your consultation at (435) 503-8841 or complete a Contact Form here!