Patients in the Vancouver area who are unhappy with teeth that are chipped, broken, crowded, discoloured or have undergone root canal therapy are opting for dental implants by Dr. Vincent Yoshida, the Vancouver dentist. Dental implants help them eat and speak correctly, and give their self-esteem a boost. This can only help them socially and professionally.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are artificial crowns fixed to the jaw by posts and anchors. Crowns can be made of full porcelain, a metal such as gold, porcelain fused to gold or zirconia or synthetic resin. The post is implanted into the jawbone and fuses with it over months, though in some cases the post and crown can be installed at the same time. This is helpful when the teeth are in the front of the mouth. Some posts have threads that allow them to be implanted so snugly that the crowns can be fixed to them without osseointegration. Our Vancouver dentist calls this immediate loading, and it spares his patients being seen with obvious prosthetic teeth as their jaw heals.
The posts that Dr. Yoshida uses for dental implants are made of Nobel Biocare titanium. It’s a silvery metal that is both inert and biocompatible. This means it won’t corrode or rust when it comes into contact with the fluids in the mouth, and the body won’t reject it.
Who’s a Candidate for a Dental Implant?
A candidate for dental implants is in good health and has enough bone in their jaw to hold an implant securely. During the consultation, Dr. Yoshida takes the patient’s medical history and has X-rays taken. When it’s decided that the patient will undergo the implant procedure, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection after the surgery.
If the patient is nervous before the operation, sedation therapy is an option. They’ll be given Valium or another sedative the night before so they’ll be relaxed when they come into the dentist’s office in the morning. Then, just before the procedure, the dentist gives them a local anesthesia.
During the treatment, the post is inserted into a hole the dentist has drilled through the jawbone, which has been exposed through an incision in the patient’s gum. The post is then capped, and the gum is sutured together over it. The post and the bone then fuse into each other over the course of a few months. The stitches are removed after about 10 days, and the patient returns to the office at regular intervals to make sure that all is well.
When Dr. Yoshida sees that the bone and post are integrated, he reopens the gum, takes off the cap and inserts abutment cylinders over the post. He X-rays the patient’s jaw, and a life-like crown is created.
Call Dr. Vincent Yoshida
A person who is interested in dental implants Vancouver shouldn’t hesitate to call the offices of Dr. Vincent Yoshida for a consultation. The doctor is available for early morning consultations and takes all forms of insurance. Call 604-874-1221.