Dental Information Center

You Can Have Implant-Secured Dentures in Just One Hour

Periodontist Dr. Smith Alexandria VA, Waldorf MD

Typically, getting a new set of dentures can take several weeks, if not longer, and if implants are used to support the dentures, there is usually additional healing time for the implant procedure. The process usually involves the patient wearing a temporary plate while the new one is being constructed and fitting adjustments are just a part of the process. Now, however, with a revolutionary concept called Teeth-in-an-Hour™ fully functioning dentures that are secured on dental implants can be placed in one single procedure that lasts about an hour.

Before this new technology, not everyone was a good candidate for dental implants, but with this new procedure, even patients who have suffered bone or tissue loss may benefit from implant-supported dentures as well as patients who have had implant failures for a variety of reasons. The best candidates for this procedure are patients who are in good health, are non-smokers and have a sufficient enough mouth opening to allow the guide to be placed for the procedure.

In the first step of the process, your dentist determines if you are a good candidate for the procedure. Then a CAT scan or computer tomography is taken of your jawbone to determine the contour. From this scan, a three-dimensional (3-D) model of your jawbone is generated and will be reformatted on the computer. The computer generation and scanning helps to ensure that the implanted teeth will be a perfect fit.

It typically takes one to two visits before the day of the surgery to prepare for the implants. With the use of virtual reality software, the 3-D model is used to plan the placement of the implants without you, the patient, being there. This process results in less chair time for you as well as a more accurate placement of the implants which helps ensure success.

On the day that your implant-supported dentures are placed, a computer guided surgery template maps the placement of the implant devices and up to 28 teeth can be implanted at one time. Because the placement of the implants is simulated with the use of specialized software, the dentist is able to “visualize all the crucial anatomical structure digitally,” which ensures success and enhances safety.

The computer-guided surgery is done in an arthroscopic fashion without requiring any incision or cuts into the gum. Because the procedure is minimally invasive, the healing process is much faster and as the patient, you will experience less post-operative discomfort along with less swelling and bruising. Most patients can typically resume their normal activities the next day.

Losing teeth impacts the way a person looks, feels, speaks and eats. And when all of the teeth are lost, which according to statistics happens to twenty-six percent of adults by the age of seventy-four, the process of getting dentures can be time-consuming and emotionally draining. Plus, dentures can be uncomfortable and awkward to wear. With the Teeth-In-An-Hour™ system, the dental prosthesis becomes a permanent part of your mouth, which restores the ability to bite and chew just the way you did with your natural teeth. Since the implanted teeth do not cover the roof of your mouth, they will not impede the taste buds that reside there, resulting in the ability to better taste food than you can with traditional dentures.

Resources

http://www.teethinonehour.org
http://specialdentalgroup.com/blog/2009/08/teeth-in-an-hour-dental-implants

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