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Titanium dental implants have long been available and now they are even stronger and easier to place!

Dental implants consist of a titanium post placed in the jawbone with a porcelain crown attached.

Historically, the placement of implants has been challenged for two reasons, 1. because two professionals were responsible for one outcome, and 2. because  traditional 2-dimensional x-rays have their limitations. 

Often the job of an implant was done by two Doctors: an Oral Surgeon placed the implant post and the General Dentist placed the crown.  The Dentist knew where the crown should end up but the Surgeon knew where the bone was and often placed the implant independant of where the crown would go.  Neither Doctor was wrong but, because the process was divided, the implants were frequently compromised for one reason or another.

Because x-rays are only a 2-dimensional image, they required a certain degree of “interpretation.”  They are also notorious for distortion which is why a measurement on an x-ray – whether film or digital – can’t be used for anything more than a guide that must be confirmed on the patient.  “Confirmed on the patient” means that, at the time of your implant surgery, the gums were cut back from the bone to help verify the measurements.  This method was not only less accurate, it also meant significant post-op pain and healing.

Now comes the advent of the 3-dimensional, highly accurate, low-radiation CT scan dedicated to the dental office.  This gives Dentists the information necessary to be confident when placing the implant, knowing it will be in exactly the right spot for the future crown.

Using specialized software that maps vital structures like nerves, an implant can be “virtually placed” in the patient’s image.  From here, a laboratory can fabricate a guide or template that fits the patient’s mouth.

With an accurate template that fits in the patient’s mouth, now the implant procedure is as easy as drilling a small hole and placing the implant.  Our patients with these procedures are often in and out of the office  around 30 minutes because all the guesswork has been removed.  Even better is they rarely have to take any pain medicine because the procedure is so non-invasive.  Because the implant was planned on the computer, we can also ensure that it is aligned with the future crown placement.

This is what 3D implant planning is all about and why we use it at our office.

Dr. Crosby