Category: Dental Implants

A dental implant is a metal post that is inserted surgically into your jaw in place of the original tooth root. It’s a tooth replacement that serves as an alternative to either dentures or dental bridges. Rather than other solutions that sit on the surface of your mouth, dental implants are inserted in place of the original root, making dental implants a more permanent option.

How is it made?

            Dental implants are commonly made from titanium, a metal that is not harmful to living tissue and is easily accepted by the body. A metal rod is formed from the titanium and inserted in place of the original root of the tooth. The rod then fuses with the bone and becomes like the original root. The implant serves as a durable foundation for a replacement tooth.

Pros of dental implants

•         Longer lasting- other options for teeth replacement often don’t last as long, they can typically last 5-10 years before needing replacing. With proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime.
•         Like natural teeth- because dental implants are inserted surgically in place of the original root they act like your natural teeth. So, you can retain your beautiful smile without needing to worry about the sliding that can be common with dentures.
•         No cavities- You cannot get cavities in a dental implant. Although it is important to continue to take care of your mouth, have regular checkups with your dentist and keep your gums and mouth clean.
•         Protect your natural teeth- Dental implants do not rely on surrounding teeth for support, they are a separate entity like your natural teeth. So, no grinding will occur with your natural teeth as needs to be done to insert a bridge.
•         Best thing after your natural teeth- Other tooth replacements can lead to problems with your smile, eating, speaking, and other everyday activities. This is not the case with dental implants, they function and you can treat them as your other teeth.

            Dental implants are not commonly covered by insurance, so talk to your insurance provider and your Dr. Silberg before deciding if a they are an option you wish to go with. However, do keep in mind that dental implants are a cost-effective solution as it is a one-time procedure that won’t need to be redone or replaced in the future. Schedule an appointment with The Silberg Center for Dental Science if you are looking for dental implants in Pittsburgh, we can help you decide if they are right for you!

If you recently enhanced your smile with beautiful dental implants from Dr. Silberg, it is important to properly care for them. Caring for your implants will ensure that they will be able to serve their function as replacements for your natural teeth for many years to come. Dental implants are an investment and can take up 12 months to fully complete, and while they are quite tough, implants care not invincible. They can bend, break, or become infected if they are not cared for properly. Luckily caring for your dental implants is quite similar to caring for your actual teeth. Here are some tips and tricks from the Silberg Center for Dental Science to keep a strict regiment of good oral hygiene.

What can you do to care for your implants?

• Brush your teeth twice a day, and after meals if necessary.
• Remember to floss your teeth twice a day as well, and if you get any food particles stuck in your teeth. Use implant specific floss or unwaxed tape to protect your implants and surrounding gums.
• Only use floss to remove food particles from your teeth, not your fingernails, string, etc.
• Visit the dentist regularly to check on your oral health as well as the health of your implants. Right after you your implants, it is important to go to every follow up appointment your surgeon and continue to see your dentist about twice a year.
• Avoid abrasive toothpaste ingredients (such as baking soda), and hard-bristled toothbrushes.
• Rinse your mouth with mouthwash twice a day.

What can happen if you don’t care for your implants?

If you don’t take care of your implants, it is possible from them to develop problems such as bleeding (otherwise known as mucositis), infections, implant looseness, etc. Improper care of your implants can eventually lead to gum or even bone loss. Bone loss is irreversible, and it may be necessary to remove the implant if the problem progresses too far.

Remember that you can achieve optimal oral health with proper care. If you have any more questions about taking care of your dental implants or any other dental questions, call us today at (412) 888-0097 and you can set up an appointment with Dr. Silberg to help keep your implants and mouth happy and healthy

Losing a tooth can be embarrassing and debilitating, especially if the tooth loss occurred in a visible area. Although many people are tempted to opt for a less expensive dental bridge to fill the void, a modern single tooth implant offers a better range of benefits.

Missing a Tooth? Problems With Bridges

Tooth loss does more than give your smile a gapped look. When you talk and chew with your natural teeth, they stimulate the area within the socket, which helps the jawbone to stay strong and healthy. Unfortunately, when a tooth goes missing, the jaw doesn’t receive this stimulation, and the bone can start to resorb, or melt away. Over time, this bone loss can weaken the rest of the periodontal arch, putting your other teeth at risk. However, Pittsburgh dental implants recreate this natural stimulation, keeping your jaw healthy and strong, which protects your arch and your face shape.

Another problem with dental bridges is that they can put extra strain on the neighboring teeth. Because they are typically supported with a retainer or permanent metal brackets, bridges put pressure on the supporting teeth when you chew or clench your teeth. But, dental implants are independently supported, allowing the neighboring teeth to stay strong and healthy.

For these reasons, a single dental implant is better than a bridge.

Single Tooth Implant: Other Benefits

Protecting your teeth isn’t the only benefit of dental implants. Here are just a few other reasons that dentists prefer dental implants for their patients.

• • Confidence

    Because removable bridges can slip or fall out, they can make some people worried about eating certain foods during the day—especially in social settings. On the other hand, dental implants are strongly anchored into your jawbone, improving your confidence.

  • Improved Appearance

    Specialists designed dental implants to mimic the contours, color, and opacity of your natural teeth. That way, nobody will know that you’ve had dental repairs.

  • Simpler, More Effective Dental Hygiene

    Dental implants don’t need any special care other than routine brushing and flossing. This means that you can keep the rest of your teeth clean and healthy—without adding chores to your daily hygiene routine.

Talk With Your Dentist About Dental Implants Today

If you need to have a tooth replaced, make an appointment with Dr. Silberg today to talk about dental implants. Besides enjoying a beautiful, stable smile, we might surprise you with how natural dental implants feel. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.

Did you know that there aren’t any laws prohibiting dentists from practicing outside of their specialty in the United States? This means that the general dentist down the street might also offer complex endodontic procedures or dental implants—even if they aren’t qualified to do so. Unfortunately, when it comes to receiving dental implants, working with the right dental professional is crucial for your long term success. Here are just a few of the reasons you should only work with a periodontist to receive dental implants.

Extra Training

General dentists receive four years of dental school training that covers a broad range of dental techniques, including dental implants. However, this training isn’t comprehensive and may not include all of the latest information about the procedure, which is why periodontists go to school for an additional three years outside of normal dental school to hone their skills.

During their periodontal residency, periodontists work alongside certified professionals to master the art of placing implants in the safest, most aesthetically pleasing way. To become a licensed periodontist, applicants have to pass rigorous physical and written exams to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. For patients, working with a periodontist means receiving the best level of dental care and giving your implants the best chance of success.  

More Implant Placements

Since Pittsburgh implant dentists specialize in the treatment planning, placement, and maintenance of dental implants, they are simply more familiar with the procedure than dentists who only handle the procedure once in awhile. Additionally, periodontists who specialize in dental implants may have a broader range of implants, abutments, and temporary crowns in stock, helping you to maintain your comfort and appearance throughout the process.

Familiarity With Treatment Planning and Complications

When general dentists fail to place implants successfully, they typically refer patients to periodontists, which means that dental implant professionals see and treat a wide variety of complications. In addition to helping these experts to understand dental implant risks and how to prevent them, familiarity with dental implants also allows professionals to plan treatments more effectively with new patients.

Prevention of Gum Disease

During their formal training, periodontists also study gum disease control, treatment, and prevention very carefully, helping these experts to protect the rest of your natural teeth. If you have lost teeth due to prior decay or problems with gum disease, working with a periodontist might help you to prevent ongoing problems or spot issues early.

If you are interested in meeting with a periodontist to learn more about dental implants, contact the Silberg Center for Dental Science. Dr. Silberg is currently accepting new patients, and would love the chance to help you to make over your smile.

Although dental implants themselves aren’t prone to tooth decay, the tissues surrounding the implant can become inflamed and distressed due to poor dental hygiene. This condition is called peri-implantitis, and the signs include swelling, bleeding, redness, and pus formation in the gum tissue surrounding the implant. As a natural response to this stimulation, the bone tissue underneath the implant starts to resorb, which can eventually cause implant failure.

Peri-Implantitis: Gum Disease Surrounding An Implant

Peri-implantitis has multiple phases, just like traditional gum disease. In its initial phase, the gum tissue around the implant becomes infected or inflamed. This stage is called peri-musositis, and it is caused by excess biofilm in the mouth or too much dental cement between the implant and the post. Unfortunately, if peri-musositis is left untreated, it can progress into a deeper infection that extends clear into the jaw tissue. Over time, this infection can loosen the implant from the newly formed bone around the post, creating a loose or missing tooth.

Although this condition is rare and over 95% of dental implant surgeries are successful long term, it is crucial for patients to focus on following doctor’s orders following implant surgery. Another great way to improve your chances of long term success is by only working with a periodontist, a dental professional with an additional three years of specialized training in gum disease management and the placement of dental implants.

Improve Your Chances of Implant Success

As a periodontist who has years of experience placing dental implants in Pittsburgh, Dr. Mark Silberg understands how to protect your newly placed teeth. One of the most essential things for patients to do when they receive implants is to maintain great oral hygiene and to attend their follow-up appointments. During these appointments, Dr. Silberg will check your teeth and gums carefully for the signs of inflammation and peri-implantitis.

Since research has shown that people who have dealt with periodontal disease in the past may be at a higher risk for peri-implantitis, Dr. Silberg will make sure that your teeth and gums are healthy enough for surgery before placing the implants. Patients with prior issues will also be monitored carefully after placement to ward off problems. If there are signs of peri-implantitis, Dr. Silberg will treat the condition proactively by cleaning the area and cleansing the location with antibiotics. In rare instances, additional surgeries may be required to remove diseased tissue and improve implant adhesion. For more information about preventing peri-implantitis, make an appointment with Dr. Silberg today.

 

Modern dental implants are the gold standard for tooth replacement due to their durability and flawless appearance, but it hasn’t always been this way. Dental implants have come a long way over the last 4,000 years or so. Here is a brief history of dental implants and what you can expect from the modern-day variety.

Ancient Solutions for Missing Teeth

Archeologists have discovered many varieties of ancient dental implants, ranging from carved pieces of pig bone to pieces of wood. Research suggests that the Chinese carved pieces of bamboo into tooth shapes and implanted them into people’s mouths as early as 4000 years ago, and false iron teeth have been found in Celtic graves in France from 2300 years ago. Unfortunately, these early renditions of dental implants were likely laden with problems ranging from material poisoning to serious infections.

As time went on, other medical professionals experimented with implants made from actual bone, including teeth extracted from cadavers and teeth purchased from the poor. Unfortunately, even these types of implants were destined for failure, since natural tooth replacement requires proper blood flow and matching anatomical features. Also, since these early implants didn’t always fuse with the natural bone tissue, research has shown that they were likely to fall out.

Osseointegration: an Accidental Discovery

Osseointegration, which is the process by which natural bone tissue fuses with an implant, was accidentally discovered in 1952 by an orthopaedic surgeon who was studying healing and regeneration in rabbits. The surgeon was inserting titanium rods into rabbit femurs to see how the area would heal, and he realized that after a while, he couldn’t remove the rods because the titanium had fused with the bone tissue.

The Invention of Modern Dental Implants

Per-Ingvar Bränemark, the surgeon who discovered osseointegration, continued his research and installed his first dental implant in a live human volunteer in 1965. Per-Ingvar Bränemark is considered the father of modern dental implants, and many of his initial findings and techniques are still used today. For example, modern dental implants still use a titanium post because of its unique ability to osseointegrate with bone tissue. Bränemark also designed the first dental implant surgical procedure, including instructions for placing the initial posts, allowing the area to heal, and installing oral prostheses later.

Dental implant research continues to improve, and modern implants have extremely high success rates when installed by a certified Pittsburgh periodontist, a specialist who receives an extra three years learning about the intricacies of dental implant surgery. Contact the Silberg Center for Dental Science to learn more about dental implants in Pittsburgh.

If you’ve experienced tooth loss, chances are you’ve thought about restoring your smile with dental implants. Dental implants are the healthiest, longest-lasting way to replace missing teeth, whether you need a single tooth or a whole row. They look and feel completely natural, and with proper care they can last a lifetime. But receiving implants can be a long journey. Read on to learn about the process.

1. Evaluation: Before placing your implants, Dr. Silberg will conduct a thorough examination.  This examination consists of taking x-rays, which allow the dentist to see beyond your teeth themselves to the bone structure that would support an implant; assessing the depth of your jawbone as well as the position of other facial structures, like the sinuses, to determine how and where to place implants; and checking for gum disease or taking dental impressions to evaluate your bite.
2. Preparatory procedures: In some cases, the evaluation will reveal that it is not safe to place implants right away. For example, because tooth loss can lead to the disintegration of supporting bone in the jaw, some patients may not have sufficient bone remaining in their jaw to stabilize an implant. In this case, bone grafts must first be performed in order to add mass to the jawbone. These grafts can take months to heal before the implant can be placed. In other cases, the sinuses may be too close to the upper teeth, and a sinus lift will be necessary to make room for the implant.
3. Placing the post: This is the first stage of the actual surgery. The post is a titanium screw-like device that replaces the root of the tooth. It is placed completely under the gum, which protects the post from force while it heals.
4. Adding the abutment: After the post has had time to bond completely with the bone, the top of the post is exposed and connected with an abutment. The abutment is the mechanism that links the post to the crown. After this, the gum is given time to heal around the abutment.
5. Finishing with a crown: The final step in the implant process is placing the crown, the replacement tooth that is custom made to precisely match your natural teeth. The crown attaches securely to the abutment, and with proper care, it never needs to be replaced.

Looking for top-quality implant dentistry in Pittsburgh, PA? Schedule a consultation at the Silberg Center for Dental Science to find out if implants are right for you.

At The Silberg Center For Dental Science, we are on a mission to help people find a better solution for missing teeth. Dental implants are a permanent tooth replacement that will keep you comfortable when you eat, smile, or laugh. As part of our mission, we want to educate you about all your implant options. What’s best for you will depend on the details of your dental health; but we can at least give you an idea of what possibilities there are for dental implants in Pittsburgh.

Traditional dental implants for single teeth

Generally, getting implants takes multiple visits. On the first visit we will give you an exam, ask about your dental history, take impressions of your teeth, and discuss your treatment options. Usually, the root portion of your implant is placed during your next visit, topped with temporary crowns until the root fully fuses with your jaw bone. Sometimes a visit is needed to secure an abutment, or connector, to the implant. This abutment in turn connects to your permanent crown. There are also implants in which the post and abutment are one piece, placed at the same time.

Traditional implants for fixed bridges

Even with traditional implants, there are many possible variations. If you are missing multiple teeth, you’ll have the option of choosing individual implants for each missing tooth or getting a single implant which will support a dental bridge. This is the less expensive option, and while it is not as close an imitation of your natural mouth structure, it is still an excellent choice for function and aesthetics.

Immediate Load Dental Implants

Immediate load dental implants are also known as same day implants. If you have strong enough natural bone, you can have an implant complete with temporary crown placed during a single visit; you’ll come back just once to receive your permanent crown, individually crafted to fit your mouth.

Mini Implants

For a less invasive option, talk with us about mini implants, which are smaller in diameter than traditional implants. We consider using mini implants when there is a need to secure a complete lower or loose denture. It is also an option for patients that can’t receive traditional implants.  

Subperiosteal Implants

If there isn’t enough jawbone to secure traditional implants and a bone graft is not an option, we offer subperiosteal implants. These implants are not secured in the bone, but are placed below your gumline and sit on top of the bone. While we’d prefer traditional implants where possible, these can be an excellent second choice.

Remember, the best option for you will depend upon the health and shape of your mouth. If you are looking in Pittsburgh for dental implants, please contact us today to learn more about your choices. We’ll answer your questions and help determine the treatment option that fits your situation.

Historically, the options for dental prosthetics have been limited. But today, if you need dentures, there are several options based on the way you want to secure them. The three main choices are natural suction, suction augmented with adhesives, and dental implants. Each has strengths, but there are also drawbacks to watch out for.

Natural suction has been around for some time, and has only improved through the years. Today it is usually achieved through soft silicone liner suction cups that are applied to the denture. There are many small suction cups that all work together to form a powerful grip using air pressure. They can also be added when relining existing dentures. This is a simple and inexpensive method.

Suction cups augmented with adhesives offer many of the benefits of adhesives, with the added benefit that the adhesive keeps them more firmly in place. They can also assist with dry mouth conditions that can interfere with denture cohesion. On the downside, adhesives can sometimes leave an unpleasant taste, texture, or sensation from adhesive materials that leak out from under the dentures. They can also hamper a dentist’s evaluation of gums and tissue, and the area’s adjustment to dentures. Finally, dental adhesives can expose patients to excess zinc, with detrimental effects on their health.

The last option is in many ways the best. Implant-supported dentures are known to be the most stable type, and rarely if ever come loose. Dental implants are placed in your jawbone itself, which helps stimulate the bone to maintain volume and density, preserving your appearance and health. With as few as six implants total, you can have an entire set of upper and lower dentures with no need for other adhesive methods. Current dentures can also often be adjusted for use with dental implants.

Give us a call or click here if you have any questions about dental implants. Pittsburgh’s Silberg Center for Dental Science boasts a premier dental implant expert, and we would love to help you in any way we can.