What is a dental implant?
Essentially, a dental implant is nothing more than a man made titanium root replacement that in surgically placed in the bone. Once this implant is healed into place, a tooth can be built on top of it or it can be used as a very strong anchor to support a denture. The technology to accomplish this has been around for over 60 years, but the last 20 years have seen a rapid improvement of the materials and techniques necessary to make it an everyday, predictable procedure.
How long do they last?
The simple answer: A long time! That is their great advantage. When you look at all the research available you find approximately a 95% success rate over 30-40 years. The 5 % of people who have one not work out (it usually happens in the first year) still have a 95% chance of success on the second try. After that initial period of healing and acceptance by they body dental implants are the closest thing we have to a permanent solution to a lost tooth. Failure of the materials is very rare.
Does it hurt?
With the techniques we use it is common for our patients to report some, but very little discomfort. Most patients say that it hurts less then having a tooth extracted and they have to take very little pain medication. Never the less, each person and each situation is different . We have a very well researched and balanced pain management protocol to make sure that your healing is as comfortable as it can be.
What are Doctor Wetherington qualifications to do this procedure?
All implant procedures require two basic phases, a surgical phase and a restoration phase. The general dentist always completes the restoration on top of the implant. Having a well trained general dentist do all phases of your implant treatment has many benefits in planning an implementation because there is no break down in communication between the oral surgeon, and the dentist making the restoration, and when the unexpected arises during surgery one person does not have to guess what the other person would like done. Never the less, there are some procedures that should be done by a specialist and when this is necessary we have some wonderful specialists in our area that we work closely with and you have the benefit of a dentist who fully understands all phases of your treatment.
Dr Wetherington’s experience both educationally and clinically have afforded him a robust background in managing surgical procedures in general. He completed a 1 year Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency where he spent 1 week per month working in the operating room side by side with oral surgeons at a hospital doing wisdom teeth extractions and assisting on facial reconstruction surgeries. Many general dentists do not provide implant surgery in their offices, and many that do have received training in a weekend course from a product manufacturer. When he wanted to add implant surgery to his repertoire he chose to go to the oldest and one of the most respected implant institutes in America: The Misch International Implant institute. It was a 5 month program with personal training by the most recognized face in American implant surgery. Implants are a routine procedure in our office.