F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)

First, Dr. Slavin and our staff listen to you and your needs.

Second, we evaluate your dental health condition.

Third, we prescribe a treatment and timeline that fits your dental health needs and personal schedule.

Personalized Dental Implant Care is all about what you need as a patient and as a person.

 

Dental implants have given countless patients many amazing benefits.

• You will smile again
• Improved appearance
• Improved comfort
• Improved speech
• Eat better; enjoy more foods, better nutrition
• Convenience
• Improved self-esteem

Dental implants are also a great value for your investment. You will be getting a product that you will be using 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year, probably for many years of your life.

Dr. Slavin and his staff would be more than happy to discuss your candidacy as a dental implant patient either in consultation or over the phone.

There are some medical factors that might prevent a person from being a good candidate for dental implants. Some of these may be uncontrolled diabetes, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, parathyroid disorders, blood disorders, rare bone disorders or bone marrow cancer. Some physical factors may include insufficient or poor quality bone, low sinuses or nerve bundles.

The success of your implants will depend greatly on how well you maintain them. They will need to be professionally cleaned by a hygienist and examined by your implant dentist every three to four months. This hygienist should be trained in the specific procedure of maintaining dental implants. Also, brushing and flossing daily is absolutely necessary for long-term success.

No. An effective a local anesthesia, IV sedation, or general anesthesia is used during the surgery so that you do not have any discomfort during the placement of the implants. The mild discomfort you might experience after surgery can be controlled with medications.

Yes. Facial skeletal growth should be complete.   This occurs around age of 18 and as long as there is enough bone available in which to place the implants.

We will examine your dental health by evaluating your mouth and teeth and review as much medical and dental history available. Then we will perform some X-rays and possibly a CT scan. This is done to help us understand your bone density and the shape of your jaw.

For more information on the Dental implant surgery process, please review our article and video. 

You can go to work the next day, unless some particular surgical circumstance arises. Your implant dentist will discuss all postoperative instructions with you.

Long-term success depends on multiple factors. First off, success will depend on the quality and quantity of bone. The better the bone and the more available, the greater the chance of long-term success. Secondly, the experience and ability of the dental surgeon will be a factor. As with any surgical procedure, there is no substitute for the experience and individual talent of the dentist. And finally, the quality of the restoration placed on top of the implant will play a big role in long-term success. If the design of the implant crowns or over dentures are poorly constructed, and biting forces are not balanced, even the best-placed dental implant will have a compromised survival rate.