danya
November 2nd, 2004, 01:32 PM
ROSEMONT, Ill., Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost 70 percent of adults ages 35 to 44 have lost at least one permanent tooth to injury, tooth decay or gum disease. With memories of grandma's dentures resting in a glass of water still fresh in their minds, today's baby boomers are increasingly requesting dental implants to replace their missing teeth.
Dr. Daniel J. Daley, Jr., president of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, notes that oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States will place more than 500,000 dental implants during 2004, and even more in 2005. "Today many experts consider dental implants to be the standard of care for replacing missing teeth," he says. "After 20 years of successfully placing dental implants in people of all ages and physical conditions, the results are indisputable. Dental implants look, feel and, best of all, function almost like natural teeth."
Patients seeking dental implant therapy are frequently referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon by their general dentist. The oral and maxillofacial surgeon places the titanium implant into the jawbone where, over a period of months, it will actually fuse with the bone through a process called "osseointegration." Once the site has healed, the patient returns to the general dentist, who will attach the crown to the implant. Thanks to new cosmetic materials and techniques, the new implant and crown are often indistinguishable from adjacent teeth.
Aside from the aesthetic benefits, Dr. Daley points out that dental implants have a 95 percent success rate over 20 years or more. By comparison, fixed bridges have an 85 percent success rate for 10 years and 66 percent for 15 years. Further, dental implants do not harm adjacent teeth. Unlike fixed bridges, which require adjacent healthy teeth to be shaped or cut down in order to have a brace to hang onto, "osseointegrated" dental implants do not require additional support.
Even more important, dental implants preserve the jawbone and prevent bone loss. When a tooth is lost and not replaced, the jawbone will thin out and weaken over time. A dental implant that has fused with the bone acts like a natural tooth in preventing this from occurring. Most patients, however, appreciate the quality of life benefits offered by dental implants, which allow them to live confidently without worrying about slipping dentures or limiting their diet to certain foods.
For more than 20 years, oral and maxillofacial surgeons have been placing dental implants and helping patients whose physical conditions may have precluded them from being candidates for the procedure. This is possible because oral and maxillofacial surgeons have the education, training and experience to safely secure a single dental implant, several implants or a complete implant denture for the patient who has lost all of his teeth while addressing all possible complications.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons complete four years of dental school and a minimum of four-years in a hospital-based surgical residency program that includes extensive hospital and outpatient anesthesia training. They are specifically trained to treat conditions, defects, injuries and the aesthetic aspects of the mouth, teeth, jaws and face.
For more information about dental implants and the benefits of having them placed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, call 1-800-IMPLANTS, or visit http://www.aaoms.org .
The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the professional organization representing more than 7,000 oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States, supports its fellows/members' ability to practice their specialty through education, research, and advocacy. AAOMS fellows/members comply with rigorous continuing education requirements and submit to periodic office examinations, ensuring the public that all office procedures and personnel meet stringent national standards.
Source: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Dr. Daniel J. Daley, Jr., president of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, notes that oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States will place more than 500,000 dental implants during 2004, and even more in 2005. "Today many experts consider dental implants to be the standard of care for replacing missing teeth," he says. "After 20 years of successfully placing dental implants in people of all ages and physical conditions, the results are indisputable. Dental implants look, feel and, best of all, function almost like natural teeth."
Patients seeking dental implant therapy are frequently referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon by their general dentist. The oral and maxillofacial surgeon places the titanium implant into the jawbone where, over a period of months, it will actually fuse with the bone through a process called "osseointegration." Once the site has healed, the patient returns to the general dentist, who will attach the crown to the implant. Thanks to new cosmetic materials and techniques, the new implant and crown are often indistinguishable from adjacent teeth.
Aside from the aesthetic benefits, Dr. Daley points out that dental implants have a 95 percent success rate over 20 years or more. By comparison, fixed bridges have an 85 percent success rate for 10 years and 66 percent for 15 years. Further, dental implants do not harm adjacent teeth. Unlike fixed bridges, which require adjacent healthy teeth to be shaped or cut down in order to have a brace to hang onto, "osseointegrated" dental implants do not require additional support.
Even more important, dental implants preserve the jawbone and prevent bone loss. When a tooth is lost and not replaced, the jawbone will thin out and weaken over time. A dental implant that has fused with the bone acts like a natural tooth in preventing this from occurring. Most patients, however, appreciate the quality of life benefits offered by dental implants, which allow them to live confidently without worrying about slipping dentures or limiting their diet to certain foods.
For more than 20 years, oral and maxillofacial surgeons have been placing dental implants and helping patients whose physical conditions may have precluded them from being candidates for the procedure. This is possible because oral and maxillofacial surgeons have the education, training and experience to safely secure a single dental implant, several implants or a complete implant denture for the patient who has lost all of his teeth while addressing all possible complications.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons complete four years of dental school and a minimum of four-years in a hospital-based surgical residency program that includes extensive hospital and outpatient anesthesia training. They are specifically trained to treat conditions, defects, injuries and the aesthetic aspects of the mouth, teeth, jaws and face.
For more information about dental implants and the benefits of having them placed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, call 1-800-IMPLANTS, or visit http://www.aaoms.org .
The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the professional organization representing more than 7,000 oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States, supports its fellows/members' ability to practice their specialty through education, research, and advocacy. AAOMS fellows/members comply with rigorous continuing education requirements and submit to periodic office examinations, ensuring the public that all office procedures and personnel meet stringent national standards.
Source: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons