Dental Implants

Dental implants are bionic tooth roots. They are usually stronger than natural teeth. Natural teeth are supported by a ligament around the tooth and the ligament interfaces between the tooth root and bone. Bone fuses to most modern dental implants, and have no movement at all. Natural teeth can have a little wiggle to them. Natural teeth can wiggle a lot if they lose bone around them, or are compromised with tooth gritting or clenching.

Dental implants can be placed to restore a single tooth with a custom implant post and crown. Two dental implants can support a bar with precision attachments, and then the placement of a snap-on removable over-denture. Multiple implants can support a large bridge replacing all of the teeth in either upper or lower jawbone.

Sinuses are in the upper jaw. These black holes usually drop with gravity, and minimize bone available for dental implants. However, sinuses can be lifted back up and bone grafting used to fill the sinus area. After healing, or in combination with the bone grafting, dental implants can be placed for anchor support.

Bone that is narrow in the lower jaw can also be grafted to later receive dental implants. There are few areas of the upper and lower jaw that cannot be benefited, when needed, with dental implants. Dental implants are supporting anchors for a single crown, a removable or fixed prosthesis (cemented or bolted).

Few dental insurance companies pay for dental implants. Often an insurance company will suggest they do not pay for implants because they are cosmetic treatments. This is not true, dental implants are primarily for the creation of support (an anchor) for a prosthetic device (crown, over-denture, cemented-on-bridge or bolted-on-bridge).

Dr. LuBovich was a pioneer in implant placement; he has and performs programs on implant dentistry to numerous dental societies across the USA on implant dentistry.

X-ray image of dental implant

Please see the attached newsletter for more information on a single dental implant post and crown restoration.