Implants should be placed by an experienced dental surgeon and restored by a qualified dentist. Today, many dentists market themselves as experts in implantology having received relatively brief periods of formal training from private (non-university) institutions. This training primarily involves the use of videos, models and cadavers, with limited (if any) work performed on live patients. On the other hand, Dr. Bleckstein has acquired extensive clinical patient training in implantology from Northwestern University’s Center for Dental Implants. In his career, Dr. Bleckstein has placed over 4,000 implants and performed over 800 full mouth reconstructions. With an overall success rate of 95% and almost 50 years of clinical research to back them up, dental implants are frequently the best treatment option for replacing missing teeth. A dental implant designed to replace a single tooth is composed of three parts: (1) the titanium implant that fuses or integrates with the jawbone; (2) the abutment, which fits over the portion of the implant that protrudes from the gum line; and (3) the crown, which is created by a restorative dentist and fitted onto the abutment for a natural appearance. Rather than resting on the gum line like removable dentures, or using adjacent teeth as anchors like fixed bridges, dental implants are long-term replacements that your dental surgeon places into the jawbone.

Many people who are missing a single tooth have often chosen a fixed bridge to correct their problem; but a bridge may require the cutting of healthy, adjacent teeth (see below) that may or may not need to be restored in the future. Then there is the additional cost of possibly having to replace the bridge once, twice or more over the course of a lifetime. Similarly, a removable partial denture may contribute to the loss of adjacent teeth. Studies show that within five to seven years there is a failure rate of up to 30% in teeth located next to a fixed bridge or a removable partial denture.

Fixed bridges usually require the reshaping or cutting down of adjacent healthy teeth in order to replace the missing tooth.

Additionally, conventional dentures may contribute to the further loss of bone in the area where teeth are missing. As illustration (a) indicates below, the presence of natural teeth preserves the jawbone. When teeth are missing, as in illustration (b), the bone shrinks with time and weakens until it may be necessary for your dental surgeon to graft bone to the area to strengthen it for placement of a dental implant.

Bone is maintained by the presence of natural teeth or implants (a). Bone loss occurs with the loss of teeth (b).

When a missing tooth is replaced by a dental implant, the fusion or integration of the implant and bone provides stability, just as the natural tooth did. If you are missing several teeth in the same area of your mouth, you may still enjoy the confidence and lifestyle benefits that come with dental implants. Dr. Bleckstein will place two or more dental implants, depending on the number of teeth that are missing. Your replacement teeth will be attached to the implants to allow excellent function and prevent bone loss. The implants will serve as a stable support that tightly locks into your replacement teeth, preventing your artificial teeth from slipping and stop bone loss from occurring in your jaw.

What Happens to Your Jaw After Your Teeth Are Lost?

This photo demonstrates the "atrophy" or progressive deterioration of the jaw which takes place after the teeth are lost. The top model in this photo illustrates a complete lower jaw with all of the teeth in place; notice the large amount of bone in this jaw. As you descend from the model at the top of this picture to the bottom, you can see the significant amount of bone which is progressively lost after the teeth have been removed. This deteriorating process of bone loss can be prevented by the placement of dental implants soon after the original teeth are lost.