February 21, 2019

What You Need To Know About Dental Implants

Something to smile about: If, like most adults, you've lost a tooth, dental professionals can help. (NAPS)

(NAPSI)—Epidemiological studies referenced by the American College of Prosthodontists estimate that 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth and that 40 million are missing all their teeth. If you’re among them, there are a few facts you may find helpful.

The Preferred Method of Tooth Replacement

• Implant treatment is considered standard of care and has the best long-term success rate of any tooth replacement option.

• Dental implant treatment avoids compromising the long-term health of adjacent teeth and virtually stops the bone resorption or deterioration that occurs naturally when teeth are missing. The entire jaw starts to shrink when all the teeth in that arch are missing, and dentures can accelerate this bone loss.

• Scientific studies suggest that tooth-supported bridges are only 85 percent successful for 10 years and 66 percent successful at 15 years, whereas dental implants are over 95 percent successful for 30 to 50 years.

• Dental implants are not a commodity. Implant treatment involves surgery, and the expertise of the doctors providing treatment should be the most important consideration--not cost. Cutting corners, or lack of training and experience, can result in damage to bone and gums, infections or failed implants. Sometimes the procedure may need to be completely redone.

Understand Your Options

To help people determine the best treatment, Dr. Julius Hyatt, a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Dental Implant Awareness, offers some advice. As one of the leading experts in implant dentistry, with over 25 years of experience, his primary concerns are patient safety and treatment outcomes.

Dr. Hyatt suggests patients ignore advertising claims about bargain implants and do their own research. Ask questions such as: Will the implants be placed by a surgical specialist? How long has the surgeon been placing implants and how many implants has the surgeon placed? Does the surgeon use 3-D imaging for treatment planning? How many implants has the dentist restored?

The Institute for Dental Implant Awareness was founded to increase public awareness of the benefits of dental implants and the importance of selecting a qualified team of doctors to provide treatment.

Learn More

Visit thedentalimplantguide.org for comprehensive, objective information about dental implants and how to select a qualified team of doctors to provide treatment.

Dr. Julius Hyatt has established a reputation as an expert in implant dentistry and oral surgery and is recognized as one of the region’s most outstanding surgeons by Baltimore magazine. He completed his residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the University of Maryland. He has placed dental implants and bone grafts for thousands of patients of all ages, and his extensive experience has earned the respect of colleagues across the country.

For more information, visit mdcenteroms.com/our-surgeons/baltimore-oral-surgeon-dr-julius-hyatt/.

“Scientific studies suggest that bridges are only 85 percent successful for 10 years and 66 percent successful at 15 years, whereas dental implants are over 95 percent successful for 30 to 50 years. http://bit.ly/2ITxMmh”