Dental Implants

Dental Implant Procedures

Technically, a dental implant is an artificial tooth root that’s placed into your jaw to hold a prosthetic tooth or bridge. However, when most people use the term “dental implants,” they’re talking about the combination of the implant (the artificial tooth root) and the prosthetic tooth. Dental implants may be an option for people who have lost one or more teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason and who prefer not to wear dentures.

Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?

You’re an ideal candidate for a dental implant if:

You’re in good general and oral health.

You have adequate bone in your jaw to support the implant.

You have healthy gum tissues that are free of periodontal disease.

Dental implants are intimately connected with the soft tissues (i.e., gums) and underlying hard tissues (i.e., bone) in the mouth. Since periodontists have had three years of specialized training beyond dental school to make them experts on both soft and hard tissues, they have the ideal combination of experience and knowledge to make sure you get a dental implant solution that looks and feels like your own teeth. At Fine Periodontics our doctors have been doing implants for over 10 years.

Types of Dental Implant Procedures

Depending on your specific condition and the type of implant chosen, our periodontist will create a treatment plan tailored to meet your needs.

Here are some of the possible treatment plans depending on your situation:

Single Tooth Dental Implants

If you’re missing a single tooth, one dental implant can replace it.

Multiple Tooth Dental Implants

If you’re missing several teeth, they can be replaced by multiple dental implants.

Full Mouth Dental Implants

If you’re missing all your teeth, they can be replaced by full-mouth dental implants.

All-on-X/Teeth in a Day

Losing your teeth is one matter, but living without teeth for an extended period of time is quite another. That’s why we strongly recommend that patients start considering their reconstructive options as soon as possible – and our highly experienced doctors at Fine Periodontics are here to help! We highly recommend dental implants as the top-tier solution to missing teeth, and both of our locations offer Teeth in a Day so that we can help you regain your full, strong smile in record time. Please contact us today here in the Greenville or Anderson office if you have any questions for our team, or if you’re ready to schedule your first appointment. We’ll evaluate your smile, explain all your tooth replacement options, and help you find the best solution for your unique oral health care needs.
What are Teeth in a Day?

Teeth in a Day is a unique dental implant-supported denture process. Rather than removing teeth, then placing dental implants, then designing the denture, then attaching the denture over the course of months, Teeth in a Day streamlines the process. Instead of placing implants and asking patients to spend months without teeth, we will immediately place a traditional removable denture or an immediate load implant-retained removable denture. In most cases, you’ll need to have your denture adjusted or replaced once your smile has fully healed before we permanently attach the denture.

Who Should Consider Teeth in a Day?
Any patient who is missing all their teeth or who will soon have teeth extracted, may want to consider Teeth in a Day. Healthy patients who have chosen to proceed with these procedures immediately following tooth loss will have the highest chances for success.
How Does Teeth in a Day Work?
While the traditional implant process can take upwards of four to nine months to fully complete, Teeth in a Day can give you everything you need by the time you’re ready to leave our practice. Our team will begin by capturing a high-resolution CT scan of your current jawbone structure, which will instruct us on where to place the implants. Then, a non-removable appliance is crafted to attach over the implants immediately after they’re placed, providing reliable function. Typically, you will receive two restorations. Once we receive your initial, temporary restoration we’ll begin the Teeth in a Day process. You’ll visit our office, and we’ll remove any damaged teeth. Then, we place dental implant posts and position the temporary restoration. Once your implants have time to heal, you’ll visit our office so we can place abutments, the attachment pieces, and capture impressions that will be used to craft your final restoration or adjust your temporary denture to be attached to the implant posts.

Benefits of the Teeth in a Day procedure include:

No time is spent without teeth, which retain facial shape, chewing function, and clear speech.

The temporary prosthetic provides additional protection as your dental implant fuses with the jawbone. Patients can feel confident sharing their smiles throughout the treatment process.

Fine Periodontics Your Periodontist in Greenville and Anderson SC and surrounding areas gallery before 4 - Dental ImplantsFine Periodontics Your Periodontist in Greenville and Anderson SC and surrounding areas gallery after 4 - Dental Implants

Bone Grafting

Ridge Augmentation

If tooth and bone loss has created unsightly indents in your jaw and gum tissues, then ask our periodontist about a ridge augmentation. Our doctors use this bone grafting procedure to restore the contour and structure of these areas. Schedule a visit to Fine Periodontics if you want to benefit from a ridge augmentation in Greenville or Anderson, South Carolina.

The alveolar ridge bone is part of your jaw that surrounds and supports your teeth at their roots. If you lose teeth, the socket inside of this bone usually heals on its own, but sometimes it can break and reduce the height and width of the socket. This results in bone loss which makes it difficult to place implants. It can also create indents in the gum and jaw. Other causes for indents in the ridge bone include periodontal disease, wearing dentures, birth defects, and injury.

If you dislike the appearance of these indents or if you want to receive a dental implant, then ask us about a ridge augmentation. This bone grafting procedure is specifically designed to restore the height and width of a socket using grafts and space-maintaining products. After lifting the gum tissue away to expose the affected area, we will place the graft and then suture the tissue over it again. We often perform this procedure immediately after tooth extractions, and after several months of healing, the graft will fuse to the alveolar ridge bone. Call our office if you want to learn more about ridge augmentation.

Sinus Augmentation

Patients who do not have enough bone structure in the back areas of the upper jaw should ask our doctors about receiving a sinus augmentation. Our team at Fine Periodontics can restore this tissue so we will be able to restore your smile with dental implants. Please call our periodontist if you want to learn more about sinus augmentation in Greenville and Anderson, South Carolina.

Because of the anatomy of the skull, the areas near the back part of your upper jaw usually have less bone tissue than other areas of your jaw. If you suffer from periodontal disease or tooth loss in these places, then the bone tissues can be reduced even more. However, the air pockets of the maxillary sinuses are located above these areas and can be used to restore the bone structure, allowing for implant placement.

We will make an incision in the gum tissue in order to expose the affected areas. After gently pushing the sinus membrane up, we will fill the space with bone grafts. These grafts can come from your own body, a cadaver, or they can be created from synthetic materials. After placing the graft, we will suture the gum tissue together again. The graft will eventually fuse to the jaw bone, healing and restoring lost tissue. Contact our team if you want to learn more about sinus augmentation.

Socket Preservation

At Fine Periodontics, we can prevent problems caused by tooth loss when we perform a socket preservation procedure. Placing bone tissue in the tooth socket after extraction will prevent shrinkage, bone loss, and difficulties with dental restorations. Schedule a visit with our periodontist if you would like to benefit from socket preservation in Greenville and Anderson, South Carolina.

If you have a tooth extracted, then the socket that remains in your jaw can be subject to damage from infection and disease. It can also shrink after tooth removal, which may create indents that affect your facial structure. Additionally, extractions create a loss of bone structure that makes it difficult to place implants and can create problems with bridges and dentures. In order to prevent these issues from developing, we provide a socket preservation procedure.

By performing this service after a tooth extraction, we can preserve the area and minimize bone loss. We will fill the socket with bone tissue (or another substitute) and then cover the area with gum tissue, an artificial membrane, or tissue-stimulating proteins. By filling the area, we restore the lost structure, stop shrinkage, and provide an implant foundation. Please visit our office if you want to learn more about socket preservations.

Implant-supported dentures

Implant-supported dentures are a great service for patients. Implant-supported dentures are the middle ground between the conventional denture that uses adhesive and the more expensive advanced full-arch dental implants.

Implant-supported dentures are a great option for individuals who are seeking an affordable option to significantly improve their ability to chew and smile. The support of the implant allows the dental fixture to be shaped into a horseshoe, reducing the bulkiness and opening the palate to create more space for the tongue and a better ability to taste food. Implant-supported dentures are sturdier and do not require adhesive.

The individual can improve their diet by including fruits, veggies, steaks, corn on the cob, and other foods one would typically have to avoid with traditional dentures. Also, implant-supported dentures significantly improve patients’ confidence to smile and speak.

This type of denture is removable, and you’ll be able to snap it on and off as many times as needed. This means that cleaning and maintaining the denture is just as easy as a traditional denture.

Benefits of Implant-Supported Dentures

They are an affordable option for significant improvement in the ability to chew and smile

Implant-supported dentures are sturdy and don’t need adhesive
They function more like natural teeth
The denture is removable, making it easy to clean
This option preserves gum tissue and bone

What is the Process for Placing Implant-Supported Dentures?

Essentially, the existing denture becomes the interim denture after the implant surgery. Four months later, the patient gets a new denture that snaps-on to their implants. The process is simple and includes a series of appointments with your dentist.

Your first appointment will be a consultation to further discuss what the process and care plan will look like when individualized to you. With your dentist, you will discuss the full procedure and other pertinent details to consider when deciding if implant-supported dentures are right for you.

Your dentist will be able to show you models and answer any outstanding questions you may have about implant-supported dentures.

If you think you may be a candidate for implant-supported dentures, call Fine Periodontics to schedule a consultation.