Dental Implants

Dental implants are changing the way people live! They are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth which look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The person who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat virtually anything and can smile with confidence, knowing that teeth appear natural and that facial contours will be preserved.

What are Dental Implants?

The implants themselves are tiny titanium posts which are inserted into the jawbone where teeth are missing. These metal anchors act as tooth root substitutes. They are surgically placed into the jawbone. The bone bonds with the titanium, creating a strong foundation for artificial teeth. Small posts are then attached to the implant which protrude through the gums. These posts provide stable anchors for artificial replacement teeth.

Implants also help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing.

The Surgical Procedure

For most patients, the placement of dental implants involves three phases of treatment. The first phase usually starts with the implant placement within your jawbone. For the first three to six months following surgery, the implants are beneath the surface of the gums gradually bonding with the jawbone. You should be able to wear temporary dentures and eat a soft diet during this time.

After the implant has bonded to the jawbone, the second phase begins. Dr. Shimane will uncover the implants and attach small temporary cylinders called “temporary healing abutments” onto the implants which act to shape the tissue of the implant emerging from the gums. These cylinders protrude through the gums and are allowed to heal for approximately one month. The third phase is usually performed by the restorative dentist and involves removing the temporary cylinders and placing “final abutments” which are the parts that the dentists take an impression of to fabricate the implant crowns, implant dentures, or implant bridges. The entire procedure usually takes six to eight months. Most patients experience minimal disruption in their daily life.

Dr. Shimane is a board certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon with extensive training in the area of dental implants. The following information was designed to answer many questions that you may have before your consultation appt.

Why Should I Replace My Missing Teeth?

Missing teeth can affect your appearance not only in the visible areas of you mouth (the esthetic zone) but more importantly can increase or speed up the appearance of aging by loss of bone support due to lack of teeth. Missing teeth can affect your "bite," as well as your ability to speak and chew. Their loss can increase the burden on your remaining teeth and can cause muscle pain in your jaws and headaches.

What to expect at your Consultation Appt:

Dr. shimane will evaluate you to see if implants would benefit you. He review your medical history, perform a head & neck/intraoral exam, will analyze the way your teeth come together, and the anatomy of your jawbone where you are missing teeth.

After Dr. Shimane examines you, he will review your panorex x-ray which is essential to evaluate vital structures such as the lower jaw nerve and the upper jaw sinus. Dr. Shimane will then customize an individualized treatment plan for you.

At the end of the consultation, you should know

1. If you are a candidate for implants
2. if any bone grafting is necessary
3. the number and location of implants
4. how long treatment is estimated to take and in what sequence
5. what the prognosis of treatment would be
6. the treatment fees and customized financial options that will comfortably and conveniently fit into your lifestyle.

What Are My Tooth Replacement Options?

If you are missing one or more teeth and choose to have it or them replaced, several treatment options are available:

• A removable flipper is a plastic tooth that is inexpensive but fragile and temporary.
• A cast removable partial denture also is precision cast in metal for longer service life. Wire clips help hold it in place.
• A fixed bridge is cemented into place using crowns or "caps" on the teeth adjacent to the open space for support. Crown placement usually requires the permanent removal or reduction of the outer layer of the tooth.

Removable Full/Complete dentures or “plates” are the solution for people who have lost all their teeth in one or both jaws. The success of a full denture depends upon the individual's jaw size and shape, his or her oral habits, and his or her adaptability. Some people adapt well to full dentures, while others are not able to adapt. Both partial and full dentures will need periodic “relining” which is a procedure your dentist performs to add pink acrylic to areas of the denture where bone was lost over time.

Dental implants can be used to provide support for the replacement of one tooth or all of an individual's teeth. After 30+ years of research and clinical trials, we can now provide this option in addition to the traditional treatments just described above. Implant-supported teeth can be cemented, screw-retained, or removable and can be made attractive, stable, and comfortable for almost any patient.

What is a Dental Implant?

The best way to describe a dental implant is to compare it to a real tooth. A natural tooth consists of a root and a crown. The part of the tooth that you see and eat with is called the crown. Beneath the crown is the root, which anchors the tooth through the gum tissue to the jawbone. When you lose a tooth, you lose both the root and the crown. To replace a tooth, we first have to replace the root. Essentially, a dental implant is a new root. The implant is made of a safe biocompatible material called “titanium” and is the same material used for orthopedic implants such as total hip/knee replacements and plates used to fuse broken limbs. Implants are fitted into a socket that we create in your jaw, replacing the lost root of your natural tooth and providing a stable foundation for a replacement implant crown, bridge, or denture.

About the Doctor

Dr. Shimane has spent a total of nine years of post-graduate education and five years of post-doctoral education in order to treat you with the most current surgical and anesthetic techniques: Four years at Northwestern University, Chicago, obtaining a Doctoral of Dental Surgery. One year at the UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, in a Hospital Dentistry Residency. Four years of Oral and Maxillofacial surgical training at Alameda County Medical Center/ Highland Hospital, Oakland.

Dr. Shimane is an accomplished Board certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon caring for patients in the greater Bay Area. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Shimane is also on-staff at two major trauma centers: Eden Medical Center and Highland General Hospital, where he treats patients with severe facial trauma. Dr. Shimane is certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and is an instructor in Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

Dr. Shimane has completed four years of study in dental implants, has received certifications from Nobel Biocare / Branemark, one of the worlds leading authorities on dental implants, and is one of the few surgeons trained in placement of the Zygomaticus Implants. Dr. Shimane continues to keep updated with the newest advances in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and founder of a new branch of the “Seattle Study Club” network which educates dentists in our community on the newest advances in dentistry. Dr. Shimane is also a lecturer on various topics such as dental implants, oral pathology, oral surgery and provides continuing education units to dental colleagues in the State of California.