United States Marine Corps takes pleasure in recognizing Dr. Stuart Pechter for exemplary support and superior commitment. Your selfless dedication, level of commitment and assistance toward your Marine Recruiters is a testament to a heightened standard of excellence and is in keeping with the finest traditions of American patriotism and loyalty. Semper Fidelis!
J.J.M. Captain, USMC, Michael C., SSGT USMC, Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Dental implants have revolutionized the field of dentistry, and periodontology, in particular. Whereas in the past, extensive periodontal and restorative therapy were necessary to salvage severely compromised teeth, today, those teeth are more effectively replaced with dental implants. Scientifically developed and tested dental implants have only been around since the 1980’s. Prior to that, dental implants were mostly trial-and-error attempts, with a high percentage of failures. Modern implants, however, are generally more functional and durable than conventional crowns and bridges. Dr. Pechter has over 25 years experience in implant surgery, and always follows a complete sterile protocol when placing dental implants.
What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a titanium metal screw, shaped like the root of a tooth. It is surgically placed into your jaw by Dr. Pechter. Implants are available in different lengths and widths to accommodate individual requirements and available bone support. However, implants are not complete teeth because they do not include the “crown”, which is the part of the tooth that you see in your mouth. Crowns have to be custom made to blend with the size, shape, and color of your other teeth. The implant, like a tooth root, serves as the connection to the bone that anchors the tooth in place. After implants are securely integrated with the bone, your general dentist makes the crowns, partial dentures, or overdentures that attach to the implants. Dr. Pechter works closely with your general dentist in planning and placing implants.
Advantages of Dental Implants:
Today, implants are the treatment of choice for replacing missing teeth. Unlike fixed (permanent) bridges, or conventional removable partial dentures, dental implants do not rely on other teeth for support. Implants are also extremely valuable to stabilize loose, uncomfortable full dentures.
Versus fixed bridges:
A fixed bridge requires that full crowns be made on at least two teeth surrounding the tooth to be replaced. Your dentist must drill away the strong enamel that forms the outer shell of these teeth, so that porcelain or porcelain fused to metal crowns can be made to fit over the teeth. In the laboratory, a false tooth (pontic) is connected to these crowns, and returned to your dentist for cementation of the completed bridge onto the supporting teeth.
A dental implant is self-supported in the bone, and does not require otherwise unnecessary sacrifice of healthy enamel on adjacent teeth to make crowns. Because a bridge splints teeth together, it is more difficult for you to clean. You can not simply slide floss between the teeth without threading the floss beneath the pontic. With plaque control more difficult, it is more likely for decay to develop under the edges of the crowns supporting a bridge. A dental implant can not decay, and decay is more preventable on unsplinted surrounding teeth, when an implant is used instead of a fixed bridge.
A fixed bridge places extra occlusal loads on the supporting (abutment) teeth. This makes the abutment teeth more prone to root fracture, especially if they have had root canal therapy. A root fracture would lead to loss of the tooth and the attached bridge. Dental implants are made of titanium , and are far more resistant to fracture than a natural tooth. An implant helps share occlusal loads with the teeth, rather than adding occlusal stress to abutment teeth on a bridge.
The cost of an implant and crown to replace a tooth is generally about the same as the cost for a fixed bridge involving two teeth and a pontic to replace that same tooth. If more than two abutment teeth are needed to support the bridge, the implant option may be less expensive than the bridge.
Versus a Removable Partial Denture:
As the name implies, a removable partial denture is a removable appliance to replace missing teeth. Unlike a full denture, a partial denture is supported partly by remaining teeth and partly by the gum tissue where teeth are missing. It is held in place by metal clasps that grip the supporting teeth. In order to be stable and avoid a potential choking hazard, a partial denture must extend to both sides of the jaw, even if it is only replacing teeth on one side.
A partial denture places a lot of stress on the supporting teeth, often causing them to loosen. This happens because when you chew, the gum tissue compresses beneath the partial, allowing the portion of the partial that saddles the gum to move. As the partial shifts position, the metal clasps flex and move the supporting teeth. Over time, the bone underlying the gum tissue shrinks (resorbs) as a result of continued pressure from the partial. This leads to more rocking of the partial and increased movement of the supporting teeth.
When dental implants are used instead of a partial denture, they are stable and permanently integrated in the jaw. The crowns which are attached to the implants feel like your own natural teeth, and are not removable. While pressure from a removable partial denture will cause bone loss, a functioning implant stimulates the bone around it to maintain bone density and form.
Often, when many teeth need to be replaced, it can be more cost effective to use implants to support a removable partial denture rather than permanent crowns. Fewer implants are needed for this, and the cost of a removable appliance is much less than the cost of several permanent crowns. The implants still serve to preserve bone and reduce stress to the remaining natural teeth, but instead of having customized individual crowns, a simple “snap-on” attachment is inserted on the implant, and a complementary attachment is placed on the underside of the partial denture. When the partial is inserted, it snaps onto the implants, which hold it firmly in place. This technique also works well to stabilize full dentures, when no remaining teeth are present.
