(updated January 2024) (Another great post on membranes.-Click here to see what they look like in the the mouth) These are questions and comments I receive constantly on my blog and from patients who come to see me in Burbank, California. New patients who come see me ask, “Is it okay if my bone graft … Read more
One of the long-term risks associated with dental implants is a condition called Peri-implantitis. Peri-implantitis Definition: Infectious disease that causes inflammation of the surrounding gum and bone of an already integrated dental implant, leading to the loss of supporting bone. These two x-rays show implants with bone loss. Bone Loss Around Dental Implants Bone, for … Read more
You may have had your tooth extracted and a bone graft placed at the same time. About once or twice a week I get emails from around the world with patients that have had this very common (pre dental implant) procedure. You may be worried because you can see that the bone is exposed inside … Read more
Dental implants, especially in the front of the mouth, need to be placed with a high degree of accuracy. When an implant is placed too shallow or worse yet too deep in the front of the mouth it creates a cosmetic failure– a long tooth and sometimes black triangles. This is especially true on a … Read more
Too much cement used on a dental implant crown or bridge can easily cause bone loss around both new and old implants. It sounds counterintuitive to purposely use less cement for an implant than you would for a crown on a natural tooth. If left untreated, it can be one of the worst dental implant … Read more
Your sinuses are big hollow holes above your upper teeth. The roots of your upper back teeth are really close to your sinus. In order to have dental implants in that area, sometimes a sinus lift bone graft is necessary to treat the expanded sinus. Whether you live in Burbank ,Glendale or Los Angeles, all … Read more
A bone graft for immediate single implants is often needed. Most immediate implants are for single rooted teeth like your front and middle back teeth (premolars.) In my Burbank dental implant practice, this type of bone graft is common. Most implants are round in shape. Most extraction sockets are oval or rectangular if they are … Read more
Titanium mesh is one of many techniques I use in my Burbank dental implant practice to rebuild (graft) lost bone. Titanium mesh is sometimes referred to as “ti-mesh.” It looks like a screen as shown in this picture. It acts as a barrier and physical support of the gums over the bone graft. I place … Read more
A patient in my Burbank office asked me about the long-term with implants. Dental implant complications can occur. Most focus on the surgery, but what I am talking about is what happens later down the road. Later, meaning after the crown, bridge or full implant restoration has been attached to the implants. This video reviews … Read more
The main qualifier for having dental implants is having enough bone. If you don’t have enough bone for dental implants, the bone can be rebuilt or I can use remotely placed implants such as pterygoid implants and zygomatic implants. If you don’t have enough gum, that can be added back (with a gum graft), too. … Read more