We often see patients who come in with dental implants already placed. Unfortunately, some of these are poorly placed and are very difficult to use or even to create esthetic restorations. This brings to light the true science of implant placement. With the use of high technology Cone and Beam (CBCT) 3D Scans, guided surgical placement and proper diagnostic planning on the surgical end and restorative end, there should be no reason for poor implant placement to occur. Some would argue that the lack of bone makes it impossible to place implants in the correct place. In these cases, bone grafts should be utilized prior or during implant placement to enable proper placement.
Poor placement not only jeopardizes the cosmetic dentistry phase of dental implants but can also shorten the lifetime of the implant. To help see why, visualize hammering a nail into a piece of wood. As long as you hit the nail straight, there is no damage to the wood. If you miss part of the nail, the nail goes sideways and the wood around the nail widens and the nail can more easily be removed. This is the same for dental implants as it causes bone loss around the implant which can ultimately lead to failure. On the cosmetic dentistry end, poorly placed dental implants may result in crowns that have to be to big or out of line to create a nice result. Other times the gums will not look correct or the implant could be very difficult to clean. Sometimes if the implant is really poorly placed, it may not be able to be used at all. (And yes, we do see this) However, if you do have dental implants that are poorly placed, do not despair. Many times dentists with advanced training can come up with creative ways to make things work for you. In overview, dental implants are a wonderful treatment for patients and can help patients health, well-being, and smiles. Proper and sequential treatment from the surgical to restorative care should be planned from the beginning and not after dental implant placement. If you have any questions about Houston dental implants or Houston Cosmetic Dentistry please call our office, Ronald W. Konig DDS,FAGD,LVIF 713-668-2289
