What are Implants?
Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers specialized in dental Implant which is an artificial tooth root that places into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth. Dental implants are fixtures of titanium which are surgically screwed into your jaw bone. The implant is an anchor for a naturally-appearing false tooth or a set of false teeth.

Dental Implants have been around for many years and have gained acceptance over time as they have proved a successful method for replacing missing teeth. They are so natural-looking and feeling that the patients often forget they ever lost a tooth.

Dental implants are great for replacing missing teeth. It is important that you have enough bone in the area of the missing teeth for the dental implant to be attached to. Dental implants are not only used to replace one tooth, but rather people missing most, if not all, of their teeth benefit greatly as well.

Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers is proud to have a highly-trained specialist to places the tooth implant into a hole made in the jawbone. A post can then be secured to this “artificial root” and can be used to hold one or more prosthetic teeth. Dental implants can also be used in conjunction with a removable denture to create a more secure by locking the denture in place, providing people with the peace of mind that their dentures will not slip when they speak or eat in public.

Why Implants?
Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers believe that dental implants have some advantages over removable dentures. Because removable dentures are not permanently fixed in place, they can be easily misplaced and move around when you eat or speak. Additionally, over time the bone that supports the denture may shrink, making it difficult to support a denture comfortably.

Dental implants also have some advantages over fixed bridges, especially when the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth or teeth are healthy. To create a fixed bridge, crowns must be placed on these adjacent teeth which may cause trauma. The dental implant replaces the missing tooth or teeth while leaving all adjacent teeth untouched.

Who is a candidate for dental implants?
Tooth loss is something that no one looks forwards to. If you lose one or more teeth, dental implants may be an answer to replace those missing teeth. As long as you have enough bone in the area of the missing tooth to facilitate the anchorage of the dental implant, you are a good candidate to have a dental implant. If you don’t have enough bone for this procedure, you may still have a dental implant as long as bone grafting is done to the area. Bone grafting is very common with dental implants. A highly trained specialist from Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers will determine if you are a good candidate for this procedure.

If you have a partial denture or dental bridge, dental implants may be an alternative way to give yourself a beautiful smile.

Overview of Dental Implants
In Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers, dental implants are placed in your jaw bone surgically. This procedure is very time consuming when having many dental implants placed. It is very important that you do enough research to find a well credited specialist since this is surgical procedure. Pain and discomfort varies on people and will subside in few days. As with similar types of surgery, bruising and minor swelling can be expected

How is Dental Implant Attached in Your Mouth?
The dental implant procedure performed at Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers is a surgical placement of an implant in your jaw bone which requires three to six months healing time before the dental implant restoration procedure takes place. The duration of the whole dental implant procedure varies from patient to patient and depends, among other things, on the patient's physical condition and anatomy. It can take three to nine months and sometimes even longer! Yet most of that time is spent on the healing of the tissue and waiting for the growth of new bone in your jaw. During the healing time, the bone grows in and around the titanium implant creating strong support for the restoration. Sometimes, the dental implants can be rejected; this rejection rate is very minimal, only account for 1 to 2% of all dental implant procedures. When this rejection happens, the dental implant will be replaced with another implant slightly larger in size. You may not wear your dentures for one day to two weeks after an implant is placed. When the site of dental implant is sufficiently healed, a crown is placed on the dental implant to give a very natural look.

When you are missing a tooth, your dentist at Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers may use a Flipper to fill the space. A Flipper is a temporary denture that is used to replace a missing tooth before the permanent crown is placed on the implant.

Types of Dental Implant procedures
Dental implants rely on titanium fixtures and most dental implants are made of titanium since this material is very effective at fusing with living bone which is also known as osseointegration. There are two types of dental implants which your dentist may discuss with you.

Root Form Implant
This is a type of dental implant which is most often performed in Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers. This screw type implant is the most commonly used and is used where there is plenty of depth and width to your jawbone. If you have too narrow or too short jawbone, bone grafting may be needed to allow for their placement. The procedure starts once you have received anesthesia and the doctor will expose an area of your jawbone to prepare for the implant. After the initial pilot hole has been drilled into the appropriate jaw site, it is slowly widened to allow for placement of the implant screw. Once in place, surrounding gum tissue is secured over the implant and a protective cover screw is placed on top to allow the site to heal and osseointegration to occur. After up to six months of healing, your specialist from Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers will uncover the implant and attach an abutment (which holds the crown or tooth-like replacement) to the implant.

Plate From implant
If your jawbone is too narrow for bone grafting, a Plate From implant is placed into your jawbone. This type of implant is relatively long and flat. Plate form implants are used on patients with narrow jaws that may not properly support the wider root form implants. Once the anesthetic is administered, your dentist at Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers uncovers the gum that’s covering the area and gently folds back and the underlying bone is prepared to receive the dental implant. The extent of the bone preparation is dependent on the number of implants required. The jaw is treated with a cooling material to maintain its stability during the implant placement. The implant(s) are then installed, and the gum is sutured. The implant should fully integrate into the bone after 3 to 6 months.

Jonathan H. Kim, D.D.S., Inc. – Top Best *8* San Jose Dentists Specialists Centers offer free dental implant consultation. Just look for a coupon in our website and call us to schedule an appointment at 408-259-2900 or email to us at info@drjkim.com or visit our office located in 1725 Berryessa Rd. Ste. B, San Jose, CA 95133

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Healthy Gums

▪ Gums will be coral pink in color. ▪ Gums will hug the teeth tightly. ▪ Gums will not bleed on probing. ▪ Gums pocket all measure to a normal 3mm or less. ▪ No damage to the supporting bone in this stage.    Bone height will be normal.

Gingivitis

▪ A mild inflammation of the gums caused by plaque build-up. ▪ Gums may be red and/or sore. Bleed upon probing. ▪ Gums will bleed while brushing or during probing. ▪ Inflamed, sensitive gums ▪ Possible bad breath/taste. ▪ Bleeding gums when measured, puffy in appearance and pockets    no greater than 3mm. ▪ No damage to the supporting bone in this stage.

Early Periodontitis

If left untreated, the gum infection damages the bone and supporting tissues. Your gum separates from the tooth and the bone level deteriorates. ▪ More pronounced gingival bleeding, swelling ▪ Gums may begin to pull away from teeth ▪ Bad breath/taste ▪ Pocket depth measure slightly more than normal at up to    5mm deep

Moderate Periodontitis

▪ Bleeding and swollen gums with pockets that will measure up    to 6mm and more. ▪ Teeth may look longer due to gum recession. ▪ Recession of bone beginning to appear-moderate bone loss. ▪ Gum boils or abscesses may develop. ▪ Bad breath, bad taste. ▪ Teeth may begin to drift and show spaces.

Advanced Periodontitis

Your gums recede farther and separate. Pus may develop, bone loss continues, and your teeth may loosen or fall out. ▪ Teeth may become mobile or loose. ▪ Constant bad breath and bad taste. ▪ Teeth becomes sensitive to hot and cold temperature changes     due to exposed roots. ▪ Pockets > 6mm deep. ▪ Some teeth may be extracted (pulled). ▪ Severe bone loss evidently visible.

Implants by Robert H. Brandes, D.D.S.

Periodontics is the branch of dentistry concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth. Implant Dentistry is the area of oral health concerned with restoring natural form and function to areas where teeth have been lost. I am focused with not only restoring the mouth to a healthy condition, but also in developing a plan to minimize future treatment needs. I have been performing periodontal and dental implant surgeries for over twenty three years, providing patients with a combination of experience and state of the art treatment. Patient comfort is my highest priority and I have experience in providing many options to assist patients, including sedation. I am a life long Bay Area native and feel very fortunate to practice close to where I grew up. Excellent oral health is an important part in the quality of all of our lives.

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