William Becker - A Patients Guide to Dental Implants

An Addicus Nonfiction Book

Copyright 2003 by Thomas Balshi, D.D.S., William Becker, D.D.S., Edmond Bedrossian, D.D.S., and Peter Whrle, D.M.D. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information, write Addicus Books, Inc., P.O. Box 45327, Omaha, Nebraska 68145.

ISBN# 1-886039-65-8

Cover design by George Foster

Illustrations by Bob Hogenmiller

This book is not intended to serve as a substitute for a dental professional, nor do the authors intend to give medical advice contrary to that of an attending dental professional.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A patients guide to dental implants / by Thomas Balshi [et al.].

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 1-886039-65-8

1. Dental implantsPopular works. I. Balshi, Thomas, 1946

RK667.I45 P38 2003

617.692dc21

2002154559

Addicus Books, Inc.

P.O. Box 45327

Omaha, Nebraska 68145

www.AddicusBooks.com

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To our wives, children, and grandchildren who have inspired our own best smiles through decades of faithful support as we passionately pursued the art and science of dental medicine

I first wish to acknowledge my first osseointegrated dental implant patient, Mr. Harry Kahn, who proved that a lifetime smile makes an incomparable difference. Additionally, I acknowledge Per-Ingvar Brnemark, for whom my practice, Prosthodontics Intermedica, was named. I also thank Dr. Ernie Mingledorff, who formed my focus on impeccable prosthodontics; and Dr. Mats Wikstrom, Mr. Ken Putney, Dr. Neil Park, and Mr. Ron Dove for decades of their genuine understanding of partnering to benefit patient care.

I also extend special gratitude to biomedical engineers Dr. John Brunski, Dr. Bo Rangert, and my son, Stephen F. Balshi, for ensuring that Prosthodontics Intermedica remains on the cutting edge, and to my partner Dr. Glenn Wolfinger and all the past and present staff of Prosthodontics Intermedica for delivering A-team dentistry.

Special thanks goes to Dr. Aureo Garcia, for carrying the torch of Prosthodontics Intermedica south of the border to Mexico City, and also to Mr. Bob Winkelman and all the dedicated staff of Fort Washington Dental Lab; they have engineered and developed many unique implant supported restorations.

I acknowledge colleagues Dr. Larry Geller, James Gentile, Dr. Sally Gupton, Dr. Charlie Goodacre, Drs. Ramon and Maria Claudia Hernandez, Dr. Ray Haggerty, Dr. Patrick Henry, Dr. Jack Crozier, Dr. Rich Cutler, Dr. Bill Viechnicki, Dr. Mike Schelkun, and Dr. Ed Woehling for sharing their knowledge and friendship. I also thank Alan Fleming and Paul Schneider, who shine light on the good things we accomplish.

Above all, I acknowledge my family, especially my wife Joanne, who has shared in every step of my professional life with unbounded loving support.

Thomas J. Balshi, D.D.S., F.A.C. P.

I would like to thank my wonderful wife Joyce, who has been unbelievably supportive of my professional activities for more than forty years. She has been my adviser and editor, always patient, always encouraging. She has spent countless hours raising two great children, running the household, editing my writing, and working in the community while I was at the computer, or lecturing, or traveling. I could not have achieved anything without her loving support. I have also been fortunate to have three outstanding mentors. It is on their shoulders that I stand. I thank Drs. John Prichard, Marshall Urist, and Clifford Ochsenbein for their willingness to teach, advise, and mentor. I thank a wonderful office support staff, three hygienists, and some of the worlds greatest patients. Lastly, I thank my mother, my dad, and my partner and brother, Dr. Burton Becker. He has always supported my research and professional activities and is always there for advice and encouragement. All these people and many more have allowed me to pursue my professional interests with passion.

William Becker, D.D.S, M.S.D, O.D. (Hc)

I would like to acknowledge my mother, Nobar Bedrossian, for the gift of leadership and determination to achieve any goal I set for myself. I also thank my father, George Bedrossian, who instilled ethics, integrity, and honesty in me. These are priceless gifts for anyone to receive. My deepest gratitude to my wife, Jasmine, and my sons, Armand and Aram, for allowing me to pursue my interest and passion in the field of implant dentistry. Their patience and encouragement during the writing of this book will always be appreciated. I particularly would like to acknowledge Dr. P. I. Brnemark who has been my role model and mentor. His life-long study and unselfish dedication to research has allowed my colleagues and me to enhance the quality of life for our patients.

Edmond Bedrossian, D.D.S.

I would like to express my deep appreciation to my mentors. Dr. Paul A. Schnitman, a true clinical scholar and scholarly clinician who, as chairman of the Department of Implant Dentistry at Harvard, helped me reach my full potential. He taught me the true meaning of perseverance not by word, but by the force of a personal example. I also thank Dr. Stephen D. Campbell, program director of postdoctoral prosthetic dentistry at Harvard, for being a role model in the pursuit of excellence.

In addition, I would like to thank all my patients. Their continuously evolving demands encourage me to seek new and better ways to make their dreams reality.

Most importantly, my deepest appreciation goes to my family. My parents taught me there are no shortcuts in the pursuit of excellence. My wonderful wife Sabine and our two children, Tess and Coco, graciously allow me to focus so much time on my passion. The smiles on the faces of my three girls make all the sacrifices worthwhile, and without them, none of this would have been possible.

Peter Whrle, D.M.D.

D ental science has progressed to the point where missing teeth can be replaced with new teeth that are almost as good as the originals. In fact, in some ways, these new teeth called dental implants, are even better. Unlike natural teeth, dental implants will never decay or need root canal treatments. Once theyre in place, you can wear dental implants for the rest of your life.

What is your situation? Are you missing a single tooth or have you had all your teeth removed? Dental implants can be used for virtually any tooth replacement. They can replace one or more teeth, lost as a result of injury. Dental implants can be used, rather than dentures, to replace an entire set of front or back teeth that may have fallen prey to advanced periodontal disease. Implants are also effective if you are missing teeth as a result of congenital deformities of the mouth, teeth, or jaw.

We believe implants offer numerous advantages over traditional tooth replacement measures, such as bridges and dentures. The ultimate decision is, of course, yours. We hope the overview of dental implants and how they work, offered in this book, will help you make the best decisions about your dental care.

A smile can speak volumes. It is part of a universal language. And probably nothing affects our smiles as much as the appearance of our teeth. We Americans spend millions of dollars a year on our teeth, all in effort to maintain or improve our appearance. We buy toothpastes with whitening agents. We buy gels guaranteed to brighten our smiles. In addition to these cosmetic efforts, we schedule appointments for cleanings, fillings, crowns, and root canal treatmentall with the hope of preserving our pearly whites.