What are Dental Implants Long Island | Dental Implants Suffolk County

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth which look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The person who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat virtually anything and can smile with confidence, knowing that teeth appear natural and that facial contours will be preserved. The implants themselves are tiny titanium posts, which are placed into the jawbone where teeth are missing. The bone bonds with the titanium, creating a strong foundation for artificial teeth. In addition, implants can help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone deterioration which occurs when teeth are missing.

Dental implants are changing the way people live! With them, people are rediscovering the comfort and confidence to eat, speak, laugh and enjoy life. Dental implant use has been exploding in recent years and for good reason. They are among the most predictable and long lasting methods to replace missing teeth. Dental implants allow for a missing tooth to be replaced without having to grind down the adjacent teeth. They act to stimulate the bone where a tooth has been lost and prevent bone resorption in these areas.

Dr. Scharf has received extensive training in implantology. He has been successfully placing implants since 1988 and through continuing education, is abreast of the most current information on implant dentistry. As recognition of his expertise in the area of dental implants, Dr. Scharf is a faculty member in the Department of Implant Dentistry at New York University College of Dentistry. As Clinical Assistant Professor, he trains dental specialists in placing and restoring dental implants.

There are 4 phases to implant treatment. They are:

1. Diagnosis/ Treatment Planning,
2. Implant Placement
3. Implant Uncovering
4. Prosthetic Phase (a.k.a. making the teeth)
5. Maintenance Phase

1. Diagnosis and treatment planning.

Many patients are concerned because they want dental implants, but do not know if they are a good candidate for implants. This will be determined by Dr. Scharf and your dentist. If, like many others, you feel implant dentistry is the choice for you, we ask that you undergo a dental/radiographic examination and health history In addition to standard dental radiographs, Dr. Scharf uses a highly sophisticated imaging program called Simplant. Simplant allows Dr. Scharf to analyze CAT scan data directly on the computer and simulate implant placement before any treatment takes place. This sophisticated technology allows Dr. Scharf to determine your body’s ability to support a dental implant before any treatment takes place. He can analyze bone density and volume very accurately. This helps to assure many years of comfort and function from your dental implants.

These are actual screen shots from the sophisticated Simplant imaging software.

Following the diagnostic phase Dr. Scharf will work closely with your dentist to formulate your treatment plan. He will then present his findings to you during a treatment conference. Your specific needs and considerations will be addressed by your doctor. Your questions and concerns are important to us and our team will work with you very closely to help make your procedure a success. We will also discuss fees and insurance at this time. There are many types of insurance plans, and coverage for implants is varied. We will be happy to assist you in obtaining any benefits to which you may be entitled.

2. Implant Placement

The implants are titanium posts that are inserted into the bone. Implants act as tooth root substitutes. The implant only replaces the root of the missing tooth. The gum and bone is made numb with a local anesthetic. The implant is gently inserted into the bone where it will undergo a process called osseointegration. This means that the bone grows onto the surface of the implant. This takes between 6-12 weeks in most instances depending on the condition of the bone. Sometimes the implants are submerged under the gum during this healing phase. Sometimes they are left exposed flush with the gum. If they are submerged, then a second procedure will be needed to expose the implant after it has integrated with the. If the implant was not submerged, the prosthetic phase can begin once osseointegration is complete. Many times a single tooth can be replaced with 3 visits and only 8 weeks of time.

1. Bone is exposed through small incision.	2. Numbed area is prepared for insertion of post.	3. Implant post is gently inserted.	4. Post in its final position.	5. Sutures are applied to aid healing.	6. Osseo-integration process begins.

3. Implant Uncovering

If the implants were submerged at the time of placement, a second procedure will be needed to expose the implants. This is minor procedure in which a small incision is made in the gum in the area of the dental implants. A titanium healing abutment is placed on top of the implant and the gum is sutured around it. The prosthetic phase can usually begin in 2-3 weeks time.

1. Submerged abutments are exposed through small incision.	2. Healing caps are inserted into existing posts.	3. Gums are sutured around healing caps.	4. After 2-3 weeks, area is ready for prosthetic phase.

4. Prosthetic Phase

Your dentist will make the replacement teeth that are held in place be the dental implants. This will take varying lengths of time depending on the type of restoration planned. Your dentist will discuss this with you before treatment begins. Your implant restoration may be cemented onto the implants, or it may be screwed into place. Implants can be used to replace a single tooth, a segment of missing teeth, or a whole arch of missing teeth. Implants can also be used to secure a loose denture.

Single tooth implant.	Multiple single-tooth implants in same jaw.

Implant-Supported Lower Denture	Implant-Supported Upper Denture	Multiple-Tooth Dental Implant

5. Maintenance Phase

Just like natural teeth or like the finest automobile, dental implants need ongoing maintenance if you are to realize their full benefit over many decades. This will include proper care at home as well as professional maintenance. Dr. Scharf will work closely with your dentist to custom tailor your maintenance program to your specific needs.

Most patients experience minimal disruption to their daily lives when undergoing dental implant treatment. Most people never have to walk around without teeth during the entire process. This will be discussed with you before any treatment takes place. We believe in no surprises!!

Click the links below to view some examples of patients treated with dental implants.

Implant Supported Fixed Bridge	Clip Bar Implant Supported Overdenture	Implant Supported Fixed Bridge	Implant Supported Overdenture	Implant Supported Upper Overdenture	Implant Supported Lower Hybrid Prosthesis

Tooth Replacement Options | Dental Implants Long Island Suffolk County

Options for Replacing a Missing Tooth

When tooth is lost the individual faces many choices. The first choice is should I replace the missing tooth? The second is what is the best way to replace it? In making these decisions there are many factors to consider and research data to be evaluated.

There are three basic ways to replace missing teeth.

These include:

1) Removable partial dentures
2) Tooth supported bridges and
3) Implant supported teeth.

Removable partial dentures have metal clasps that clip onto teeth to hold the device in the mouth. Patients need to take these in and out for cleaning after eating.

Tooth supported bridges rely on the adjacent teeth for support. The teeth next to the missing tooth space are ground down and the bridge is cemented onto them. This bridge does not come in and out and relies on the integrity of the adjacent teeth for support.

Dental implants. The final method of tooth replacement is the dental implant, which is a replacement for the root of a tooth. The implant is placed where the root of the missing tooth used to be. The replacement root is then used to attach a replacement tooth.

Should I Replace a Missing Tooth?

There are a number of studies reporting on survival of teeth next to missing tooth spaces. These studies look at the survival of the teeth next to the missing tooth space in cases where the missing tooth is replaced and the missing tooth is not replaced. Studies show that there is a significant loss of adjacent teeth if the ...
To read the rest about dental implants long island Suffolk County click here

Gum Disease and Diabetes

Many people who lose their teeth to gum disease also have gum disease and or diabetes. This article is from Dec 2008 Journal of the American Medical Association.
To get good implant information on Long Island Suffolk County or for tooth replacement options read more at these links.



JAMA Dec 2008 issue
©2008 American Medical Association. All rights reserved. (Reprinted) JAMA, December 3, 2008—Vol 300, No. 21 2471

Studies Probe Oral Health–Diabetes Link

Tracy Hampton, PhD

PHYSICIANS AND DENTISTS HAVE

long known that the health of an individual’s mouth can have significant effects on the health of the rest

of the body. The link between periodontal disease and heart disease is one of the most commonly known associations, but researchers are finding many more medical reasons to maintain good oral hygiene.

Diabetes, the focus of much attention lately due to its rising incidence, appears to have a particularly close

relationship with conditions within the oral cavity. This relationship seems to go both ways—diabetes can

lead to unwanted changes in the gums and periodontal tissues, and periodontal diseases—including

gingivitis and severe periodontitis— can make it more difficult to control diabetes.

TWO-WAY CONNECTION

A number of recent studies have highlighted the give-and-take relationship between diabetes and oral health (Taylor GW and Borgnakke WS. Oral Dis. 2008;14[3]:191-203). Periodontal disease worsens diabetes when bacteria released into the bloodstream contribute to inflammation.

“There are significant data now to support that if a person has diabetes and they also have periodontal disease that is left untreated, it is very difficult to gain glycemic control of that patient,” said Maria Ryan, DDS, PhD, professor of oral biology and pathology, and director of clinical research at the School of Dental Medicine at Stony Brook University in New York.

For example, an analysis of data from the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) revealed that individuals with periodontal disease were twice as likely to develop diabetes as persons without periodontal disease (Demmer RT et al. Diabetes Care. 2008;31[7]:1373- 1379). Another prospective study, of Pima Indians, a population with a very high rate of type 2 diabetes, found that periodontal disease was a strong predictor of mortality from diabetic nephropathy (Saremi R et al. Diabetes Care. 2005;28[1]:27-32).

When tartar collects above the gumline, it becomes more difficult to thoroughly brush and clean between teeth. This can create conditions that lead to chronic inflammation and infection in the mouth. Researchers suspect that periodontitis may adversely affect glycemic control because the proinflammatory cytokines produced by the infection could enter the bloodstream from the gingival tissues and lead to the development of insulin resistance.

“Periodontal infection affects the health of the teeth and gums, but the body’s response to that infection, we believe, is systemic,” said George Taylor, DrPH, DMD, associate professor of dentistry at the Schools of Dentistry and Public Health at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

These effects may be evident even before clinical diabetes is recognized. As Ryan noted, periodontal disease is associated with higher levels of insulin resistance, often a precursor of type 2 diabetes, as well as with higher levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), which indicates suboptimal glycemic control of diabetes.

Diabetes can contribute to periodontal disease as well. “We also think that the body’s response to infection is exaggerated in people with diabetes—it makes them more susceptible to periodontal disease and makes it more severe,” said Taylor.

Studies looking at the effects of diabetes on periodontal disease have found that diabetes can weaken the connective tissue surrounding the gums and cause various adverse effects in the mouth. An analysis of NHANES III data indicates that women who develop gestational diabetes mellitus during pregnancy are at greater risk for developing periodontal disease than pregnant women who do not develop the condition (Novak KF et al. J Public Health Dent. 2006;66[3]:163-168).

Other oral problems associated with diabetes include salivary gland dysfunction, ulcers, infections, and dental caries. For example, lichen planus, a skin disorder that produces lesions in the mouth, is a condition associated with diabetes. Severe types of lichen planus involve painful ulcers that erode surface tissue. Diminished salivary flow and an increase in salivary glucose levels create an attractive environment for fungal infections such as thrush and oral candidiasis, which occurs more frequently among people with diabetes.

“There are a lot of oral complications of poorly controlled diabetes,” said Ryan. “If your blood glucose levels are high, it also gets into your saliva, which can increase cavities and increase risk of oral candidiasis or yeast infections,” she explained.

Therefore, proper care of the mouth may help patients with diabetes achieve better glycemic control, and appropriate management of diabetes may help prevent periodontal disease and other oral problems. However, while periodontal disease causes significant infection and inflammation of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth, individuals often do not know they have the condition because it is usually painless. Therefore, Taylor and others are advocating for a greater awareness of periodontal disease, particularly among physicians whose patients may not regularly visit the dentist.

LINKING HEALTH CARE

Because diabetes can adversely affect oral health and poor oral health can worsen diabetic complications, dentists and physicians are beginning to realize the need to work together to ensure the health of their patients.

“For the first time ever, the American Diabetes Association has recommended to the physician that they ask when their patients last saw a dentist, and if they have not been seen by a dentist in the past year that they should recommend an oral evaluation,” said Ryan. “It’s also important that the dentist inform the physician of any oral infection or inflammation that’s being managed,” she added.

While it is unclear how many physicians and dentists communicate with each other, “as you start to see more information coming out on these connections, more of the medical community is becoming involved in oral care,” said Ryan. For example, Ryan and other dental researchers were invited to speak in June at the American Diabetes Association’s Annual Scientific Sessions in San Francisco, Calif. In addition, Taylor noted that the dentists’ and physicians’ perspectives are also both being represented in continuing education courses.

Health insurers are also realizing the value of linking dental and oral health. For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has created two referral forms, one from dentist to physician and the other from physician to dentist. The insurer also is incorporating preventive dental services into some medical plans.

However, many patients must deal with separate insurers when it comes to their dental and medical care. “Dentists are not reimbursed to screen for diabetes, so from the business side, they’d be spending time for services that cost them but that they’re not reimbursed for,” said Taylor. “The same happens with physicians,” he added.

Taylor noted that this situation highlights the need for more research on the benefits—including cost benefits—of linking medical and dental health. To that end, Taylor and others at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry are collaborating with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan on a research project quantifying the medical savings of good oral care in patients with diabetes.

“We’re looking at costs from submitted medical claims for diabetes patients— physician costs, facility costs, prescription costs—and analyzing what kind of dental services the patient received,” said Carl Stoel, DDS, a senior dental consultant at Blue Cross BlueShield of Michigan. The goal is to compare the medical costs of patients who receive little or no dental services with costs of those who receive routine dental care.

“So far, we’ve found that when diabetic patients are good dental patients, there’s a substantial savings onthe medical side,” Stoel noted.

Specifically, the study has found a cost savings in the range of 3% to 8% for individuals who were receiving regular dental care each year compared with those who were not recipients of any preventive or periodontal services. The cost savings that were seen related to the following diabetes related complications: peripheral vascular disease, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. “I hope that our research will provide the evidence to show that it can make a difference if physicians identify patients at risk for periodontal disease,” said Taylor.

Because many adults have gingivitis or periodontitis, and the incidence of diabetes is increasing, researchers predict that the links between dental disease and diabetes will become even more evident in the years to come. Ongoing studies are anticipated to contribute additional information highlighting the importance of simultaneously treating periodontal disease and optimizing glycemic control to prevent diabetic complications and maintain oral health.




Oral Health Problems Linked to Diabetes

Patients with inadequate blood glucose control appear to develop periodontal disease

more often and more severely, and they lose more teeth than individuals who

have good control of their diabetes. According to the American Dental Association,

the most common oral health problems associated with diabetes are the

following:

• tooth decay

• periodontal disease

• salivary gland dysfunction

• fungal infections

• lichen planus and lichenoid reactions (inflammatory skin disease)

• infection and delayed healing

• taste impairment

Physicians can play a role in encouraging patients’ oral health by recommending

good maintenance of blood glucose levels, a well-balanced diet, good oral care

at home, and regular dental checkups. When glycemia has been difficult to control,

a physician might consider asking patients when they last saw their dentist

and whether periodontitis has been diagnosed.

MEDICAL NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

2472 JAMA, December 3, 2008—Vol 300, No. 21 (Reprinted) ©2008 American Medical Association. All rights reserved

Loose dentures | Dental Implants Long Island | Dental Implants Suffolk County

This bride is losing her teeth. This video is funny as long as it is happening to someone else. At Dr. Scharf’s office we understand that people who have lost their teeth can feel insecure, embarrassed, and ashamed. Every day we help people like this woman replace their missing teeth on Long Island with comfortable, good looking, secure, affordable dental implants. To see if implants are right for you call us at (631)661-6633

Whoppi Goldberg and Gum Disease on The View | Dental Implants Long Island Suffolk County

Whoppi Goldberg recently discussed her gum disease. She discussed on The View that the years of dental neglect have finally caught up with her. This does not have to happen to you. If you want to learn more about Long Island periodontal disease and gum disease treatment dental implants on Long Island and Suffolk County or treating gum disease with a periodontal laser on Long Island Suffolk Nassau and Queens follow these links. If you have questions about laser periodontal treatment visit the FAQ

Here is the Video

What are the Effects of a missing Tooth | Dental Implants Long Island Suffolk County

What are the Effects of a missing tooth? Dental Implants Long Island | Suffolk County

Medical and Dental Effects Associated with Missing Teeth

* The link between the loss of teeth from gum disease and the increased risk of stroke and heart attack has been well researched. When the teeth are lost, the damage the gum disease created doesn’t go away. The body has been permanently weakened.
* Research at the University of Maryland Department of Nutrition shows that the “dietary quality and intake of certain nutrients was poorer among the group with self-perceived ill fitting dentures than those with natural teeth or will fitting dentures”.
* A recent study out of London found that food “rich in nutrients like nuts, apples and raw carrots could not be eaten easily for over 50%” of people with dentures.
* Research at the University Dental School in Ireland showed patients “reported a significant improvement in satisfaction and health related quality of as did patients who received” traditional dentures.

The importance of teeth has been well documented and Dr. Charles Mayo, renowned researcher who the world known Mayo Clinic is named for, was a huge advocate for oral health and its impact on total body health.
He stated way back in 1933, “The presence of dental health is important. Dentistry is distinctive health services and can extend human life ten years.”

10 years!! 10 years we are cheated out of when dental disease is present in our mouths. 10 years we are cheated out of when we are missing teeth.

Research Shows Us That There are Also
Emotion Effects of Missing Teeth

* Sadness or Depression associated with the loss
* Lowered self-confidence
* Poor self-image, dislike of appearance
* Holding hands over mouth out of fear your dentures will fly out
* Hiding the secret of having tooth loss
* Decrease or total avoidance of social situations
* WRINKLES and LOOKING YEARS OLDER than you really are

To learn more visit us on the Web at drscharf.com
or dentalimplantssufolkcounty.com

to learn about treating gum disease with a laser so called laser periodontal therapy or LANAP on Long Island visit LILaserperio.com

Dental Implants Long Island | Dental Implants Suffolk County 631-661-6633

Dental Implants on Long Island can make a big difference in the stability of a denture. Watch this video t see how imp0lants can hold in a lower denture.
For an appointment for a consultation call me office at 61-661-6633. Visit us on the web at drscharf.com To learn about treating gum disease with a laser visit lilaserperio.com

Researchers report periodontal disease independently predicts new onset diabetes

Many people who lose their teeth choose to get dental implants. Learn about implants at drscharf.com

Controlling gum disease is important for your overall health. This does not have to mean conventional cut and sew gum surgery. visit LiLaserperio.com for more information.

Periodontal disease may be an independent predictor of incident Type 2 diabetes, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. While diabetes has long been believed to be a risk factor for periodontal infections, this is the first study exploring whether the reverse might also be true, that is, if periodontal infections can contribute to the development of diabetes. The full study findings are published in the July 2008 issue of Diabetes Care. The Mailman School of Public Health researchers studied over 9,000 participants without diabetes from a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population, 817 of whom went on to develop diabetes. They then compared the risk of developing diabetes over the next 20 years between people with varying degrees of periodontal disease and found that individuals with elevated levels of periodontal disease were nearly twice as likely to become diabetic in that 20 year timeframe. These findings remained after extensive multivariable adjustment for potential confounders including, but not limited to, age, smoking, obesity, hypertension, and dietary patterns.

"These data add a new twist to the association and suggest that periodontal disease may be there before diabetes," said Ryan T. Demmer, PhD, MPH, associate research scientist in the Department of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health and lead author. "We found that over two decades of follow-up, individuals who had periodontal disease were more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes later in life when compared to individuals without periodontal disease."

Also of interest, the researchers found that those study participants who had lost all of their teeth were at intermediate risk for incident diabetes. "This could be suggestive that the people who lost all of their teeth had a history of infection at some point, but subsequently lost their teeth and removed the source of infection," noted Dr. Demmer. "This is particularly interesting as it supports previous research originating from The Oral Infections and Vascular Disease Epidemiology Study (INVEST) which has shown that individuals lacking teeth are at intermediate risk for cardiovascular disease" said Moïse Desvarieux, MD, PhD, director of INVEST, associate professor and Inserm Chair of Excellence in the Department of Epidemiology at the Mailman School and senior author of the paper.

The contributory role of periodontal disease in the development of Type 2 diabetes is potentially of public health importance because of the prevalence of treatable periodontal diseases in the population and the pervasiveness of diabetes-associated morbidity and mortality. However, observes Dr. Demmer, more studies are needed both to determine whether gum disease directly contributes to type 2 diabetes and, from there, that treating the dental problem can prevent diabetes. In addition to Dr. Desvarieux, David R. Jacobs Jr., PhD, professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota, also contributed to the research.
Source: Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health

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Dental Implants Long Island can help to regain your confidence speaking in public. Call Dr. Scharf (631)661-6633. Visits us at www.drscharf.com or www.lilaserperio.com

Check out this video