August 2020

All-On-4 Implants vs. Dentures

Venture Creative on August 28, 2020

If you or a loved one are in need of false teeth, you might only know about dentures, as they have been around for decades. There are some newer options on the market that might be a better fit, like the All-On-4 implant.

You basically have three options to replace teeth – full dentures, individual implants for each tooth, or the All-On-4 implants that use only 4-6 implants on each half of your mouth, using a bridge to cover the rest of the teeth.

There are a time and a place for both implants and dentures, and we will break down the right time for each product.

What is an All-On-4 Implant?

These implants can replace all of your upper or lower teeth with only 4 or 6 implants. Then, bridges can be used to give you a full mouth. Lowering the number of implants is better for your mouth and more cost-effective than if you replace all of your teeth with individual implants.

Expenses

Dental care can be pricey, but fortunately, the All-On-4 implants are actually one of the cheaper options available. This is a more price efficient way than getting individual implants for each tooth or getting an entire set of dentures made up.

If you were to replace each tooth with individual implants you could more than double the price of getting the All-On-4 implants.

Comfort

While you will find the All-On-4 implants to be a little bit thicker than your natural teeth, the implants are thinner and much more comfortable than a full set of dentures. They arguably feel the most comfortable and the most natural of any tooth-replacement option on the market.

While the short-term might be uncomfortable, as it will require medical surgery to install the implants, All-On-4 implants are the most comfortable option that will have you feeling like you have real teeth. You need to decide if short term discomfort is worth long-term comfort.

Medical Needs

Consider that if you get individual implants, you will need to have surgery and bone grafts each time you get one implant. With the All-On-4, you need to undergo those procedures a lot less, saving you money and also the pain and suffering of additional medical procedures.

Dentures might be the easiest medically, as the fitting procedure for dentures is a lot less invasive than the surgery for implants. If concern over medical surgeries is a priority for you, then consider dentures instead of any type of implant.

Longevity

All-On-4 implants can be the last set of teeth you will ever need, and they are generally worth the investment. You can replace all of your teeth with the All-On-4 implants. This means it will be cheaper than replacing each tooth with individual implants, but you also will not have to remove your teeth as you do with dentures. These implants are designed to be permanent and have you with a good-looking smile for years to come.

Will My Oral Surgery Procedure Be Painful?

Venture Creative on August 21, 2020

We get a lot of questions from patients before a procedure, but, without a doubt, one of the most common questions is, simply put: “Will it hurt?” This is a natural question. Surgery is something most of us only go through a small number of times in our lives, and it’s simply instinct to be worried about and strive to avoid pain. Thankfully, we don’t have a hard time answering that question.

We strive to do our absolute utmost to ensure that every patient has a painless oral surgery experience.

Given the scope of our procedures, this may seem like a lofty goal, but we have a variety of techniques and a boatload of experience to know that we can provide this ideal procedure to our patients every time. Curious about how we accomplish these painless procedures? Read on to learn a bit about or various sedation techniques.

Minor Procedures

For the most minor oral surgeries, such as any gum treatment and tooth extraction, we will use a simple and common local anesthetic injected directly into the surgical area. Most commonly, this anesthetic is lidocaine, which is popular because it is incredibly effective and causes very few adverse reactions. In fact, it’s such an effective painkiller that it is used in almost every single one of our procedures, in conjunction with other techniques. It wears off quickly after surgery, and you can drive yourself home if we only use a local anesthetic for a procedure.

Moderate Procedures

For some of our lengthier procedures, including extractions, wisdom teeth removals as well as dental implant placements, we will add the use of nitrous oxide to the painkilling regimen for a surgery. Also known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide will be given to patients via a small mask. When combined with lidocaine, laughing gas can greatly increase your pain tolerance as well as relieve any anxiety. The laughing gas also wears off very shortly after the procedure.

Major Procedures

Either in our office or in a hospital setting, the most major procedures can require IV sedation or general anesthesia. For IV sedation, patients technically got in and out of consciousness during the surgery but frequently have no recollection of the treatment. We are also licensed to administer full general anesthesia. In these situations, you will need a friend or relative to drive you after the procedure.

With the full array of pain management tools are our disposal, we can ensure you have a painless procedure. Contact us to learn more!

The Best in Southern Utah

Venture Creative on August 14, 2020

More than anything else, if there is one reason, we have our practice, it’s because we are dedicated to serving our patients and providing them with the best possible outcomes. It’s why most medical professionals get into their field: to help people. That is enough reward. However, it is exceptionally gratifying when we receive recognition for our dedication to patient safety and satisfaction.

That’s why we were so humbled and honored to find out that we’d received not one, but multiple gold badges in 2020’s Best of Southern Utah awards. We earned awards as the Best Medical Facility, the Best Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, and Best Doctor in Southern Utah, all in the most recent year. It’s not the first time we’ve earned accolades for our practice, but, to us, it confirms our commitment to excellence year in and year out. These awards may be humbling, but we aren’t too humble to say that we think you should choose us for your next oral surgery, and here are some of the reasons why we’ve been voted the best in Southern Utah.

Constant Communication

We get that the world of oral surgery can be daunting and confusing. After all, we spend every day dealing with it, but most of our patients only have a couple of oral surgeries in their entire life. We aim to take away some of the more unknown aspects of undergoing oral surgery with communication. This isn’t just focused on the dry (at least, to some of our patients!) medical details, but we also want to ensure that patients’ emotions, financial concerns, and expectations are all clearly communicated. Proper communication is an underrated key to patient success and happiness.

Incredible Patient Results

It may sound hyperbolic to say that our treatments are life-changing, but, for many of our patients, that is absolutely true. Our top of the line dental implants gives people a boost in self-esteem and quality of life, including being able to eat a wider array of foods again, that is priceless to many patients. For those who suffer the devastating pain of TMJ, our procedures can alleviate huge levels of pain and provide long-lasting and incredible relief. These are just a couple of prime examples of how some of our treatments can literally alter a patient’s life for the positive.

Convenience is Key

Access to your medical professional sometimes feels like it comes at a premium. We are always available to answer a patient’s questions, and we are even available for emergency care. Before your first visit, we check with your insurance provider to ensure you receive a clear and concise financial estimate with a lower wait time. We remove the guesswork and get you the information you need in a faster time.

These reasons are just a few to showcase why we earned so many gold badges in 2020’s Best of Southern Utah awards. Contact us to learn more!