Very professional and friendly office staff. Very professional and friendly office staff. My examination was very thorough and I was encouraged to ask any questions and reminded to call if I should think of any. I would recommend this practice to others based on my experience today
Dental implants offer stable and permanent tooth replacement with a new artificial tooth and root that is placed into a patient’s jawbone. This creates a permanent and stable replacement for the lost tooth. When choosing a type of dental implant procedure, patients generally have two options: freehand or guided dental implant surgery. Both types of implants are effective, however, guided implant surgery has become the preferred method due to its precision. Dr. Toms truly cares about his patients and wants them to receive the best treatment available, however, you will always determine the procedure that you ultimately receive.
With a freehand dental implant procedure, the oral surgeon will prepare the jawbone and do the implant placement by hand according to what looks best to the eye. This is the traditional method and may be less costly, however, it may also take longer to complete since it does not utilize guides to help with placement. Also, there is a risk with problems with the implants due to misalignment and bite.
Guided implant surgery is the more sophisticated and accurate method of placing dental implants. The process begins with a digital CBCT scan, through which Dr. Toms will study the shape of your mouth and create a specific plan for how the implant will be positioned. Dr. Toms utilizes a sophisticated scanner to obtain accurate results. A customized surgical template is then designed to fit within your mouth, around your existing teeth. This guide provides an exact location and angle for where and how the implant post will be placed into your jawbone. It also helps control the depth and angle for the post to ensure the best aesthetic results for your anatomy.
Although guided implant surgery is more costly due to the added expense of digital scans and customized templates, it is the preferred method and studies show the long-term benefits. Overall, it provides more precision than the freehand technique and also enables Dr. Toms to assess where and how to best place the implant. You will have the best aesthetic results with the guided method, and it will often require less time in the dentist’s chair.
To find out more about guided implant surgery at Dr. Toms’ Cincinnati office, call us at (513) 922-7300 to set up an appointment today.