Dental Implant Imaging
By Dr. Linda Niessen -- Baylor College of Dentistry STORY: IMPLANT IMAGING SCRIPT #495 SHOOT: 1/15/03 AIRDATE: Monday, Jan. 27, 2003
Monday, January 27, 2003
More Americans are expected to get dental implants this year than ever before. Because implants are easier and quicker, they have never been more popular. Now, many dentists suggest patients get special x-rays before having the surgery. Dr. Linda Niessen explains why in today's Dental Health Check.
Before you consider dental implants, many dentists recommend you have a series of special x-rays make dental implant surgery more precise and reduce the risk of complications. The more detailed the image, the less guesswork. 3-D images show the most detail and give a unique perspective. According to Oral Surgeon Dr. Adam Andrews, "The more information we can obtain prior to replacement of implants, obviously, is better."
Dental implant patient Sandra Clark remarks, "I thought a long time about it." Sandra needs three dental implants in her lower jaw. Her dentist will plan the surgery from extensive x-rays taken at a special imaging center at Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas.
Comparing her experience of the high-tech imaging session with standard dental imaging procedures, Sandra says, "It feels like outer space. It's wonderful compared to the ones that stick into your cheeks."
For almost 40 years, Sandra wore a dental bridge. She looks forward to implants which feel and function like real teeth. "Forty years has made a big difference," she says. Sandra's dentist has made a special model showing where to place the implants.
Dental Radiologist Dr. Pete Benson of Baylor's Imaging Center says, "Usually the imaging study costs several hundred dollars, depending on the number of sites. Which is a minimal investment when you consider the total cost of placing the implants." Without proper planning, an implant could damage a nerve causing permanent numbness or pain.
Today's implants heal quicker so you can chew with the implant much sooner, often within days of surgery. For Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A & M System, I'm Dr. Linda Niessen.
Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.
