Q. WHO DOES DENTAL IMPLANTS IN INDIANA?
There are many dentists who do dental implants in Indiana, but you want to look for a dentist who can answer the following questions about dental implants.
Q. HAS THE DENTIST SHOULD HAVE UNDERGONE TRAINING TO BE CERTIFIED AND LICENSED?
An American Academy of Implant Dentistry credentialed implant dentist has education, training, experience and competence in implant dentistry. Dr. Ted Reese is an accredited Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry.
Q. DOES THE DENTIST HAVE ACCESS TO THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING MEDICINE (ANESTHESIA) AND EMERGENCY (LIFE-SAVING) TOOLS?
Dental implants require surgery. You want your dentist to have complete equipment to whatever an operating room needs to have to safely perform a surgery. At Indianapolis Dentistry, they do all procedures in their office! Dr. Ted Reese utilizes holistic (whole-body) dentistry techniques in order to offer Indianapolis premier implant and denture treatment, in-house, at his Oral Surgery Center just north of Greenwood, Indiana in Indianapolis.
Q. HOW MANY IMPLANTS HE THE DENTIST PLACED?
Ask for photos of his patients with implants. A rule of thumb is just really sheer experience! There’s a study in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery that says you're not considered competent until you’ve placed at least 50 to 150 implants. Implant societies require placement of over 200 implants for membership. With over 25 years of dental experience under his belt, Dr. Reese of Indianapolis Dentistry has placed over 1000 dental implants.
Q. CAN A SONICARE TOOTHBRUSH BE USED ON DENTURE IMPLANTS?
Yes, "the Sonicare toothbrush has been proven safe and effective for use on implants and restorations (caps/crowns, bridges and fillings)." (Source: PHILIPS website)
Q. SHOULD I GET BRACES BEFORE OR AFTER DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Ideally, all orthodontic work like braces and Invisalign are done before any permanent dental work is done. Orthodontics will move teeth to its proper or ideal positions and veneers, crowns and implants are permanent and cannot be moved. Getting a dental implant means having a metal post implanted beneath your gum and fusing it to your jaw bone. Your replacement tooth will then be mounted on that post. They don’t move around once placed.
Q. CAN I GET A DENTAL IMPLANT IN ONE DAY?
Same day dental implants are a kind of misnomer. While it's true that you can get a dental implant installed in one day, there are usually several prior appointments to take dental X-rays, create a treatment plan, and go over that treatment plan with you.
Dr. Reese can place implants and cover with temporary teeth the same day but as it already implies, it is temporary. Dr. Reese understands the need to go back to one’s daily activities as quickly as possible so he provides same day dentures to cover ongoing dental work.
Placing dental implants is not a simple dental treatment of putting a screw and covering it with a replacement tooth. It is a two-stage process. The first stage is surgical where implants are placed in the jaw. This requires anesthesia and antibiotics. The second stage is restorative where the teeth are fitted onto the implants. You would want to have a dentist skilled in prosthetic dentistry for this.
Q. WHAT IS THE COST OF DENTAL IMPLANTS IN INDIANAPOLIS?
When considering the cost of dental implants, consider the total lifetime cost of your oral health. When teeth are not replaced, the teeth next to them can move and the bone and gums below can begin to degrade. Bridges cause wear on the good teeth around them and require more maintenance to maintain. Dental implants are permanent teeth replacements that act just like your original teeth. They require no different maintenance than your normal teeth and help support adjacent teeth and gums rather than to subtract from them.
The American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) said it best, “Your teeth, like your fingerprints, are unique – no one else’s are the same as yours. Many options exist to replace missing teeth but only one – dental implants – can provide the feel, function and appearance of natural teeth.”
While cost and length of procedure may be huge factors in choosing a treatment option to replace missing teeth, it is important that you also think of a long-term solution to your needs so that you can eat, smile, laugh, talk and play normally. Dental implants give you that sense of normalcy back without much of maintenance.
Q. HOW MUCH DO YOU VALUE YOUR TEETH?
Dr. Reese has been doing dental implant procedures for years. He takes the needs of his patients with a mission to give them their lifetime assets: their beautiful smiles. You can browse his work on dental implants in this gallery. If you want to discuss missing tooth replacement options or have been told that you are not a candidate for implants, you can contact his office for a second opinion or call 317-882-0228 to schedule an appointment.