The information on this page is intended as a general guide only. It is subject to change without notice.
What is an Arch or Full Denture?
An arch, also called a full denture, is a restoration prosthesis that consists of multiple artificial teeth set on a plate.
A denture can be full arch (the entire lower or upper jaw) or partial (several teeth.)
What is an Articulator?
An articulator is an instrument used with dental models to replicate the exact movement, bite and dentition of a specific patient. Used to communicate richly detailed information to a dental laboratory for the precise fabrication of implant abutments and prostheses.
Why does bone loss occur?
When teeth is lost from the jaw bone, the jaw bone is no longer stimulated to maintain its bone mass.
The body will demineralise this now-useless bone and reallocate the material to other parts of the body.
Over time, bone loss will continue to the point where the patient is no longer able to wear a denture. Facial collapse will be the end result.
What is a Bridge?
A bridge is a restoration that bridges a gap left by missing teeth.
A bridge is typically anchored to crowns on the healthy teeth on either side of the gap.
The bridge is shown in blue on the cross section diagram below.
Which implant brands do you use?
The quality and proven reliability of the actual implants are paramount in the success of your treatment.
We only use proven implant systems from leading international manufacturers:
Nobel Biocare – Switzerland
Ankylos – Germany
Straumann – Switzerland
BioHorizons – USA
All implants are identified by unique ID codes for traceability and product warranty.
What is CAD/CAM?
CAD/CAM stands for Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing. This is the use of digital imaging and 3D design techniques to custom-make implant elements and prostheses, and to plan implant placements.
What is the ISQ (Implant Stability Quotient)?
The ISQ is a number on a scale (from q to 100) that indicates the stability and level of osseointegration of a dental implant.
It is a standardised way for practitioners to measure and describe how well an implant has meshed with the jaw bone and how stable it is sitting in the placed position.
A technique called “resonance frequency analysis” is used to measure the ISQ of an implant.
What is a CT Scan?
Computerized Tomography Scan. A series of x-ray images taken from different angles are compiled by a computer to create a 3D cross-sectional view.
Using a CT Scan is one of the ways for us to get a detailed view of your mouth for precise planning.
What is Osseointegration?
Osseointegration is the process where your bone tissue grows into and meshes with a placed implant.
Good osseointegration is needed to securely anchor the implant.
What is Osteonecrosis?
Osteonecrosis is the death of bone tissue. It can lead to tooth loss and implant failure.
This can be cause by disease, reduced blood flow or trauma when an implant is placed by an inexperienced practitioner using poor technique or the wrong equipment.
What is a Prosthesis?
A prosthesis (plural prostheses) is an artificial crown, bridge, denture, or other fabricated material that is used in dental restorations to replace lost teeth.
Prostheses are mounted onto dental implants. Prostheses are the only visible parts of a dental implant.
What are fast “Teeth-in-a-day” implants that I have seen advertised?
Some dentists advertise implants as “Teeth in a Day”, “Teeth Today” and even “Teeth in an Hour” to attract potential patients.
There is “fast” by taking risky short cuts, or “fast” by doing it right using certain technologies and clinically proven-techniques.
Be sure to ask the practitioner to clarify how they do “fast.”