Implant Services

Implant Site Development

When a tooth needs to be removed due to infection or trauma, it is not uncommon to have bone loss around the problem tooth. In these cases, various types of bone grafting can be done at the same time the tooth is removed to facilitate the placement of a dental implant at a later date.

Autogenous Bone Grafting

Occasionally, ideal areas where dental implants are to be placed do not have sufficient bone quantity to predictably place the implants. In these cases, it is often necessary to "borrow" bone from another area of your mouth or have artificial bone grafted into the deficient area. Often the area of choice is from the chin or in the back of the jaw where your wisdom teeth used to be.

Sinus Lift Augmentation

After the loss of upper back teeth, your sinuses may enlarge in size. Before new implants can replace the lost teeth, a sinus lift augmentation or graft relocates the sinus cavity back to a higher position and replaces the bone that has been lost as a result of the enlarged sinus. This new bone graft typically takes several months to heal before the dental implants can be placed into the grafted bone. The waiting time may seem long, but the best result what the specialists and Dr. Wicklund desire for you.

Computer Enhanced Treatment Planning

Dr. Wicklund most often refers patients to Kitsap OMS, the office of Drs. Greenawalt and Dhaliwal in Poulsbo and Silverdale to place dental implants.  There are other periodontists and oral surgeons locally who can place dental implants also. Most specialists have advanced Cone Beam CT machines and 3D software that allows evaluation of your bone quality, bone quantity, and bone location for the best possible placement of your dental implants.

Implant Maintenance

Once your dental implant restoration is completed, it is important to keep the area clean and free of infection. Dental implants can accumulate plaque and tartar just as teeth can. Whether you have just one tooth replaced by an implant or several, professional cleanings will be necessary to keep your implants healthy. The time interval for these professional cleanings will be determined by your individual needs.