Dr. Brad and I belong to a study club to help further our dental education and to make certain we continue to grow throughout our careers. We are required by the state to obtain 40 hours of continuing education every two years. However, by belonging to this club alone we typically obtain our 40 hours of CE in one year. This last Friday we attended a lecture on Restoratively-Driven Implant Failures. In life, none of us are perfect and all of us can learn from failures. The lecturer was from Seattle, where I practiced for 7 years before I returned to Westerville and was voted one of the Top Dentists in Seattle by my peers. Both Dr.Brad and I enjoyed learning how to prevent any problems with cement-retained implants. Implants are an excellent option for restoring a single missing tooth. It is a bit of a longer process from start to finish; however, one of the most predictable and longest lasting procedures dentistry provides. The negative to implants is they can be pricey. Depending on the tooth and the situation, bone grafting is sometimes needed prior to placing an implant, which can make the procedure more expensive. The patient would go to either an oral surgeon or a periodontist for the placement of the implant and then come back to us for the crown placement for the final restoration. If an implant is not an option, a bridge (fixed partial denture) or a removable partial denture may be recommended. Implants can also be used to help retain lower dentures. Lower dentures are notoriously uncomfortable due to their lack of retention and because the tongue displaces them frequently. So, the placement of two implants for the denture to snap into makes the dentures wonderfully retentive and patients much happier. If you have any questions regarding implants, please feel free to call us at our Westerville, OH office at 614-882-2249 and we would be happy to discuss your options for restoring missing teeth.