Dr. Chen's hydraulic technique is more similar to Dr. Summer's osteotome technique than traditional lateral window technique. What advantages and disadvantages are between Dr. Chen's and Summer's procedures? This is a good question. The main difference between Summer's Osteotome Technique, and the
Hydraulic Sinus Condensing is this:
Summers technique uses a small hammer (osteotome) to crack the bone, and needs at least 4mm of original bone in order to safely perform this procedure, while HSC uses a drill to gently drill through the bone, and have no bone minimum.
What is a mini implant?Mini Implants are very skinny implants that range from 1.5mm to 2.8mm in diameter. Dr. Chen believes that a mini implant should only be considered a temporary solution. Mini Implants rarely integrate fully with the bone in the mouth, and lack mechanical locking. This is why the FDA has only approved mini implants as an "on going implant," and not a permanent implant.
Dr. Chen will place a mini implant, but only for temporary cases. They have a much higher chance of fracturing, and much less torque than a regular implant. With our ability to rebuild your bone structure, we find that in most cases mini implants are not nessicary or worth the risks involved.
What materials are your dental implants made out of, and do they have any side effects?The dental implant industry is highly regulated by the FDA. The American Dental Implant Center uses only the finest implant materials on our patients. These consist of 99% titanium implants, and proven synthetic bone grafting material. Our patients receive the highest standard of care at all times. We would never use anything on our patients that we wouldn't use on our own mothers.
What is the typical recovery time for an implant? Patients vary wildly in their reaction to surgery, and their healing times. These variances can be caused by factors such as: age, immune system, diet, and whether the patient is a smoker or not. However, due to the techniques developed by Dr. Chen we typically see our patients walk out feeling well, and sporting a temporary crown, within an hour after having the surgery. They usually get their permanent crown in about 3 months.
How Long Do the Whitening Effects Last?Whitening is not permanent. People who expose their teeth to foods and beverages that cause staining may see the whiteness start to fade in as little as 1 month. Those who avoid foods and beverages that stain may be able to wait one year or longer before another whitening treatment or touch-up is needed. The degree of whiteness will vary from individual to individual depending on the condition of the teeth, nature of the stain, the type of bleaching system used and for how long.
Over-the-Counter At-Home Teeth Whitening Vs. Dentist-Supervised Teeth Whitening Products, What are differences?Strength of bleaching agent - Over-the-counter home use products and dentist-supervised at-home products usually contain a lower strength-bleaching agent from 10% carbamide peroxide, which is equivalent to about 3% hydrogen peroxide, up to 22% carbamide peroxide. In-office, professionally applied tooth whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide in concentrations ranging from 15% to 43%.
Mouthpiece trays - With dentist-supervised at-home bleaching products, your dentist will take an impression of your teeth and make a mouthpiece tray that is customized to exactly fit your teeth. This customization allows for maximum contact between the whitening gel, which is applied to the mouthpiece tray, and the teeth. A custom-made tray also minimizes the gel's contact with gum tissue. Over-the-counter whitening products also contain a mouthpiece tray, but the "one-size-fits-all" approach means that the fit will not be exact. Ill-fitting trays can irritate the gum and soft tissue by allowing more bleaching gel to seep onto these tissues. With in-office procedures, the bleaching agent is applied directly to the teeth.
Additional protective measures - In the office setting, your dentist will apply either a gel to the gum tissue or use a rubber shield (which slides over the teeth) prior to treatment to protect your gums and oral cavity from the effects of the bleaching. Over-the-counter products don't provide these extra protective measures.
Supervised vs. unsupervised process - Dentist-supervised at-home bleaching and in-office treatments offer additional benefits compared with over-the-counter procedures. First, your dentist can perform an oral examination and consider your complete medical history. This can be helpful in determining how your teeth became discolored and if bleaching is an appropriate course of treatment. This is based on the extent, type, number, and location of stains. Your dentist can then better match the type of stain with the best treatment, if appropriate, to lighten those stains. With dentist-supervised bleaching procedures, your dentist will likely want to see you a couple of times to ensure you are following directions, and that the customized tray is fitting properly. We inspect your gums for signs of irritation, and to generally check on how the teeth whitening process is proceeding. With over-the-counter bleaching products, you are on your own.
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