Saturday, December 12, 2009

No More "FLIPPERS"!!!

At Wilson Orthodontics, we are always on the cutting edge of technology! We now have a conservative option available for our patients who are congenitally missing lateral incisors....NO MORE "FLIPPERS"!!! Here is the way we would traditionally treat our patients with a flipper...notice the wires and acrylic in the roof of the mouth:




Traditionally when our patients are missing 1 or 2 lateral incisors, the braces would be removed in their early teens and they can't get an implant until late teens. This is because the upper bone structures are still growing and an implant fuses to the bone and doesn't grow with it. NOW, we have a TAD (Temporary Anchorage Device) called the VectorTAS system that we can put in the space of the missing tooth until the patient is ready for the final implant restoration. This TAD doesn't fuse to the bone allowing normal bone growth. The best part about it is that the patient doesn't have to wear a "flipper" or removable retainer with a false tooth on it through their high school years...and a removable tooth can be devastating to a high-schooler! Check out the pictures below with the TAD in place and it restored with a professionally made temporary:








WHY ARE THE DENTISTS LOVING THIS???...

The best part about this temporary and the MAIN reason we are offering these now as an option is that the TAD maintains the bone width. So when it is time for the final implant restoration, there is solid, healthy bone available for the implant. So many times before, we have seen that are patients are ready for the implant and there is not enough bone available. This gets into thousands of dollars for a bone graft that should not be necessary. Also, the gingival margins (gums, papilla, etc.) look great once the final implant crown has been restored!

For more information on this latest technology or to see if this is right for you, schedule a complimentary consultation to find out your options.

Dr. Ron Wilson and Ortho Team!

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