Dr. Gurecka utilizes some of the most advanced techniques for dental implant placement and bone regeneration to achieve lasting results. Significant changes have occurred in both these areas over the last 5 years allowing dentists to greatly simplify the surgical procedures while increasing the reliability of the outcomes. In many cases it is now possible for the patient with a broken tooth or a fractured root to have the tooth removed and the implant placed at the same time, even leaving the office with a temporary crown and a normal smile. This has been made possible by improved extraction techniques which preserve bone at the extraction site and newer implant designs which have led to improved initial stability. Dr. Gurecka uses some of the most advanced brand name dental implant systems on the market like Zimmer, Hahn, Nobel Biocare, and Sterioss
Advances in bone tissue engineering have improved bone regeneration and further improved healing times. At Valley Brook Dental Dr. Gurecka uses an assortment of bone grafting materials to fit the patient’s presentation and the condition of the surgery site. These range from inorganic (synthetic) bone substitutes to cadaver bone from tissue banks. He also uses the state of the art MEDCO system to prepare a variety of Platelet Rich Fractions (PRF) from a small sample of the patients own blood. These fractions contain a number of the body’s own growth factors along with white blood cells and stem cells to accelerate the healing process and reduce infection. The I-PRF is combined with bone graft material prior to placement to use the patient’s own stem cells to ensure rapid replacement by the body in forming new bone. The A-PRF is used to create Bone Regeneration Membranes to cover the bone graft and release natural growth factors to promote healing. Both of these products have been used extensively in Europe and are now available in the United States. In addition, there are a number of other synthetic protein products produced by recombinant DNA technology like EMDOGAIN from Straumann Corporation that can be used to enhance hard and soft tissue healing and improve implant success rates and soft tissue graft healing.
One of the most innovative techniques to arrive is the VERSAH surgical system which has a unique set of surgical drills designed not to remove bone, but to condense it and gradually expand the width of the extraction site to prepare it for implant placement. It can also furnish a fine quantity of the patients own bone for autografting the area around the implant eliminating the need for other bone substitutes or cadaver bone.
Recently research has documented the success of the ALL ON FOUR approach to full mouth rehabilitation. Previously patients who were edentulous or had failing teeth had to have 8-10 implants placed in each arch followed by 4-6 months of healing and then fabrication of traditional porcelain to metal bridges to replace all those teeth at considerable expense. The “All on Four” or “Fix on Six” approach is to remove existing teeth, place bone grafts in the empty sockets and then place a minimum of 4 implants in specific locations to support a fixed appliance (either denture or bridge). The gum tissue is then sutured in place and the provisional appliance is attached immediately to the 4-6 implants and the patient can walk out of the office on a full liquid diet but with a smile. The temporary appliance remains in place for 3-4 months while the patient heals and the implant fuses to the surrounding bone. A final appliance can then be fabricated out of acrylic or Zirconia for a natural looking smile that the patient can use to eat a regular diet. The healing time for this approach is remarkable shorter than the older approach and the success rates are roughly the same while the costs are substantially lower. This creates value by allowing more patients to afford the procedure, a procedure which can make a dramatic difference in their self image, diet, nutrition, and general well being.
I had the pleasure to hear Dr. Brian Jackson’s lecture regarding current concepts in Immediate Dental Implant placement. Dr. Jackson provided some practical, research driven, insights on techniques to improve implant surgery/dental bone grafting outcomes and provide patients with immediate, full mouth restorations using the “All on Four” approach. For patients who have lost teeth due to gum disease, decay, or trauma the All on Four approach is the most cost effective way to restore a patient to normal function. At Valley Brook Dental we are always striving to improve patient care and provide the most affordable dental implant solutions for our patients.
Here is a patient we treated at Valley Brook Dental. This is an x-ray of the implant placed in the patient's bone. Below that is the patient just 5 days post-op! This amount of healing is possible with these new techniques we use here at Valley Brook Dental. This was taken right before the Thanksgiving Holiday and the patient was able to enjoy Thanksgiving with her family.