As the number of people receiving dental implants each year is on the rise, so too is the technology behind it. The science, and office of Dr. Linger, have embraced the latest in dental implant technology: the X-Guide navigation system.
What is the X-Guide
The X-Guide navigation system is the most advanced dental navigation system available in today's market. It was developed by experts in the fields of dental surgery and approved for use by the FDA in December of 2015.
It's a 3D imaging device that allows dental surgeons to digitally see inside their patients' mouths and lets them place dental implants with great accuracy.
Essentially, it's a GPS system for the mouth that allows dental surgeons to precisely place patients' dental implants for maximized aesthetics and functionality. Guided dental implants is very big improvement for dental implant procedures.
How Does the X-Guide Work
Firstly, an iTero, or a laser scan of your oral cavity, is taken to ensure your surgeon has a digitized image of your mouth and jaw. With the scan, a computerized tracking array is then generated and placed inside the patient's mouth.
A CBCT is taken, followed by a final pre-surgery consultation with the surgeon where the patient and doctor can review the procedure together. Upon surgery, the tracking array is placed again inside the patient's mouth and downloaded to the system and matched to an array placed on the surgeon's instrument.
With just a few incisions, the array guides the surgery under dynamic image guidance to ensure that quality and ease are attained during surgery.
How Can X-Guide Benefit Patients
The implanted teeth look and feel real and there is no need to removed them each day as with dentures. The implants will not negatively impact your speech patterns nor the way you chew, smile, or show your teeth when using your mouth.
Since the implants are permanent, they only require the same amount of care that you give to your real teeth, eliminating the need to leave your teeth on your sink in a cup. Your dental implants will never move or shift within your mouth, so you can simply get the surgery and forget about them.
A great benefit of dental implants over dentures or bridges is that they will last a lifetime. There's no need to come in for adjustments or repairs unless you suffer an injury that damages your jaw or mouth. What's more, dental implants will protect the bone that would otherwise be open to infection and deterioration if your teeth were missing. In fact, the implants can even stimulate new bone growth!
If you're worried that you may have to avoid certain foods or drinks, forget it! While dentures and other styles of artificial teeth will have food restrictions, you can feel free to eat what you want with dental implants since they function like real teeth.
Dental implants are the most predictable type of replacements for lost teeth and have a solid record of remaining stable and keeping the adjacent teeth healthy, especially when compared to dentures and bridges.
This is because dental implants adhere to the jawbone instead of the real teeth surrounding the implant. Since they also function like real teeth, they are just as easy to clean. You can brush, floss, and use the same products to clean them as you use on your real teeth.
If you have any further questions about the X-Guide navigation system or how Dr. Linger can assist you in the dental surgery, please contact us today and we'll be happy to discuss the issue with you.
