Dental Implants

Why Choose Dr. Steven Schulte?

Gentle, Compassionate, Highly Skilled

30+ Years Clinical Experience
DIPLOMATE – International Dental Implant Association
● Highest Status Awarded for Distinguished Implant Excellence
Advanced Post-Graduate Training & Excels in the Fields of:
● Implant Placement & Restorations – DIPLOMATE IDIA

● Crowns – 10,000+ Placed

● Lumineers – 500+ Placed

● Invisalign – 100+ Treatments
Highest Implant Success Rates Using Cutting-Edge Cone Beam 3D CT Technology for Precise Implant Placement

You’ve lost a tooth, or perhaps several. Chewing is difficult and smiling, well it’s too embarrassing. There is no question that the quality of your life has changed. Dental implants are the solution to renewing your smile, your chewing ability and quite frankly your quality of life.

Dental Implant Placement with Galileos Cone Beam Imaging

Dr. Steven Schulte at Auburn Dental Center will direct superb placement of implants utilizing Galileos Cone Beam Imaging to ensure the Optimum Results in Dental Implant Placement.

Galileos cone beam technology, an advanced type of digital radiography provides our dentists with a 3-dimensional digital image of your entire mouth, even areas that are not commonly visible to the human eye like the structures beneath your teeth and gums. The model even includes teeth roots and internal canals.

Cone-Beam Computer Tomography scans take only seconds, limiting your exposure to radiation. There is no doubt that this technology is a great improvement over standard x-rays.

The Advantages of Galileos Cone Beam Imaging

The Cone Beam 3D CT Scan offers the highest level of surgical predictability, resulting in successful surgical outcomes for patients.
Lower patient cost than a medical CT and over ten times less radiation compared to a medical CT.
A quick and easy 20-second scan produces the most anatomically accurate 3-D images of the mouth, face, and jaw.
An open-environment scan increasing the patient’s comfort level.
Reduces surgery time.
The in house Cone Beam 3D CT Scan helps patients avoid hospital visits and multiple appointments.
Within minutes of the iCone Beam 3D CT Scan, dentists are able to offer patients an immediate virtual diagnosis and treatment plan-all in one visit.
The 3-D data can easily be shared with a patient’s periodontist, oral surgeon, orthodontists, or medical practitioner using free Software.

Reasons to Consider Dental Implants

Without the root structure of a natural tooth the jawbone can shrink making your face look older.
There are no loose parts. An implant is stable and comfortable.
Normally, it will serve its owner for life.
Dental Implants LOOK and FEEL like natural teeth.
Dental implants help you eat, chew, smile, talk and look completely natural. This functionality imparts social, psychological and physical well-being.

When both the tooth and root are damaged, the best permanent replacement is a dental implant in conjunction with a ceramic crown.

What is a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a small titanium screw secured in the jawbone that serves as the replacement for the root portion of a missing natural tooth.
Titanium’s special property of fusing to bone allows the dental implant to stabilize the bone preventing bone loss and maintaining its shape and density
The implant serves as an anchor for the replacement tooth or teeth (single crowns, bridges or dentures)
Dental implants are surgically placed into the jaw. They can be placed in either the upper or lower jaw.
Due to the biocompatible properties of titanium, a dental implant fuses with the bone and becomes a good anchor for the replacement tooth.
Dental implants can be used in solutions for replacing single or multiple missing teeth.

Many people who consider implants have removable, conventional dentures for lower and upper jaws, or have removable bridges. These people experience a significant improvement in their ability to chew food comfortably after their dental implant treatment.

The Dental Implant Procedure

The implant team usually includes either a periodontist or an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who surgically places the implant, and a prosthodontist or general dentist who designs and fits the replacement teeth or permanent bridge.

At Auburn Dental Center we insert implants and design and fit replacement teeth and do restorative work on faulty crowns all in one office.

At the first appointment, we use 3D Cone Beam Imaging to determine if the jaw bone is adequate to hold the titanium posts.
2Within minutes of the 3D CT Scan, we are able to offer patients an immediate virtual diagnosis and treatment plan-all in one visit.
3Treatment with dental implants requires meticulous planning for best results.
4A surgical procedure is required (using local anesthetic and/or sedative) in which precision channels are created in the jawbone, often using a surgical guide. The implants are then fitted into the sites so that they are in contact with the bone. They generally require two to six months to fuse to the bone before they can have tooth restorations attached to them to complete the process.
5Immediately – at the same time an implant is placed (or after a period of healing), an abutment is attached to the implant. This is a device that “abuts” or joins the implant to a tooth form called a crown, which replaces the tooth part you see in the mouth.
6The custom crown is cemented or screwed onto the abutment to permanently keep it in place and should be indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

Is Old Age a Problem?

Occasionally, older patients express concern that their age may prevent them from enjoying the benefits of dental implants. However, health is more of a determining factor than age. If you’re healthy enough to have a tooth extracted, you’re probably healthy enough to receive dental implants. Certain chronic diseases may contraindicate dental implant treatment. The dentist will determine if you are a candidate for dental implants after a careful evaluation of your dental and health history.

How Will Dental Implants Affect My Life?

Dental implant-supported replacement teeth look, feel and function like natural teeth. This means that you can eat and drink whatever you choose. But most importantly, dental implants improve quality of life in a very concrete way. People who have felt embarrassed and worried because of their tooth problems are often overwhelmed by what new permanent teeth can do for their self-esteem.