Treatments

Discover our treatments

Dental Implants

Dental implants are changing the way people live!

They can improve the quality of life, comfort and esthetics, they look, feel and function like natural teeth.

What are Dental Implants?

They can improve the quality of life, comfort and esthetics, they look, feel and function like natural teeth.

The Surgical Procedure

For most patients, the placement of dental implants involves two surgical procedures.

First, implants are placed within your jawbone.

For the first three to six months following surgery, the implants integrate with the jawbone. You should be able to wear temporary dentures and eat a soft diet during this time. At the same time, your dentist is forming new replacement teeth.

After the implant has healed to the jawbone, the second phase begins.

We will uncover the implants and attach small posts which will act as anchors for the artificial teeth. These posts protrude through the gums. When the artificial teeth are placed these posts will not be seen. The entire procedure usually takes four to eight months. Most patients experience minimal disruption in their daily life.

FAQ's

Are you a candidate for dental implants?

We carefully plan our dental implant treatments to have more predictable outcomes. At your initial consultation one of our oral surgeons will examine your mouth thoroughly, and will review your medical and dental history. If your mouth is not ideal for implants, there are ways of improving outcome, such as bone grafting may be recommended.

What kind of dental implants are available?

Single Teeth
Multiple Teeth
Full-denture supported (ideal for patients who have an ill-fitting denture)

How do dental implants compare to other types of restoration such as bridges, partials and dentures?

Dental implants preserve jaw bone and unlike fixed bridges or removable dentures, dental implants do not compromise the neighbouring healthy teeth. The natural appearance of the smile and face contour is preserved with dental implants.

In addition, patients wearing partials or dentures can experience bone resorption which occurs as a result of not replacing lost teeth. Dental implants can prevent bone resorption.

Do Implants need special care?

Once the implants are in place, they will serve you well for many years if you take care of them and keep your mouth healthy. This means taking the time for good oral hygiene (brushing and flossing) and keeping regular appointments with your dental specialists.

What type of anesthesia is used?

The majority of dental implants and one graft can be performed in the office under local anesthesia with or without intravenous sedation or general anesthesia.

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Dental Implant Post-Op Instructions

Please call our office first with any questions or concerns at 403-271-1665 or 1-800-342-0382. A doctor is on-call 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. If you are calling after hours, please listen to the emergency message at the phone number(s) provided. You can then leave a message at the designated phone number and the Doctor will call you back. If you are admitted to the hospital within 10 days of surgery, please notify us immediately.

Wisdom teeth removal

The surgeons at South Calgary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery will evaluate the position of your wisdom teeth and decide if there may be present or future problems.

Our surgeons employ a variety of anesthetic modalities to make your experience as comfortable and safe as possible.

The average person develops wisdom teeth during their early or late teenage years. These teeth develop in the back of the mouth and are the last teeth to erupt. Frequently, there is not enough room in the mouth to accommodate the teeth coming into a proper chewing position. Due to lack of space, these teeth come in at odd angles or only partially through the gum tissue.

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Wisdom Teeth Surgery-What to expect

Sedation

Your oral surgeons will provide you with various anesthesia options for your surgery. In most cases, the surgeons at South Calgary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery recommend general anesthesia or intravenous sedation for removal of wisdom teeth.

Surgery

The day of surgery we will ask that an accompanying adult be present with you. The procedure takes approximately an hour.

Recovery

Recovery is done in our recovery room, immediately after surgery, you will feel a bit drowsy. We will monitor your recovery until you are ready to go home with the person accompanying you to the surgery.

Aftercare

Our nurses will review all post-operative instructions with you before leaving our clinic. We will follow-up with all our patients to ensure a comfortable and speedy recovery.

FAQ's

Why should I remove my wisdom teeth?

Removal of wisdom teeth is recommended when these teeth are unable to properly erupt within the mouth. They may come in at various angles, partially break through the gum tissue or remain completely buried beneath the gum tissue and bone.

What is the best age to have wisdom teeth removed?

It is generally considered a good idea to remove these teeth when individuals are younger since surgery tends to be easier and as well, there are usually fewer postoperative complications and risks.

What is an impacted wisdom tooth?

What is an impacted wisdom tooth? It is a wisdom tooth that grows into the mouth improperly. It is ‘impacted’ because there is insufficient room in the jaw to accommodate it, thereby growing crookedly or by pushing onto adjacent teeth.

What are symptoms of an impacted wisdom tooth?

While symptoms of an impacted wisdom tooth can vary from one patient to the other. These are some of the most common symptoms of an impacted wisdom tooth:

Jaw pain
Swollen, tender or bleeding gums
Bad breath
Discomfort when opening mouth
Unpleasant tastes in the mouth

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Wisdom Teeth Post-Op Instructions

Corrective jaw surgery

Our goal is to ensure our patients feel better and happier about their smile

Your dentist or orthodontist may have recommended the need for orthognathic surgery (jaw surgery).

These surgeries may be required when one or both jaws do not grow at the same rate and the teeth or bite do not fit together. These discrepancies can lead to problems with chewing, speech disturbances, mouth breathing and/or facial appearance concerns.

What to expect

If you are a candidate for jaw surgery

Your orthodontist will straighten your teeth with braces first. Jaw surgery will be performed afterwards by your surgeon to move the jaws into the optimum position, which will result in a more pleasant and functional bite.

Jaw surgery is routinely performed in the hospital under a general anesthetic.

The surgeries are performed from the inside of the mouth and rigid fixation (plates and screws) are used to hold the jaws in the correct position. Your jaws are not wired together which makes your recovery much easier and faster. Most patients stay in the hospital for one or two days after the surgery.

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Jaw Surgery Post-Op Instructions

Bone graft

Bone grafting can enhance implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries.

Over a period of time, the jaw bone associated with missing teeth shrinks.

This results in poor quality and a reduced amount of bone suitable for the placement of dental implants. Today, we can replace bone where needed. This allows us to place implants of ideal length and width and restore function and aesthetics.

More information about Bone Grafting

What is Major Bone Grafting?

Bone grafting can enhance implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. We typically use your own bone or donor bone from a reputable bone bank. Your own bone can be taken from the jaw, hip or tibia (below the knee.) In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone healing. This is called guided bone regeneration. Major bone grafts are typically performed to repair defects of the jaws either to the lower jaw, upper jaw or sinus. These defects may arise as a result of traumatic injuries, tumor surgery, or longstanding tooth loss. These procedures are routinely performed in our facility.

Sinus Lift Procedure

The maxillary sinuses are above your upper posterior teeth. Some of the roots of upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone. There is a solution and it’s called a sinus graft or a sinus lift. The dental implant surgeon enters the sinus from where the upper teeth used to be. The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and bone is inserted into the floor of the sinus. After several months of healing, the bone becomes part of the patient’s jaw and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone. The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing loose dentures. If enough bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus is available to stabilize the implant, sinus augmentations and implant placement can sometimes be performed as a single procedure. If not enough bone is available, the Sinus Augmentation will have to be performed first, then the graft will have to mature for several months, depending upon the type of graft material used. Once the graft has matured, the implants can be placed.

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Bone Graft Post-Op Instructions

Other procedures

Other surgical procedures offered at South Calgary Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery include:

Diagnosis and management of Oral Pathology including oral cancer

Surgical management of TMJ dysfunction

Jaw advancement surgery for treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Cleft Surgery

CT Imaging -

CBCT

We provide CBCT imaging and Reporting.

Oral radiology services provided:

3D ICAT scan

3D Implant scan

Interpretation of existing CBCT

Based on the needs and budget of each one of our patients we create a roadmap to try to get the ideal result. We educate and answer questions every step of the way. While providing the surgical aspect of care, we work with your dentist, hygienist, prosthodontist, denturist and other dental professionals.

South Calgary Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Treatments

Discover our treatments

Dental Implants

Dental implants are changing the way people live!

What are Dental Implants?

The Surgical Procedure

FAQ's

Wisdom teeth removal

The surgeons at South Calgary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery will evaluate the position of your wisdom teeth and decide if there may be present or future problems.

Wisdom Teeth Surgery-What to expect

FAQ's

Corrective jaw surgery

Our goal is to ensure our patients feel better and happier about their smile

What to expect

If you are a candidate for jaw surgery

Jaw surgery is routinely performed in the hospital under a general anesthetic.

Bone graft

Bone grafting can enhance implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries.

More information about Bone Grafting

Other procedures

Other surgical procedures offered at South Calgary Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery include:

Diagnosis and management of Oral Pathology including oral cancer

Surgical management of TMJ dysfunction

Jaw advancement surgery for treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Cleft Surgery

CT Imaging -

CBCT

We provide CBCT imaging and Reporting.

3D ICAT scan

3D Implant scan

Interpretation of existing CBCT

Over 40 years of providing quality care to Southern Alberta.

Let us care for your patients

admin@scoms.ca

admin@scoms.ca