New procedure cuts down on time and expense of dental implants

Posted at: 01/03/2008 4:50 PM | Updated at: 01/13/2010 11:11 AM
By: Robin De Wind | WHEC.com

A local dentist is giving people who don't smile much a reason to.

A new procedure can cut down on the amount of time and the expense of dental implants.

Marie Zingarella has always had trouble with her teeth. She lost most of her bottom and was forced to wear dentures.

“There’s nothing to hold them in. They shift and it's just an uncomfortable feeling to wear them.”

Marie thought about dental implants, for her bottom teeth but thought they were to costly until she heard about a new procedure offered by Dr. Frank Lamar with the Elmwood Dental Restoration and Implant Center.

“it really is a segment of our population who as far back as they can remember have always had dental problems.”

Doctors here have pioneered new technology to help people like Marie who have a lot of missing teeth.

“It can be cost-prohibitive when you're dealing with someone who has a full mouth of problems and they feel implants are too costly for them. This is a great way to do it fast and cost effective.”

The hybridge procedure is a row of resin dentures fastened to five or six mental implants.

“It replaces from the first molar to the last molar.”

This idea has been around for years but this new installation procedure cuts down on the number of surgeries and cuts the process down from a year to three weeks.

“Retrievability, cost and speed of those are all the advantages of a Hybridge.”

The procedure usually involves removing all of the teeth with upper or lower or both sometimes even healthy teeth to make room for the prosthetic teeth but the end result for Marie is confidence when she smiles.

“Just the fact that I’m more comfortable talking to people. I smile a lot now.”

Prices start at $15,000 to $20,000 dollars about half the cost of dental implants with porcelain crowns and bridges.

The idea is under patent consideration.

The goal is to market the procedure nationally.

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