Your smile may be the last thing on your mind if the country’s economic woes are hitting close to home. But if you’ve lost one or more teeth due to accidents, injuries or excessive decay, enhancing your smile with dental implants may be an important step that can help you get back on your feet. A healthy and attractive smile can give you an edge when you apply for work or help you keep a job that requires a lot of interaction with coworkers and the public.
“Dental implants replace the root portion of missing teeth,” says Richard Kraut, DDS, director of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center and professor and chairman of the Department of Dentistry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “People who have dental implants don’t have to be self-conscious because of missing teeth or partial dentures that can move around. Instead, dental implants are a lasting solution that gives them winning smiles, improves their speech and makes it possible for them to chew food normally again.”
Dr. Kraut is internationally known for his expertise in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS
An oral surgeon inserts titanium implants (screws) into the jaw bone. Over a six-month period, a patient’s bone bonds with the implants, which provides a stable base for replacement teeth. A dental specialist then fastens porcelain teeth to the implants. While the implants are permanent, a dentist typically replaces the porcelain teeth about every seven years.
“Dental implants have the most natural look and function of any teeth-replacement options,” says Mauricio Wiltz, DDS, an oral surgeon at Montefiore and assistant professor of Dentistry at Einstein. “And with new advances, we can use implants in the vast majority of patients, even those who do not have adequate natural bone.”
Montefiore’s oral surgeons can place implants in patients of virtually all ages, including young children with congenital problems that affect the teeth and older adults who may be missing some or most of their teeth.
A LEADER IN DENTAL TRAINING
Montefiore’s dental implant fees are significantly lower than most facilities in the region. In addition, Montefiore offers two different payment plan financing options for those who qualify.
One reason implants are more affordable at Montefiore is that the hospital is home to one of the largest oral surgeon training programs in the country. Last year, Montefiore’s oral surgeons and residents, who are supervised by faculty, performed more than 3,000 dental implant procedures.
“Patients who have implants say
they change their lives,” Dr. Kraut says.
“Their new smile helps them make a
more positive impression on others
and boosts their self-confidence.” 
For more information or to schedule
a consultation with Dr. Kraut or
Dr. Wiltz, please call 718-920-2043.
Ready for a New Smile?
The articles in this publication are from Montefiore Medical Center’s publication Keeping You Healthy and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations to any individual or group.
This publication is for information purposes only.