Combine conscious sedation with dental implants for a relaxed way to achieve natural-looking, long-lasting teeth
Dental implants are setting a new standard in full mouth reconstruction. They are characterized as the most natural and durable option for tooth replacement. At Downtown Dental Services, getting implants is as painless and hassle-free as possible. Even the most anxious patients have a comfortable experience.
What is your “secret”?
Sedation is the key to providing a comfortable and stress-free experience for even the most dentist-phobic patients at our downtown Cleveland office. Dr. Tony Lu is a proud and qualified provider of conscious sedation.
What is conscious sedation?
Sedation refers to medications introduced to help patients relax. Methods vary. Conscious sedation at our office involves prescribing a sedative or medication. The medication is taken as a pill before your treatment. The specific medication and its dosage are tailored to your needs. This characteristic supports the most safe, effective and versatile sedation-assisted treatment. Since the medication is taken by mouth, conscious sedation is sometimes called “oral sedation.”
Dental implants are titanium roots that are replaced within the jaw bones to resemble a tooth or a group of teeth. A screw is inserted through the gums and into the jaw bone. A porcelain crown is then attached to the screw to become the new tooth or teeth. They can be used to support dental prestices including crowns dentures and bridges. Today’s treatments are so natural looking no one will know you had surgery. There is approximately a 95 percent success rate for all implants with modern advancements in dentistry some implants can be restored immediately with life like all porcelain crowns. For more details ask your dentist.
What about the “conscious” part?
The term refers to the effects of the oral sedative. True to its name, patients remain conscious. They can communicate with our team. They are never completely “put under.” Yet, all of their fears and concerns float away. Many of our patients become so relaxed that they nod off and take a nap!
What should I expect during implant treatment with sedation?
Many patients are surprised by the straightforward process, including that implant placement is considered a minor oral surgery. If implants are right for you, Dr. Lu will review everything to expect. As needed, he will go over when to take your pill before the actual start of your surgery. We also use precision techniques and anesthetics to ensure the utmost comfort and successful treatment. After the implants are positioned, we allow time for the artificial tooth roots to fuse with the surrounding bone naturally. You won’t feel anything other than relaxed and comfortable throughout treatment. After the bone has healed, you will return to your friends at Downtown Dental Services to have your implants restored.
How should I care for my mouth after treatment?
We’re glad you asked! We see every patient relationship as a true partnership. The success of your implants depends on the dentist’s skill, but it also depends on proper after-care. Be sure to follow any instructions and maintain any follow-up appointments as advised by Dr. Lu. Proper care minimizes the risks to your implants and new teeth, particularly by preventing inflammation and infection in the tissues surrounding the implant.
I have specific questions. How do I get answers?
Call us at (216) 616-1155 today! During a consultation at our downtown Cleveland, OH office, we can answer any questions and ease any concerns unique to your situation. We are here to help, and the journey to completing your smile and better health starts with a conversation.
Root canal, Invisalign, and implant – all successfully and comfortably concluded
Dr. Lu: Thank you so much for agreeing to talk about your dental treatment. To show our other patients how it works. It’s my pleasure working with you for several years already.
Patient: Definitely.
Dr. Lu: Yeah. We did several dental treatments.
Patient: Definitely
Dr. Lu: Recently, we did a root canal for a molar tooth.
Patient: Definitely.
Dr. Lu: Earlier this year, we finished the Invisalign treatment and we did dental implants. You want to talk about these treatments?
Patient: Oh yeah, definitely.
Dr. Lu: You can start with this root canal, right?
Patient: Yeah, definitely.
Dr. Lu: So, the tooth really bothered you.
Patient: Oh yeah, it was actually pretty bad. On one side of my mouth, it was just fine. But on the other side, if I drank a bottle of cold water, I love drinking my cold water, it was impossible to do it on this side. It was just so bad.
Dr. Lu: I see, it bothers and really hurts. (Patient: Absolutely) So, we decided to do a root canal, right? (Patient: Exactly) So, we were able to do everything in one visit, right?
Patient: Oh, yeah, yeah, took care of all of it in one visit. It was great. It was nice and fast and everything.
Dr. Lu: And then you felt better the next day.
Patient: Oh yeah. Seriously, like immediately. I just immediately felt like it was normal. Now I can drink from both sides of the mouth and man, oh man, it was unbelievable. It was almost like night and day. It was like just yesterday, I couldn’t drink on that side of my mouth, but now, it’s just fine.
Dr. Lu: I’m really happy that root canal worked really well for you. Because a lot of patients are afraid when they hear about the root canal. But the root canal can definitely help you.
Patient: Oh yeah, definitely. Root canal is definitely very helpful, and it really alleviates the pain, and everything is great.
Dr. Lu: I know you did awesome. It didn’t hurt much, right? It doesn’t always happen that way. It worked really well.
Patient: Yeah, absolutely.
Dr. Lu: Yeah, that’s very good. Next, maybe we can talk about the Invisalign treatment, and also during the Invisalign treatment, we did an implant to replace a tooth.
Patient: Absolutely.
Dr. Lu: So, when did it start?
Patient: Yeah, we actually started that Invisalign process in March or April… No, no, it was May. May of 2024, and it went all the way to earlier this year.
Dr. Lu: So, it was about a year, right?
Patient: Yeah, roughly about a year.
Dr. Lu: I remember the teeth were really crooked. (Patient: Oh yeah) Then we just straightened everything. Now it looks really nice.
Patient: Absolutely. It was a great process. I mean, you change a new one (Invisalign aligners) every couple of weeks. you really feel like your teeth are getting straighter and I’ve actually had people giving me more compliments on the teeth as the process was in motion.
Dr. Lu: And the reason people usually prefer Invisalign clear aligners is because people are working. (Patient: Absolutely) They don’t want to wear braces, and Invisalign is more comfortable than braces.
Patient: Oh, very much more comfortable.
Dr. Lu: It worked out really well, and I remember you had a missing tooth. When we started Invisalign, we decided to replace that missing tooth with a dental implant. (Patient: Absolutely)
So the next thing is, we do both procedures in our office, Invisalign and dental implant (Patient: Absolutely) so we can coordinate the treatment time, right? So, remember, toward the end of the Invisalign, three months before it finishes, I put an implant in your mouth. So, it can take three months for the implant to grow with the bone, and then when you finish the Invisalign, we put the implant crown tooth back. (Patient: Absolutely) So it’s beautiful, coordinated, and everything was down.
Patient: Yeah, definitely.
Dr. Lu: How do you like the implant?
Patient: Oh, the implant is excellent. And also, there’s one thing I wanted to mention. I remember in November of last year, when you actually first put the implant in, and you say, “Three months from now, we’re going to put the real thing in here”. And boy, it was a really exciting time. And then, when the day actually came, it was so smooth. It was just kind of like an in-and-out process, and things have been much, much better with that area.
Dr. Lu: That’s awesome. As I always say, it’s my pleasure working with you.
Patient: Definitely.
Dr. Lu: Thank you so much. I think everything went really well, Invisalign, implant and the root canal. I know a lot of patients tell us, “We like you guys, but I don’t want to come here very often.” Hopefully we’ll give you a break. (Patient: Yeah, definitely) The teeth will be in good shape.
Patient: Oh yeah. I just want to thank you very much because you really made everything smooth and simple and everything is very much improved.
Dr. Lu: Okay, you’re welcome. And thank you again for sharing with us about your dental treatment.
Patient: My pleasure.
Dr. Lu: Take care.
Dr. Lu: Thank you.
Quick, painless, and fun! Fill the void in your smile with dental implants
Okay. Okay, Virginia, thank you so much.
Oh, thank you.
Yeah, you’re welcome.
Thank you for agreeing to share with our patients about your experience. So today you’ve got your tooth back.
My new tooth.
That’s awesome.
So it started with a back molar, right? Yes. So I think it started last year. We said we couldn’t fix the tooth.
Yeah. I had a crown, but it was decaying under the crown. We couldn’t fix it, so you took it out and did a bone graft. And that procedure, I mean, nobody likes having a tooth taken out. That procedure was reasonably painless and quick, and it went very well. And then I had to wait four months.
Yeah, you did really well, you know, because it normally takes four months for the bone graft to turn into your own bone, then we could do the implant procedure.
And then we did an implant, which was fun. And I just got used to having something there to play with my tongue. But it’s okay.
We did the implant earlier this year, right, the procedure?
Yes.
Okay. And, like three months later, they (the lab) made the crown, the tooth, right into the implant. I think everything fits really well. Really, really well. It looks good. Hopefully you can get to eat right away.
Yes, that’ll be good. But thank you.
Oh, you’re welcome.
Appreciate it.
Thank you so much for sharing with us.
You’re welcome.
