Ready When Its Ready

May 3, 2021

Somethimes, you don't know it's ready until its ready. At Two Rivers Dentistry, we have another tool in our arsenal to measure whether an implant is ready to be restored or loaded. In the past, we've had to rely on guesswork or whether a certain torque could be achieved or just waiting 3 or 4 months and hoping it has integrated. Now, we have a small wand called the Penguin that works like magic. A specific small post that fits the implant is screwed in and the wand activated while placing it very close to the post. The resonance frequency or micromovement of the implant is then measured and a reading of between 1-100 will show on the device. It is almost impossible to get a reading in the 90's, but anything 70 or over (ISQ or implant stability quotient) is considered ready to restore. We can also use the Penguin on "Immediate" implants placed on the day of the extraction. If we get the proper reading, we can "load" the implant with a customized abutment and temporary crown eliminating the need to wear a "flipper" or denture tooth or an "essix type" retainer (like an invisalign clear retainer with a tooth placed in it). We typically also wait 3-4 months for the implant to integrate, but if we measure and get the proper number with the Penguin earlier, we can proceed to the restorative phase and not wait.

We are grateful to be able to use this added technology that works like magic to help us in our decision making process to help you achieve the smile of your dreams.