Dental Implants

WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS?

Implants are a tooth replacement option that involves placing a medical grade titanium screw into the jaw bone. Once this titanium “root” has fused with the bone it can be used to support a crown, bridge or denture, replacing missing teeth, partial dentures and other forms of dentures. Implants have been used successfully for over thirty years, have a high success rate and function and feel like your natural teeth. The success rates for dental implants are extremely high due to titanium’s biocompatibility with bone.

ADVANTAGE OF IMPLANTS

Dental implants are designed to fit the structure of natural teeth. Simply put, in dentistry today, there is nothing that looks and feels more like natural teeth than crown or bridge supported by dental implants. Due to its biocompatibility, the implants are able to absorb biting force comparable to healthy natural teeth.

Implant supported crown or bridge eliminate the need of removable partial dentures. Unlike conventional bridges which require cutting and reshaping of neighbouring, often perfectly healthy teeth, missing tooth can be replaced with implant supported crown without causing unnecessary damage.

Implants maintain healthy underlying jaw bone and healthy gums, preventing gum recession.

Missing teeth normally cause bone loss in the jaw, and this can further loosen adjacent natural teeth.When these missing teeth are replaced, it prevents bone loss in the jaw, as well as stopping the formation of hollowed or collapsed cheeks.

Most of the time denture display some degree of mobility, especially seen in full lower dentures.

Dental implants are able to anchor conventional dentures, stabilising them and proving greater comfort.

DENTAL IMPLANT PROCEDURE

Generally, the replacement of missing teeth with implant supported crown and bridge can be divided into two stages:

Placement of the titanium screw into the jaw bone.

If the tooth has been missing for some time then additional procedures to place an implant may need to occur. Bone loss is the most common barrier preventing an implant from being placed immediately. When a tooth has been missing for a while the bone in the socket and the surrounding areas will begin to deteriorate and it may be necessary to regenerate or replace the bone in the areas of loss. It is also possible that the sinus cavity is too large or low for the implant to be successfully placed and it will need a lift to make the room for the new implant. The need for these procedures is determined with the aid of x-rays and CT scans in the treatment planning stages.

Dental implants are a successful and predictable way to replace missing teeth. The main factors that may contribute to implant failure include patient’s oral hygiene, general health and ability to heal after surgery, smoking, density and strength of the jaw bone. Generally, clinical studies indicate that success rates vary between 90 and 95%.