Implant Dentistry
Dental implants make it possible to create a healthy attractive smile in a new innovative way. They are an alternative to conventional bridges or dentures. A dental implant is an artificial tooth root replacement and is used in prosthetic dentistry (the specialty of implant and reconstruction dentistry). Every implant is made of a biocompatible titanium crew and post topped by a crown, denture, or bridge. The implant is placed surgically in the jawbone where it replaces the original tooth root. Within a few months, the implant attaches to the gums, allowing it to withstand biting and chewing forces just as your healthy natural teeth. Dental implants look and act as natural teeth, and because they maintain bone mass, implants can help prevent additional loss of a tooth as well as enhancing the facial appearance.
Dental Implant Procedure
In order to determine the appropriate spot for the implant, dentist will perform an x-ray in your mouth and if critical, they may prescribe CT scans as well. Impressions of your mouth are then taken and used by the dental laboratory to create a restoration that is customized to your existing teeth and jaw. A dental implant procedure is generally performed as an outpatient surgery under general anesthesia or with local anesthesia by trained and certified clinicians including general dentist oral surgeons, and periodontist. Other common treatment plans calls for several surgeries over a period of months, especially if bone augmentation is needed to support implant placements.
In a typical procedure, the dentist makes a small incision to expose the bone at the implant’s site. The dentist then prepares the site that will receive the implant and once secured, the gum tissue is structured back over the implant. The new implant is left alone for a period of three to six months allowing the implant to amalgamate with the bone. During the healing process, some patients choose to wear a temporary false tooth or if preferred, dentures may be relined with comfortable liners to allow patients to wear them as normal during the healing process. When the implant has been completely integrated with the jaw’s bone, a post is attached to the dental implant. The dentist then creates the permanent crown fabricated and placed on the implant.
Are dental implants right for you?
Common indications for dental implant therapy are:
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One or more missing teeth
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A need for a non-removable “bridge: to replace more than one tooth
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Full or partial removable denture support
For a dental implant procedure to work, there must be enough bone in the jaw, and the bone must be strong enough to hold and support the implant. Occasionally, this vital factor limits interested candidates to dental implants however, only if bone grafting cannot be done. Bone grafting will be necessary in cases where there is a lack of adequate mandibular bone in terms of front to back depth or thickness; top to bottom height; and left to right width. Adequate bone is needed in three dimensions to securely integrate with the implant. It is important to assure sufficient anchorage of the implants because it has to support the mechanical stress of chewing, just like a natural tooth. Bone grafting is a surgical procedure which replaces the missing bone with material from the patient’s own body, an artificial, synthetic, or natural substitute. Heavy smoking and some medical conditions may preclude the dentist’s use of implant therapy.