An Overview Of Dental Implants

By Richard Greene


The US standard of care for missing teeth with a gap is to put in a dental implant for replacing them. Usually the implant consists of titanium metal and is put into the jaw to replace one tooth or maybe several. The implant can osseointegrate with the jaw. This means that the jaw's bone may grow into the sides of the implant, which can make the connection solid.

During dental implant placement, the bone is drilled with special care to avoid the nerves in the vicinity such as the inferior alveolar nerve. Usually irrigation is utilized during drilling to prevent overheating.

The dental implants may be used to replace a single tooth or to support a full dental bridge, even replacing a full set of teeth. The most common form of dental implants are "root form", also termed "endosteal" implants. The shape of the implant resembles the natural root of the tooth and is ideal for those with a deep and healthy jawbone. If a patient does not have adequate bone for implant placement, a bone graft can be utilized.

Another dental implant is used when the jaw is too narrow and bone grafting is not appropriate - this is a plate form implant. Conventional dental surgery is utilized for placement, with a 2nd stage later after initial healing.

If the person does not have enough bone for either a root or plate form implant, the next best option for a procedure is a subperiosteal dental implant. People need to understand the fact that these implants have a higher cost and failure rate. The subperiosteal implant option is a custom one designed from a dental impression or an individual CT scan with a three dimensional model.

A recent trend involves mini-dental implants. These implants represent smaller versions of root form implants. Originally, the option was to use them temporarily, however, recently they have become a more permanent option, especially for people with smaller teeth. They don't fuse as well compared to the larger options, but can be a less expensive longer lasting solution.

As newer methods become available, there are instances when individuals may have their dental implants placed in a one stage setting. Reasons for this being possible are that some dental offices maintain three dimensional modeling systems in-house and do not need to send things out for implant fabrication. Another reason is that there are companies now who can model everything for one stage placement. So the person can have all of the presurgical work accomplished via three dimensional modeling, and the implant made and ready for placement during the one stage surgery. Check with your local dental implant doctor's office to see what's available.




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