A dental implant is a titanium fixture that serves as a replacement for the root portion of a missing natural tooth. The dental implant placed in the bone functions as an anchor for the replacement tooth. Once the implant is integrated into the bone, crowns, bridgework or dentures can be secured onto these anchors.
The treatment process is done in two stages. First, the implant is placed in a simple surgical procedure. After a waiting period of 4-6 months to allow the bone to heal, a simple second stage surgery is done to expose the covered implants. The restorative treatment will follow with impression and fitting of the prostheses.
In the past a patient missing a single tooth would often receive a fixed bridge where the teeth on either side of the space are prepared for crowns and a false tooth suspended between them. With today’s technology the patient is ideally treated by a crown supported by a dental implant, avoiding any compromise to the other teeth. Dental implants are the ultimate solution for young people with congenitally missing teeth such as lateral incisors.
Dental implants can also replace multiple missing teeth which are traditionally replaced by a removable partial denture. Occasionally dental implants can act as anchors for a fixed bridge to replace the teeth making the removable partial denture obsolete. In some cases there are too many teeth missing to use a fixed bridge; however, using a dental implant with an attachment that snaps into the removable partial denture will significantly improve its stability and improve the patient’s chewing function.
Perhaps the best known use of dental implants is treating patients without any teeth. Denture wearers often suffer due to loose and “floating” dentures, and dental implants offer many benefits to patients without teeth. Stability of the dentures is improved with the use of even two dental implants with attachments, but greater satisfaction is achieved as the number of dental implants is increased. Depending on the number of dental implants utilized to replace the teeth a denture can be made that clips onto a bar supported by the dental implants or a fixed denture that remains in the mouth can be attached to the dental implants. Dental implants also can help preserve the patient’s jaw bone and retard the shrinking of the jaw that is routinely seen in long-term denture wearers.
