Dental Implants
There are three options for tooth replacement:
- Dental implant
- Fixed dental bridge
- Complete denture or partial denture (removable denture)
What is the dental implant treatments?
Dental implant surgery replaces a tooth, all or several damaged or missing teeth with artificial teeth with screw like roots to restore function of the teeth and aesthetic of a full smile. Implants are very stable, the artificial teeth are designed to look and feel like natural teeth and they would increase patient’s quality of life.
Dental implants are permanent procedure that surgically places prosthetic teeth into the jawbone. Most implant are made of titanium. Titanium is a strong, corrosive-resistant and best of all biocompatible; which means while the tooth is anchored in place, the bone will fuse with it within few months.
Who is not suitable for dental implants?
This treatment while having the high success rate of 95%, might not be suitable for some patients since implant can get infected or cause gum recession, nerve and tissue damage. Patients with diabetes, blood clotting disorders, cancer patients who take certain medications, steroids or drugs that suppress immune system or people who grind their teeth are not suitable candidates for this treatment since their preexisting condition might cause persisting infection, delayed bone healing, prolonged bleeding, jaw fracture or damage to other teeth.
What is the dental bridge treatments?
For people who cannot get implants, or have lost more than one consecutive teeth, dental bridge might be a better solution, because this procedure is cheaper, quicker and less invasive and it won’t require surgery. Dental bridge is also a permanent procedure in which artificial teeth, or pontic teeth, are attached to the teeth on the sides of the gap. These teeth will be shaved and adjusted so that they’ll be prepared for the bridge that replaces missing teeth. Bridges are usually made of porcelain fused with metal, or zirconia. The procedure might require more than one tooth to hold the bridge and these teeth need to be strong and healthy.
What are the disadvantages of bridge treatment?
One of the disadvantages that bridges have over implant is that they are supported by the teeth; so if the supporting teeth aren’t strong enough it might become loose, unlike implants that are supported by bone. if the bridge isn’t fitting appropriately it’s possible for the tooth under the crown to decay or even damage surrounding teeth.
What type of dentures are there?
basically there are two types of dentures complete (traditional), and partial dentures. Traditional dentures are a complete set of prosthetic teeth for upper and lower jaw that rest on the gums and can be easily removed. Partial dentures, however, are specifically designed for patients who haven’t lost all their teeth. These dentures will replace the missing teeth so they can regain the use of their teeth and confidence to their smile.
What are the disadvantages of removable dentures?
Dentures (Removable dentures) are the cheapest and least desirable option for replacing missing teeth. Aside from the discomfort they cause to your gums, and the constant care they require, dentures would limit the wearer to certain soft food that certainly cannot replace a person’s previous diet, and the malnutrition due to this can cause bone and muscle frailty.
what are implant supported dentures?
much like every other dental procedure, dental implants are not exclusive. The main usage of implant procedures is tooth replacement, however, they can also be used to support dentures and provide more stability to them.
For patients who suffered from a gum disease or a decay that cost them all their teeth, there is an option with minimal implants to secure artificial denture, an example of this application is the “All-on-4” method. this procedure requires 4 implants in upper or lower jaw to support the entire denture. these implants are screw in strong positions in the jaw and are able to support a comfortable, realistic and aesthetic dentistry.
types of dental implants
Endosteal Implants
Endosteal implant are most common, frequently advertised implant that are directly inserted in jawbone, and once it fuses with the bone, a specialized attachment gets placed on top of implant which will hold the artificial teeth.
These implant are used for varied applications in dentistry; They can support a single crown, provide support for a bridge work or stabilize a removable denture.
Mini Dental Implants
These implants also have the screw like roots but unlike the endosteal implants they consist of a very small, one-piece screw that includes a round end, made for denture attachment. These implant are very useful for patients who have narrower bone width or ridge. This design is a great alternative for aforementioned patients who will benefit from same advantages of endosteal implants without suffering the disadvantages of subperiosteal implants.
Zirconia Dental Implants
These implants are an alternative to titanium implants. Although titanium implants have a very high success rate, these implant have shown great results in biocompatibility, response to soft tissue and since this metal is tooth colored it’s an aesthetic alternative for titanium especially for replacing front teeth. However, these implants are more complex to place and they require training, and since fewer practitioners are familiar with them, they’re more expensive.
Dental Techniques
Snap-In Overdenture
In this method, denture is secured by two implants in the lower jaw to prevent the denture’s movement. This method is the least invasive method to keep the dentures comfortably stable in the mouth during eating or talking.
Multiple Implant Cases
This is a treatment for patients who don’t want removable dentures and prefer a more natural looking restoration. Number of implants in this method depend on the structure and strength of the jaw.
The All-on-4 Technique
Four implants are placed in canine areas and in the back of the jaws to completely support the denture making this treatment a great procedure for patients with small arch.
All-on-4 with Angulated Implants
If the patient’s bone structure won’t support the implant in the conventional way, longer posterior implants are used to achieve better distancing between implants. This basically allows the chewing forces to distribute over a wider area and preserve bone structure from excessive pressure in certain places.