What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are certain artificial titanium roots that are inserted in the jaw bone to hold the replacement tooth in place. Titanium material is used because of the naturally occurring process called osseointegration. This is the process that happens when the jaw bone fuses with titanium, permanently keeping the tooth implants anchored.
Dental implants have been around since the 1960s. Over the years, they have gradually developed into the ideal substitute for the real thing. The procedures for installing these implants have also advanced and are now more mainstreamed than ever. Many patients can do this procedure on an outpatient basis. However, this will depend on the type of implant the dentist recommends for a patient. There are several dental implant options available today. Depending upon where the implant is placed, dental implants can be categorized into the following types.
What types of dental implants are available?
1. Endosteal Implants
In this type, the tooth roots are replaced by cylinders, screws or blades that are usually made of titanium or a ceramic material. The implant is surgically drilled into the patient’s jawbone. This helps by holding the artificial teeth in place. This means, the implants lie completely inside the jawbone, just below the gums. However, the artificial teeth are not directly connected to the endosteal implants. When the dental implant is inserted into the jawbone, a post is then connected to the implant. The artificial tooth is then securely placed over the post. At least 2 surgeries are needed to connect the teeth with the implant.
2. Subperiosteal implants
Unlike endosteal implants, these types of implants are not inserted within the jawbone. Here, a metal framework is firmly secured on the jawbone, but the framework lies just below the gum line. In subperiosteal implants, metal posts are also used; they appear to be projecting outwards above the gum line via the metal frame. When a jawbone isn’t wide enough to accommodate the endosteal implants, the dentists may recommend subperiosteal implants. However, subperiosteal implants are quite expensive since they have to be customized to the width and height of the patients jawbone. This ensures the implant fits perfectly on the patient.
3. Transosteal Implants
These types of implants can only be fitted to the lower jawbone. They are not generally recommended since the procedure is quite complicated and long. The surgical procedure involves attaching a metal plate at the bottom of the jawbone, with screws running through the patient’s jawbone, and the posts embedded within the gum tissue. After this, an incision is made below the chin to fix the plate with screws and posts on top, to fix the artificial teeth. The entire procedure is time-consuming, has minimal success rates and can result in post-surgical scars.
4. Mini Dental Implants (MDI)
Not all individuals are fit for standard dental implants; patients with bone issues such as inadequate jawbone structure are advised to go for MDIs. When the thickness of the bone is inadequate, fitting a conventional implant is not a good option. Just as the name suggest, these titanium implants have a smaller diameter compared to other implants. The implants are used to fix a small teeth, premolars or in cases where the teeth has to be fixed in a narrower area. The traditional implants are twice the size of MDIs. Basically, these implants have more or less the width of a toothpick. Traditional implants require 6-8 months to heal while MDIs have a very short recovery period. This is because the impants are minimally- invasive. Quick healing & miniscule amount of post-operation pain are the greatest hallmarks of the MDI surgery. Although these implants are very tiny, they are equally effective to anchor dentures.
What are Dental Implant Options?
Single Tooth Dental Implant
When only a single tooth is missing or damaged, it can be replaced by a dental implant and crown. This is often considered a preferable alternative to extensive bridgework, which requires dentists to drill or file the surrounding teeth to support the cement bridge. Since a dental implant mimic the functions of a real tooth, it also tend to last longer and do less long-term damage to your mouth replacing the root and preventing bone decay sometimes experienced with bridges and other procedures.
A crown is a replica tooth designed to perform the same function as the tooth and also blend in with the rest of teeth. A dental implant consists of both the crown and the base. The base is fixed to the bone through the gum. Since the base has to be firmly fixed to the gum and is intended to last for a very long time, it often requires several surgeries to fully put into place.
First, a surgery is done to remove the damaged tooth and to prepare the area for the implant. After this, the implant base is fixed to the jaw. The implant has to be fixed in gums where the original roots of the tooth were. This may take several months, since the jaw and gums must be accustomed to the implant without any signs of infection or complications.
Once the base has bonded to the jaw, another preparatory surgery is performed to add an extension to the base. The crown is carefully fitted on the extension until it is tight against the gum and fits well with the natural teeth.
Multiple Teeth Dental Implants
If you have have lost several teeth, implant-supported bridges can replace them. The bridge contains all the teeth in one piece and is anchored on dental implants.
First, the implants are installed. This is normally done in one session. A temporary bridge is also fixed to help you function normally after leaving the dentist. The implants have to integrate with the jawbone before the permanent bridge is attached. This is normally done 1-2 months after the implants have been installed. This time varies depending on the teeth affected and aesthetical needs. After this, a new bridge is installed. The bridge will handle all the pressure that your strong, natural teeth did.
The other option of replacing multiple missing teeth is replacing each tooth with an individual implant. However this process is best if the missing teeth are not adjacent. If the missing teeth are adjacent, then the fixed-bridge implant is the best solution.
Full-Arch Dental Implant Replacement
Full-arch are implants created to hold one whole set of dentures' for the entire jaw bone. Basically, these implants are just like those used for partial teeth replacement. The only difference is that the number of implants may vary depending on the patient’s bone condition and shape of the mouth.
Careful diagnosis of such implants together with intensive study is necessary. This helps to plan and also coordinate the entire procedure before full arch implants are installed. The dentist may do some X-rays and possible CT scans to determine the actual amount of bone you have available for the implants to anchor to.
Two types of implants are commonly used during this procedure; a bar-retained implant and ball-retained implant. A bar-retained implant features a thin metal bar attached to several implants placed in the jawbone. The attachments are fitted to the bar, the denture, or both. The denture is then placed over the bar and is securely attached.
With a ball-retained implant, each jawbone-embedded implant features a ball-shaped metal stud that fits into an attachment on the denture. The balls go into the sockets, securing the denture to the jawbone. In certain cases, the denture contains the attachment and the implant features the sockets.
After the implants are placed, the healing process takes a few weeks. However, a full arch of implants can now be connected to a temporary fixed bridge in a process called immediate loading. Once the implants are placed, they start receiving load from the chewing forces of the patient. This process requires extensive professional planning and coordination.
Since dental implants are fixed to the jawbone, it’s essential that you have high jawbone density and quality. Patients with gum disease are advised to treat this problem before undergoing the procedure. In case of inadequate jawbone, bone augmentation is required.
Bone Augmentation
This is the process of increasing the mass and volume of the bone recommended. In areas where bone has diminished due to resorption, bone augmentation ensures more bone volume to support the tooth replacement process.
Basically, bone augmentation is a term that describes a variety of procedure used to build bone so that dental implants can be placed. The procedure typically involves grafting (adding) bone or bone-like materials to the jaw. This graft can be your own bone or can be a processed bone obtained from a cadaver.
Choosing your own bone for a bone-graft is an excellent choice. This will most likely come from your chin or ramus (back part of your jaw). If the dentist cannot get enough bone from these areas, he/she may need to get the bone from your hip or shin bone instead. The hip is considered to a better source because it can provide a large amount of bone. However, bone taken from the hip requires a hospital stay.
If you don’t want a bone removed from your body, then a dentist can use materials made from the bone of human cadavers or cows. Synthetic materials are also used for this purpose.
After the grafting process, the patient has to wait for some few months for the graft material to fuse with the existing one. Processed grafting materials can either cause the surrounding bone to grow into the graft or cause the cells around the graft to change into bone. A graft from your own bone transplants the bone cells or a block of bone that fuses to the jaw.
Apart from bone grafting, several different procedures can be used for bone augmentation. One procedure is called sinus lift or elevation. This process increases the height of your upper jaw by filling part of your maxillary sinus (area above your jaw on either side of the nose above the back teeth) with a bone. Other bone augmentation procedures include ridge expansion and distraction osteogenesis. All these procedures are very effective but your dentist will only choose one depending on the types, location and the number of implants used.
Alternatives to the Dental Implants
Although implants are very effective in their working, they tend to be a bit expensive. This has provoked dentists to look for other alternatives. Here are some of the best alternative techniques used in recent times.
1. Same day implants
This procedure allows placement of a temporary tooth (crown) the same day you meet your doctor. This procedure is ideal for patients with enough natural bone.
2. Dentures
These are removable replacements for missing teeth and surrounding tissues. They are available in 2 types; partial and complete. Complete dentures are used when all teeth are mission while partial dentures are used on some of the remaining natural teeth. Over the past few years, many prosthodontists are offering upper dentures with metal plates. These dentures provide a lot of strength and more room for the tongue thus making you feel very comfortable.
3. Fixed Bridge
This is ideal for people with teeth on both sides of the missing teeth. The teeth need to be strong enough to support the bridge. For the procedure to be successful, teeth on both sides must be crowned. In this case, enamel has to be cut off the teeth and replaced with porcelain or metal teeth. If the patient doesn’t have enough remaining teeth to support a fixed bridge, partial dentures can always be used.
4. All-on-4
This process aids in placing a full arch of replacement teeth. Here, 4 dental implants are used to stabilize the replacement on the bone and as a result you don’t need to undergo bone grafting.
5. Resin-bounded bridge
This process is used to restore front teeth that don’t endure the biting and chewing demands of back teeth. In most cases, the bridge has wings on each side that attach to the teeth. This bridge works and functions better than a removable denture but it’s not as strong as fixed bridgework. Although, resin-bonded bridge is very effective in its working, it doesn’t function or last as long as the dental implant.
No matter how your teeth got lost, whether it was an accident or lack of dental hygiene, always visit your dentist for help. He/she will advice you on the best way to replace your missing tooth or teeth.
Dental implants have been around since the 1960s. Over the years, they have gradually developed into the ideal substitute for the real thing. The procedures for installing these implants have also advanced and are now more mainstreamed than ever. Many patients can do this procedure on an outpatient basis. However, this will depend on the type of implant the dentist recommends for a patient. There are several dental implant options available today. Depending upon where the implant is placed, dental implants can be categorized into the following types.
What types of dental implants are available?
1. Endosteal Implants
In this type, the tooth roots are replaced by cylinders, screws or blades that are usually made of titanium or a ceramic material. The implant is surgically drilled into the patient’s jawbone. This helps by holding the artificial teeth in place. This means, the implants lie completely inside the jawbone, just below the gums. However, the artificial teeth are not directly connected to the endosteal implants. When the dental implant is inserted into the jawbone, a post is then connected to the implant. The artificial tooth is then securely placed over the post. At least 2 surgeries are needed to connect the teeth with the implant.
2. Subperiosteal implants
Unlike endosteal implants, these types of implants are not inserted within the jawbone. Here, a metal framework is firmly secured on the jawbone, but the framework lies just below the gum line. In subperiosteal implants, metal posts are also used; they appear to be projecting outwards above the gum line via the metal frame. When a jawbone isn’t wide enough to accommodate the endosteal implants, the dentists may recommend subperiosteal implants. However, subperiosteal implants are quite expensive since they have to be customized to the width and height of the patients jawbone. This ensures the implant fits perfectly on the patient.
3. Transosteal Implants
These types of implants can only be fitted to the lower jawbone. They are not generally recommended since the procedure is quite complicated and long. The surgical procedure involves attaching a metal plate at the bottom of the jawbone, with screws running through the patient’s jawbone, and the posts embedded within the gum tissue. After this, an incision is made below the chin to fix the plate with screws and posts on top, to fix the artificial teeth. The entire procedure is time-consuming, has minimal success rates and can result in post-surgical scars.
4. Mini Dental Implants (MDI)
Not all individuals are fit for standard dental implants; patients with bone issues such as inadequate jawbone structure are advised to go for MDIs. When the thickness of the bone is inadequate, fitting a conventional implant is not a good option. Just as the name suggest, these titanium implants have a smaller diameter compared to other implants. The implants are used to fix a small teeth, premolars or in cases where the teeth has to be fixed in a narrower area. The traditional implants are twice the size of MDIs. Basically, these implants have more or less the width of a toothpick. Traditional implants require 6-8 months to heal while MDIs have a very short recovery period. This is because the impants are minimally- invasive. Quick healing & miniscule amount of post-operation pain are the greatest hallmarks of the MDI surgery. Although these implants are very tiny, they are equally effective to anchor dentures.
What are Dental Implant Options?
Single Tooth Dental Implant
When only a single tooth is missing or damaged, it can be replaced by a dental implant and crown. This is often considered a preferable alternative to extensive bridgework, which requires dentists to drill or file the surrounding teeth to support the cement bridge. Since a dental implant mimic the functions of a real tooth, it also tend to last longer and do less long-term damage to your mouth replacing the root and preventing bone decay sometimes experienced with bridges and other procedures.
A crown is a replica tooth designed to perform the same function as the tooth and also blend in with the rest of teeth. A dental implant consists of both the crown and the base. The base is fixed to the bone through the gum. Since the base has to be firmly fixed to the gum and is intended to last for a very long time, it often requires several surgeries to fully put into place.
First, a surgery is done to remove the damaged tooth and to prepare the area for the implant. After this, the implant base is fixed to the jaw. The implant has to be fixed in gums where the original roots of the tooth were. This may take several months, since the jaw and gums must be accustomed to the implant without any signs of infection or complications.
Once the base has bonded to the jaw, another preparatory surgery is performed to add an extension to the base. The crown is carefully fitted on the extension until it is tight against the gum and fits well with the natural teeth.
Multiple Teeth Dental Implants
If you have have lost several teeth, implant-supported bridges can replace them. The bridge contains all the teeth in one piece and is anchored on dental implants.
First, the implants are installed. This is normally done in one session. A temporary bridge is also fixed to help you function normally after leaving the dentist. The implants have to integrate with the jawbone before the permanent bridge is attached. This is normally done 1-2 months after the implants have been installed. This time varies depending on the teeth affected and aesthetical needs. After this, a new bridge is installed. The bridge will handle all the pressure that your strong, natural teeth did.
The other option of replacing multiple missing teeth is replacing each tooth with an individual implant. However this process is best if the missing teeth are not adjacent. If the missing teeth are adjacent, then the fixed-bridge implant is the best solution.
Full-Arch Dental Implant Replacement
Full-arch are implants created to hold one whole set of dentures' for the entire jaw bone. Basically, these implants are just like those used for partial teeth replacement. The only difference is that the number of implants may vary depending on the patient’s bone condition and shape of the mouth.
Careful diagnosis of such implants together with intensive study is necessary. This helps to plan and also coordinate the entire procedure before full arch implants are installed. The dentist may do some X-rays and possible CT scans to determine the actual amount of bone you have available for the implants to anchor to.
Two types of implants are commonly used during this procedure; a bar-retained implant and ball-retained implant. A bar-retained implant features a thin metal bar attached to several implants placed in the jawbone. The attachments are fitted to the bar, the denture, or both. The denture is then placed over the bar and is securely attached.
With a ball-retained implant, each jawbone-embedded implant features a ball-shaped metal stud that fits into an attachment on the denture. The balls go into the sockets, securing the denture to the jawbone. In certain cases, the denture contains the attachment and the implant features the sockets.
After the implants are placed, the healing process takes a few weeks. However, a full arch of implants can now be connected to a temporary fixed bridge in a process called immediate loading. Once the implants are placed, they start receiving load from the chewing forces of the patient. This process requires extensive professional planning and coordination.
Since dental implants are fixed to the jawbone, it’s essential that you have high jawbone density and quality. Patients with gum disease are advised to treat this problem before undergoing the procedure. In case of inadequate jawbone, bone augmentation is required.
Bone Augmentation
This is the process of increasing the mass and volume of the bone recommended. In areas where bone has diminished due to resorption, bone augmentation ensures more bone volume to support the tooth replacement process.
Basically, bone augmentation is a term that describes a variety of procedure used to build bone so that dental implants can be placed. The procedure typically involves grafting (adding) bone or bone-like materials to the jaw. This graft can be your own bone or can be a processed bone obtained from a cadaver.
Choosing your own bone for a bone-graft is an excellent choice. This will most likely come from your chin or ramus (back part of your jaw). If the dentist cannot get enough bone from these areas, he/she may need to get the bone from your hip or shin bone instead. The hip is considered to a better source because it can provide a large amount of bone. However, bone taken from the hip requires a hospital stay.
If you don’t want a bone removed from your body, then a dentist can use materials made from the bone of human cadavers or cows. Synthetic materials are also used for this purpose.
After the grafting process, the patient has to wait for some few months for the graft material to fuse with the existing one. Processed grafting materials can either cause the surrounding bone to grow into the graft or cause the cells around the graft to change into bone. A graft from your own bone transplants the bone cells or a block of bone that fuses to the jaw.
Apart from bone grafting, several different procedures can be used for bone augmentation. One procedure is called sinus lift or elevation. This process increases the height of your upper jaw by filling part of your maxillary sinus (area above your jaw on either side of the nose above the back teeth) with a bone. Other bone augmentation procedures include ridge expansion and distraction osteogenesis. All these procedures are very effective but your dentist will only choose one depending on the types, location and the number of implants used.
Alternatives to the Dental Implants
Although implants are very effective in their working, they tend to be a bit expensive. This has provoked dentists to look for other alternatives. Here are some of the best alternative techniques used in recent times.
1. Same day implants
This procedure allows placement of a temporary tooth (crown) the same day you meet your doctor. This procedure is ideal for patients with enough natural bone.
2. Dentures
These are removable replacements for missing teeth and surrounding tissues. They are available in 2 types; partial and complete. Complete dentures are used when all teeth are mission while partial dentures are used on some of the remaining natural teeth. Over the past few years, many prosthodontists are offering upper dentures with metal plates. These dentures provide a lot of strength and more room for the tongue thus making you feel very comfortable.
3. Fixed Bridge
This is ideal for people with teeth on both sides of the missing teeth. The teeth need to be strong enough to support the bridge. For the procedure to be successful, teeth on both sides must be crowned. In this case, enamel has to be cut off the teeth and replaced with porcelain or metal teeth. If the patient doesn’t have enough remaining teeth to support a fixed bridge, partial dentures can always be used.
4. All-on-4
This process aids in placing a full arch of replacement teeth. Here, 4 dental implants are used to stabilize the replacement on the bone and as a result you don’t need to undergo bone grafting.
5. Resin-bounded bridge
This process is used to restore front teeth that don’t endure the biting and chewing demands of back teeth. In most cases, the bridge has wings on each side that attach to the teeth. This bridge works and functions better than a removable denture but it’s not as strong as fixed bridgework. Although, resin-bonded bridge is very effective in its working, it doesn’t function or last as long as the dental implant.
No matter how your teeth got lost, whether it was an accident or lack of dental hygiene, always visit your dentist for help. He/she will advice you on the best way to replace your missing tooth or teeth.