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Dental Implants: Benefits, Types, Medical Indications, and Placement Procedure

The times of root canals, bridges, and fixed or removable dentures, previously used to replace the missing teeth, are gone away forever. Nowadays more and more patients are choosing the dental implants instead. Unlike their large and uncomfortable predecessors, these up-to date cosmetic dentistry appliances require no sticky adhesives and tiresome oral cavity hygiene procedures. Apart from that, they help to save your adjacent teeth, located next to the missing tooth, as the dental implants do not get supported by them.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are artificial titanium stubs, used to replace the missing tooth roots, which a placed in the jaw bone to support a prosthetic tooth or bridge. Apart from the esthetic aspect, this kind of restoration treatment is aimed at jaw bone loss process hindering or prevention. Dental implants are used to replace one or several teeth at a time. If properly placed by your dentist or oral surgeon, they look and feel like your natural teeth and are likely to serve for your entire lifetime!

Why are Dental Implants Beneficial for Me?

It often happens that the patients, who have experienced their tooth loss, have a low self-esteem, feeling uncomfortable to smile or even talk. Apart from that, missing tooth problem is closely associated with such secondary health disorder as malnutrition. It is usually caused by the patient's biting and chewing irregularities due to the tooth loss.

The above-mentioned esthetic and health problems can be easily solved by fitting in the dental implants. These esthetic dentistry appliances provide the patient's jaw with enough strength and stability to eat all hard and even sticky foods, without struggling to chew. In addition, the artificial teeth eliminate the danger of some dental diseases development, usually affecting the natural teeth, such as tooth decay and gum disease. Apart from that, the dental implants prevent the bone loss, boost the patient's self-esteem, and help to maintain facial features.

What are the Up-to-Date Dental Implants Types?

There are two types of dental implants widely used by dentists nowadays, the endosteal and subperiosteal ones. The first is the most commonly used type of the dental implant. Endosteal is inserted in a patient's jaw bone. They come in various shapes and types. These might be screws, blades, or blades. All the endosteal implants types are placed in a patient's jaw bone during the dental surgery. This type of dental implants is recommended for the patients, having the adequate jaw bone to support a prosthetic tooth.

The alternative for the patients, who have minimal jaw height, is a subperiosteal implant. It is placed on the patient's jaw bone with the help of metallic framework stubs, protruding through the gums to support the prosthesis.

What are the Medical Indications for Dental Implants?

Dental implantation can be performed any time, when bone growth is completed. This usually happens after adolescence. The possibility of putting you the dental implants and the type of them, which will be suitable for you, is determined by your dentist, oral surgeon, and/or prosthodontist after the thorough examination of your oral tissues, as well as personal habits. During the consultation, your dental professional will evaluate your jaw bone density, healthy teeth quantity, and gums condition. The examination usually involves taking X-rays and going through computer tomography (CT scans).

The ideal candidate for the dental implants insertion must have adequate general and oral health. His jaw bone must be strong enough to support the prosthetic tooth. In addition, the best candidates must have healthy and strong, free of periodontal disease gum tissues.

Please, note that there are certain medical conditions, such as cancer, type-two diabetes, or periodontal disease, which might require the additional treatment before the implantation procedure would be performed.

How is Dental Implants Placement Procedure Carried Out?

This kind of dental treatment is generally carried out by the team of the experienced healthcare professionals, including your dentist prosthodontist, and periodontist. The surgery is generally carried out under the local anesthesia with the use of some sedative medications. It typically involves two main stages: the patient's jaw preparation for the implantation and the actual implant placement.

The surgery is followed by the osseointegration period, which involves anchoring the dental implant to the jaw bone, and takes from three to six months, depending on your specific condition and the type of the dental implant chosen.