Dental implant is a surgical fixture usually made of titanium, placed over the jawbone and acts as a replacement tooth root. Implants provide a strong hold to permanent or removable replacement tooth and look like natural teeth.
Implants are the best invention of science and dentistry to replace a missing tooth and boost a patient’s self esteem and appearance.
Types and Methods of implant placement:
Single Implant : When only a single tooth is missing, single implant with crown is suggested. The adjacent tooth needs no alteration or preparation, hence implant is a meticulous solution for tooth replacement.
Single tooth implant restoration includes 3 parts :
- An Implant post to replace the root
- An abutment to support the prosthetic crown itself
- The crown to be either cemented onto an abutment or to be held with a screw into its place.
Multiple Implants : When a patient has multiple missing teeth in different areas of mouth, several single implants are required. However, in case of multiple teeth missing in the same side of the mouth, fewer implants are suggested.
Full mouth rehabilitation using Implants
When all the teeth are missing in a patient’s mouth, there are various treatments to choose from –
- Implant-supported full mouth bridge
- Before a dentist opts for implant-supported full mouth bridge, a CBCT is suggested to analyse the bone and other relevant factors for placing implant with Fixed prosthesis
- It is a long and careful process, so a dentist may take several number of implants to fix it along with bone graft, if needed. Additionally, the
number of implant may vary in upper and lower arch of patient.
Implant-supported Denture
A denture supported by implant, also known as overdenture, is supported by and attached to implants instead of gums. Thus, it eliminates the risk of slipping from their place. This denture is opted when there is no teeth in the jaw but there’s enough bone in the jaw to support implants. Also, the implants are custom-designed according to denture.
All on 4 and tilting Implants
All-on-four surgical and prosthetic procedure was proposed to rehabilitate edentulous arches using only 4 implants. It is a quick, cost-effective and fixed restoration treatment. Two of these implants are tilted posteriorly which results in better spread of implants along the alveolar crest.
An acrylic prosthesis is immediately loaded on the four implants. When used in the mandible, tilting of the posterior implants makes it possible to use longer implants and thereby achieve good bone coverage without interfering with mental foramen. These implants have been applied in clinical practice since last two decades.
Other methods of Implants :
- Computer guided Implant Surgery
- Bone graft (for bone regeneration)
- Sinus Surgeries: Direct and Indirect Sinus lift
- Immediate Implant placement after tooth removal
- Bone regeneration Implant surgery
Caring for your Implants
Implants are a specialised and safe treatment options that need to be placed and replaced only by your dentist. But it is quintessential to practice good oral hygiene to prevent bacterial biofilm.
Who should consider Dental Implants?
A person who has lost teeth and needs permanent restoration should opt for dental implants. For patients with uncontrolled diabetes, cancer, radiation to the jaws, smoking, alcoholism or uncontrolled gum disease, special medication should be prescribed before dental implant surgery so that dental implant can unite to their bones.
