Renaissance -Procedures on Implants

If you are like may people, you may have lost one or more permanent teeth during your lifetime. And you may also know how hard it is to get back the chewing ability and appearance of your own natural teeth. If that's the case, you'll be happy to know that modern dentistry has good news for you and the millions of people like you who have to deal with the eating problems and appearance embarrassment caused by missing teeth. Dental implants represent a big step toward giving you new, artificial teeth that look natural, feel great, and function with strength and security. Stable chewing and a great smile can become a reality for you..

What is a Dental Implant?
Each dental implant consists of three components:

The implant body, or anchor, which is surgically placed into bone
The post to which the new artificial tooth or teeth is attached
The new tooth or teeth

In fact, dental implants can help to replace one tooth or several teeth. In addition, implants can be used to provide support for a partial denture or act as attachments for a full denture.

Are Implants Right for Me?
Your dentist is the first person to talk to if you're really interested in finding out more about dental implants. He or she can help you determine if you're a good candidate for implants.

The first step is a comprehensive clinical examination, along with a thorough medical and dental history. It's very important to inform your dentist of conditions which may compromise surgery or interfere with normal healing, such as diabetes, heart conditions, or bleeding disorders. It's also important to tell your dentist about allergies you may have, prescription or over-the-counter medications you may be taking, or any other medical conditions for which you may be receiving treatment..

To help evaluate your potential as an implant patient, your dentist will:

Evaluate the general health and condition of your mouth
Check you upper and lower jaw bones and the way that they and any upper or lower teeth fit together
Gather even more important information by taking and analyzing X-rays.
If needed, make study models of your upper and lower teeth and gums

In addition to helping your dentist determine if you can receive dental implants, this information will also help determine which type of implant will best suit your needs and exactly where it should be placed.

As good as all of this may sound, it's important that you understand that as much as you may need them, there may be reasons why your can't get dental implants. Because of the surgical procedures required for implant placement, you must be in good health, have healthy gums, have enough good, strong bone in the right places, and be ready to make an extra effort to have regular dental checkups and meticulous oral hygiene.

How Are Implants Placed?
Implants require an important time and budget commitment. They typically cost more than full dentures or removable partial dentures, and the process may require up to nine months from start to finish. Your dentist is prepared, however, to help you every step of the way to enable you to achieve the improvements you need and want.

The implant body, or anchor, is placed surgically. The careful and precise surgery may take several hours, and up to six months may be needed to allow your bone to grow around the implant and hold it securely and permanently in place. A second, more simple, surgery may be needed to get the implant body ready to receive the post. Special care is taken during at all times during and after these procedures to ensure that you are completely comfortable. After the healing is complete, restorative teeth are created and fitted to the post portion of the implant. Because of the precision required, these final steps in the restoration of the implants may require several months.

Benefits and Risks
Implants can provide new teeth that look more natural and allow you to chew with more security, that is, more like natural teeth. Patients who have difficulty with conventional full or removable partial dentures may enjoy improved function with implants.

Sometimes an implant can cause "stress" to the surrounding bone. If bone loss results from this situation, or if poor daily cleaning creates an infection, the implant may loosen and it may have to be removed. An implant failure may result in difficulties in further restorative efforts. Other possible complications include poor implant position due to available bone support, compromised esthetics, implant or component fracture, inadequate healing response, or damage to adjacent natural teeth.

How Do I Take Care of my New Implants?
Since there is always the chance of a gum infection, proper brushing, flossing and cleaning or your implants, along with regular visits to your dentist, are all extremely important for long-term success. Your dentist will give you specific instructions about the care of your implants. On a regular basis, your dentist will also evaluate the gum tissue around the implant and the attachment of the implant within the bone. With reasonable care, you can expect your implants to provide years of excellent service.

What Materials are Used to Make the New Teeth Which are Attached to Implants?
Replacement teeth are made of porcelain, metal, or polymer resin-the same types of materials used to create conventional dentures, removable partial dentures, and conventional crowns and bridges. The implant bodies and posts are made from a number of materials, including titanium which is often used because of its compatibility with natural tissues such as bone and gum tissues.

After the Implants are Placed, How are They Used to Replace Teeth?
The new teeth which are attached to the implants may be created in several different forms to satisfy each patient's individual needs. Replacement of a single tooth is usually accomplished with a single crown created to fit over the post attachment to the implant body. Several teeth missing in one area can be replaced with several crowns joined together to form a conventional bridge, which is then attached to posts which are attached to two or more implants. In some special situations, a bar may be fitted over posts attached to several implants. Such a bar may serve as the support for a removable partial denture or a full denture, depending on the number and location of the missing teeth.

How Should You Select a Dentist to Place and Restore Your Implants?
Choosing a dentist to place your implants and then to make the new teeth which will attach to them may seem like a confusing task. In reality, however, it just takes a brief visit to your dentist to gather information and get the process started. Although a single dentist may perform the entire procedure from start to finish, frequently two or more dentists may work together to complete the process. One dentist may place the implants and another may create the new teeth which are attached to the implants.

Both general dentists and specialist such as oral and maxillofacial surgeons, periodontists, or prosthodontists may perform the surgical implant placement procedure. General dentists and prosthodontists create the new teeth which attach to the implant posts. Although "implantology" is not one of the eight dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, implants are a complex procedure requiring specific knowledge, training and experience.

If you are considering dental implants, meet with your dentist, learn as much as you can, and then make the decision that best suits your needs. If you're having difficulty chewing, if lack of bone support means that your dentures are often uncomfortable, or if you're looking for a way to replace one tooth or several teeth in one area, implants could be the solution. Dental implants could make a big difference in the way you look, the enjoyment and nutrition you get from a wider variety of your favorite foods, and in the overall quality of your life.

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Last Modified 13-apr-99