Whether you have full or partial dentures, if you have recently lost a tooth, dental implants may be a good option for you.
Most implants are endosteal root form. It is inserted into the jawbone and acts as an artificial root that can be used to attach a tooth or help hold a denture in place.
But implants are not an option for everyone.
Your health and enough bone to support the implant are the main factors that determine whether you are a candidate for dental implants.
There must be enough bone to support your implant. If you don’t have enough bone, the bone can be rebuilt. If you don’t have enough gums, it can also be added back. This must be done before the implants are placed. The treatment is called Bone augmentation and has been used successfully for years.
What options are available to me?
Today, there is no reason why anyone should not have implants due to bone loss. There are various techniques to achieve this. Your dentist will choose one based on the type, location and number of implants to be used. It is important that your dental disc has all the options available to you.
BONE GRAFT
This procedure involves grafting (attaching) bone or bone-like material to the jaw.
An excellent choice for a bone graft is your own bone. This is most likely due to your chin or ramus (back of your lower jaw). If your dentist is not removing enough bone from these areas, it may be necessary to remove bone from your hip or shinbone (tibia) instead. The hip is considered a better resource because the hip bone can provide a large amount of bone. However, this will require a hospital stay and general anesthesia. It also does not increase your risk of hip fracture.
If you don’t like the idea of having the bone in your body placed in your jaw, there are other options. The materials can be obtained from the bones of human cadavers or cows. In addition, newer products and materials can be used for bone grafting.
SINUS LIFT (or height)
It increases the height of your upper jaw by filling part of your maxillary sinus with bone. The maxillary sinus is the area above your jaw above the back teeth on either side of your nose. This is done when the posterior part of the upper jaw does not have enough bone to allow implants to be placed.
RIDGE EXTENSION
This is another type of bone graft and is only performed when the jaw is not wide enough to support the implants. Some dentists will place implants immediately after this procedure. Others will wait a few months for the back to heal. This procedure, called the split back technique, can be performed in the dental office under local anesthesia.
DISTRACTION OSTEOGENESIS
This technique will often be used to increase the height of very short bone. A surgeon makes incisions in your jawbone to separate a piece of bone from the rest of the jaw. A titanium device inserted with pins or screws keeps the bone fragment separate from the rest of the jawbone. Every day, you thaw the device a small amount. Over time, this makes the space between the bone fragment and the jawbone longer. The space between the pieces gradually fills with bone.
DIFFERENT ATTENTION
“Distractions” refers to the process of separating two pieces of bone. “Osteogenesis” refers to the formation of new bone. Distraction osteogenesis is more often used to make the jawbone longer, but it can also be used to enlarge the bone in any direction. The procedure is becoming more common today.
Implant Procedure
Dental implant surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia (it numbs the Dental Implant area where the implant will be placed) and is a relatively comfortable procedure. You may experience a small vibration during the preparation of the implant (bone) site, but this is quite tolerable. Post-operative discomfort is minimal as there are no open wounds following implant surgery and it is minimally invasive. You will be given a course of antibiotics to take home and use the following week.
A single implant usually needs to be left for a period of two to four months to fuse to the bone before a crown can be put on. Healing time varies from person to person, but ultimately depends on the bone density at the site of the lost tooth; The denser the bone, the faster the healing. The next step is to give the implant a crown that will look and function exactly like a normal tooth.
Success Rates
Dental implants have traditionally had a very high success rate. Studies conclude that more than 95% of procedures are successful – this is the highest of any tooth replacement option. Success is quite common even in areas with low bone density. Successful and functional implant restoration can last a lifetime.
In rare cases, an implant may fail. There can be complications in the proper fusing of the implant to the bone or it may come loose from it for a variety of reasons.
Sometimes it is the number of implants that is faulty: Too few implants are placed to handle too much stress – a condition known as overload. Sometimes an implant-supported tooth may snap a little higher than other teeth, meaning it will be subject to more biting and chewing forces. That’s why it’s so important to choose a qualified professional to fit your implants.
