Dental implant technology has seen stunning progress in the last few decades. Today, there is a ninety-five percent success rate with these replacements for permanent teeth, and they are considered significantly more satisfactory, safe, and efficient than crowns, dentures, partials, or any other restorative measures.
A missing tooth raises a number of significant questions regarding the dental health of a patient being considered for implant placement, such as what condition led to the loss of the tooth. Was poor dental hygiene, diet or disease a factor? Also of concern are the effects of missing teeth on overall health which can include bad eating habits, malnutrition, social discomfort, low self-esteem and infection or disease.
Patients can address many of these issues with a visit to their Kettering- or Dayton-area dentist to discuss a restoration of missing or failed teeth, which will usually include some sort of implant dentistry. Patients with diabetes, cancer, periodontal disease, or who smoke or take immunosuppressants may not be good candidates for implant placement. Smokers may be advised to quit their habit, or, at the very least remain smoke free for the many months of healing that the process requires, while individuals with periodontal disease need to commit to and actively combat the problem, and then revisit implant treatment options.
A patient interested in dental implants must visit their dentist and discuss their options. Not all missing teeth need to be replaced with implants. Other choices such as bridges, partial dentures or “mini implants” might be a more appropriate option. A qualified Kettering- or Dayton-area dentist will fully discuss each option and make sure the patient has weighed the many “pros and cons” of each choice.
Once a patient has been approved for implant surgery they must be fully prepared for a lengthy treatment plan. First, a patient must undergo a process known as “osseointegration.” Osseointegration involves the placement of a titanium implant into the jaw bone of the patient after the drilling of a small hole in an edentulous (toothless) area. This requires terrific skill on the part of the dentist, who must avoid damaging critical nerves in the face and jaw. After the hole is drilled it is widened to allow for the placement of the implant. Once the implant is in place a protective covering is put in place to allow the entire site to heal and osseointegration to occur.
Most implants require three to six months to integrate to the surrounding tissue and provide a safe and permanent anchor for the eventual placement of an artificial tooth (crown) or bridge. Several months later, the protective covering will be removed and, if all is well, a temporary crown attached to the implant.
This is done to allow the soft tissue (gum) to grow around what will soon be the permanent prosthesis. This procedure helps the gum get used to the implant and grow around it to accommodate the permanent prosthetic replacement. Once the dentist believes the gum tissue is ready, the permanent tooth or crown is placed.
Can osseointegration fail? Unfortunately, there are cases where the process has failed, and the implant needed to be removed, leaving the patient to determine whether or not they wish to try again. Reasons for failure of implant procedures include poor positioning of the implant, infection and factors such as smoking that can lead to rejection of the implant. The success rate for this procedure is generally very high, though there are a higher number of failures in the upper, rather than the lower, jaw. Dental specialists surmise that this is due to lower bone densities in most upper jaw areas which make successful osseointegration more difficult.
Are there any other risks associated with implants? Infection is always a concern during the months of osseointegration as well as the initial weeks following any part of the procedure, but after that the only risks associated with implants are the result of ongoing inadequate dental hygiene. While the implants and crowns are not susceptible to cavities or decay, the soft tissue areas around the implants can develop a condition known as “peri-implantitis” which is remarkably similar to periodontitis, and is the reason that dentists emphasize appropriate care of the soft tissue, gums and crowns of any implants.
Are there any alternatives to implant procedures? Actually there are several treatment options. One of the most popular is the development of “mini implants” which are significantly smaller implants meant to replace teeth like the incisors. “Mini implants” are ideal for individuals who are looking to use a single implant to stabilize their full or partial dentures. Mini-implants are less than half the width of the normal implants and not completely submerged during the procedure. Though they cost less they do not provide the same results as a traditional implant.
Additionally, Kettering-area and Dayton-area dentists are now placing implants immediately after the removal of a natural tooth. The patient is most likely to enjoy this less lengthy process, which cancels out many months of time spent in the osseointegration process, are those whose jaws present a positive environment for implants. An appropriately trained dentist will be able to predict which of their patients would be an ideal candidate for the insertion of an implant immediately following the extraction of a tooth.