Dental Implants provide a means of replacing lost or damaged teeth without resorting to uncomfortable dentures or bridgework.
Generally, implants are posts made of a strong, biocompatible material that is placed into the jawbone to take the place of your missing tooth root. After a short healing period, the bone attaches itself to the implant (Osseo integration), and a replacement tooth is secured to the top of the implant. Dental implants are used to support missing teeth. They can be used to replace missing single teeth or multiple teeth. They have proven to be one of the most effective and predictable treatment modalities in modern dentistry. This procedure is now routine and is considered a long term predictable treatment option.
The Benefits
Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth and no one will ever know that you have replacement teeth. When teeth are missing from the jaw, the surrounding bone begins to shrink and eventually your jawbone will recede. Dental implants can prevent deterioration of the jawbone caused by loss of teeth, and your face will retain its natural shape.
Dental implants will allow you to once again speak and eat with comfort and confidence. The permanence and the strength of the implant and attachment can alleviate many of the problems that individuals may have experienced with dentures, particularly slipping and loosening.
The use of dental implants was pioneered in Sweden in the 1960′s. The first patients were treated in 1965. To this day, many hundreds of thousands of dental implants have been inserted.
The metal used in the manufacture of implants is titanium. It is suitable for the fixation into the jaws due to its inertness and biocompatibility.
Inserting dental implants is a relatively minor oral surgical procedure. It is usually done in the dental surgery, under local anaesthetic.
Post-operative discomfort is usually minimal and normal activities can generally be resumed after 24 – 48 hours. After the dental implants are inserted into the jaw, a certain amount of time is left to allow the implant to integrate with or “bond” to the bone. This process is known as Osseo integration. After the prescribed healing time, a tooth or teeth are either screwed or cemented to the implant.
