A dental implant is an artificial tooth root replacement and is used in prosthetic dentistry to support restorations that resemble a tooth or group of teeth. There are several types of dental implants, however, the most widely accepted and successful implant today is the osseointegrated implant, based on the discovery by Swedish Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark that titanium can be successfully fused into bone . This forms a structural and functional connection betweenWhat is a dental implant?? the living bone and the implant. A variation on the implant procedure is the implant-supported bridge, or implant-supported denture.

In recent years, dental implants have become very popular as an alternative to traditional implants and bridges. With a success rate of over 95%, dental implants are an excellent choice for replacing your missing teeth.

Steps in Implant placement

Examination

Step 1. Examination

Prior to commencement of surgery, careful and detailed planning is required to identify vital structures such as nerves and the sinus and to properly orientate the implants for the most predictable outcome.

The dentist will also do a careful health review to make sure there are no contraindications to the implant placement.

Step 2. Preparation and Planning

Two dimensional radiographs are taken prior to the surgery.

Preparation and Planning

In some instances, further scans such as a CT scan will also be ordered to get a clear 3-dimensional view of your jaw. These tools will allow your dentist to plan the placement as well as the restoration of your dental implants.Whether CT-guided or manual, a ‘stent’ may sometimes be required to facilitate the placement of implants. A surgical stent is an acrylic wafer that fits over either the teeth, the bone surface or the mucosa (when all the teeth are missing) with pre-drilled holes to show the position and angle of the implants to be placed.

Step 3. Basic procedure

In its most basic form the placement of an osseointegrated implant requires a

Basic procedure

preparation into the bone using precision drills with highly regulated speed to prevent burning or pressure necrosis of the bone. After a variable amount of time to allow the bone to grow onto the surface of the implant ( osseointegration) a tooth or teeth can be placed on the implant. The amount of time required to place an implant will vary depending on the difficulty of the individual situation.

Healing Time

The amount of time required for an implant to become osseointegrated is a hotly debated topic. Consequently the amount of time that practitioners allow the implant to heal before placing a restoration on it varies widely. In general, practitioners allow 2–6 months for healing but preliminary studies show that early loading of implant may not increase early or long term complications.

Smile!

Step 4. Smile!

After the implant has healed, missing teeth can be replaced in several ways. Implants can be used to support a crown if only one tooth is missing. If several teeth are missing, the implants can be used to hold a bridge or dentures.

Implants can also be used to hold dentures in place greatly increasing comfort and ability to chew.

What are implants made of??   Typical implant consists of a titanium screw (resembling a tooth root) with a roughened or smooth surface. The majority of dental implants made out of commercially pure titanium. Implant surfaces may be modified either by plasma spraying, anodizing, etching or sandblasting to increase the surface area and the integration potential of the implant.   Benefits of Implant Supported Crowns and Bridges

• Preserves bone by replacing tooth root
• Does not compromise adjacent teeth by grinding them down
  for a bridge, or securing a partial denture to them
• Looks, feels and functions like a natural tooth
• Increase stability and comfort
• Superior long term esthetics
• Restores natural chewing capacity

A crown placed on an implant to replace a single missing tooth.

Two implants used to hold a bridge.