Dental Implants for Replacing Missing Teeth

Dental implants is the most modern method that prosthetic dentistry has to offer for replacing missing teeth. When you want to replace lost teeth, none of the alternative methods (dental bridges or dentures) will feel and look as close to your natural teeth as dental implants.

A dental implant is essentially a substitute of the root of a natural tooth which is placed (screwed) into the empty socket of a lost tooth or in a socket carefully drilled at a precise location of the jaw.

The main goal during implants placement is to achieve immediate close contact with the surrounding bone. This creates the necessary initial stability, which over time is steadily enhanced by further growth of bone around the implant (osseointegration). They are made of titanium or ther materials as zirconinum that have the ability to biologically bond to the bone. After the bone has grown around and secured the implant, it provides the foundation for long-term support of a crown, bridge or overdenture just like roots hold natural teeth in place.

• As an artificial root for a single tooth replacement.
• As anchors for a fixed or removable prosthesis to replace multiple teeth.

Dental implants are small dental devices that play the role of artificial tooth roots used for the replacement of missing natural teeth. They are surgically placed in the jawbone replacing the root of the missing tooth and providing a solid base to support a dental restoration that will replace the missing tooth's crown. A tooth restored with the use of a dental implant consists of 3 main parts:

• Post / Fixture: A post or fixture is a titanium made, screw-like or cylindrical component of the implant that is surgically inserted and embedded into the bone of the lower or upper jaw. The post is the non visible part of the implant that holds the 'artificial' tooth in place and it can be considered as the equivalent of the root part of the natural tooth. The external surface of the post is threaded and sometimes coated with a bone-regeneration material to help osseointegration.
• Abutment : An abutment is the part that is protruding over the gum line and connects the post with the restoration. It is attached on the top of the post with a screw. The central part of the post is usually hollow and internally threaded where the abutment will be fixed. Different types of abutments can be used (both in shape or material) depending on the type of restoration that will be supported. In some cases (such as mini dental implants) the abutment is fixed with the post.
• Restoration : The restoration (that replaces the visible part of the tooth) is a crown, usually made of porcelain fused to a metal alloy, but also could be an all-metal or all-porcelain crown. The crown is attached (screwed or cemented) either to the abutment or directly to the implant.

Dental implants are the modern way restorative dentistry has to offer for replacing missing teeth. According to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from United States, by age 35 Americans have lost an average of 5 teeth (including wisdom teeth). Almost 70% of adults has lost at least one permanent tooth up to the age of 45. A 25% of the population has lost all permanent teeth before 75 years of age. Most common causes of tooth loss are tooth decay, mouth injuries, gum disease and aging.

Dentists recommend that a lost tooth should be replaced as soon as possible, otherwise the health of the adjacent teeth may be compromised. Other classic alternative methods for restoring lost teeth such as dental bridges and dentures have several disadvantages compared to dental implants.

Dental implants are a suitable option for replacing missing teeth, if an adult has good dental and general health and there is enough strong bone in the jaw to support them. Certain medical conditions such as immunodeficiency, osteoporosis, diabetes and others increase the risk of complications or failures after the implant placement. The dentist will examine your dental and overall health condition to determine if you are a suitable candidate for dental implants.

Most people lose one or more teeth due to a dental disease, tooth decay or gum disease even at early age. Even those who take good care of their teeth with daily oral hygiene, may eventually lose a tooth due to an accidental mouth injury or due to simple daily wear in older age.

If someone is missing several teeth, beyond the aesthetic problems will also have problems in eating and speaking properly. Many patients will replace a missing tooth only if it is a front tooth and mainly for aesthetic reasons. But dentists recommend that every missing tooth has to be replaced with dental implants to help:

IMPROVE

• Appearance - Even if a single front tooth is missing, it can seriously affect the person's appearance, self esteem and social life. With today's standards in developed countries it is not socially expected to show a missing tooth when talking or smiling. Tooth implants do not only look but also feel much closer to natural teeth than any other alternative.
• Eating - Missing several teeth can reduce the ability to eat certain food groups, resulting in bad nutrition and poor quality of life. Dental implants restore the full functionality of your mouth, and you can return to your favorite diet enjoying life just like with natural teeth.
• Speaking - The absence of one or more teeth can disturb your speech, cause a lisp and change the way your voice sounds. Dental implants feel like regular teeth without causing the speech problems that are common when teeth are missing or dentures are used, especially removable ones.

AVOID

• Adjacent teeth movement - The mouth structure is strong because each tooth supports the ones next to it. If a tooth is lost this lateral support is lost and adjacent teeth may shift towards the empty space and by time they will become loose and fall out.
• Jaw bone loss - The pressure of tooth roots into the jawbone provides a stimulus to bone cells that keeps them alive and healthy. If the root is missing the bone cells in the area start to die and the bone is dissolved. If several or all teeth are missing, the process may result in dramatic loss of jaw bone causing conditions described as jaw shrinkage and facial collapse. This is what gives a caved in look at the faces of some people and makes them look much older than they really are. The major problem of bone loss is that any remaining teeth will eventually become loose and fall out, and even dentures will be hard to fit because there will be not enough bone to support them.

Dental implants can act as the natural tooth roots providing the necessary pressure to the bone preventing further bone loss and also supporting adjacent teeth. If you want to restore the aesthetics, functionality and feeling of your missing teeth, they are the only solution that can provide them all. They are the closest you can get to natural teeth. Even if you miss many or all teeth and you can not afford to replace all the missing teeth with dental implants, you can still take advantage of some of their benefits with solutions such as implant supported dentures, using a small number of denture implants.