Tooth Decay

Replacement Of Missing Teeth With Implant Dentistry

In implant dentistry, devices are used to replace missing teeth. They are made of titanium, an inert metal that bonds with the bone, forming a very tight union called osseointegration. The modern system of dental implants, the endosseous system, is extremely successful and has a 90% to 95% success rate.

The dental implant itself replaces the root of the tooth. It is usually in the shape of a screw or a cylinder. The implant connects to a component (the abutment) that joins the implant to the replacement tooth (the crown).

Dental implants are ideal replacements for teeth. When healthy teeth have to be prepared for crowns or bridges, healthy tooth structure needs to be removed. But if only one tooth is missing, the dental implant can simply replace it without having to sacrifice the adjacent teeth.

Dental implants can also be used to replace many missing teeth. Multiple teeth can be replaced with implant dentistry and can avoid the need for a removable denture. Removable dentures can be hard to get used to. They may have clasps that can be unsightly and put additional stress on the existing teeth. Full dentures may be difficult to wear and may interfere with eating and speaking. People who wear dentures for a long time may have additional loss of the bone that supports the denture. This bone loss can be accelerated by osteoporosis, and eventually dentures may be very difficult to wear if not impossible. Poor-fitting dentures can interfere with proper nutrition and quality of life.

Generally, one implant is needed to replace each missing tooth. In some situations, several implants need to be joined together into a bridge. This adds greater strength to the implant restoration. If there is not enough bone available to replace a whole set of teeth, implants may be used as anchors for dentures. When dentures are supported by implants they can be much more stable and the implants help prevent the deterioration of the bone that supports the denture.

The endosseous system of implant dentistry has been used for over 30 years. They can look and feel like natural teeth, adding comfort and improving the smile of people of all ages.

By Laura Minsk, DMD

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Learn how you can find the best implant dentistry in your area.

When the concept of dental implants and the mechanisms in which they work were introduced to mainstream dentistry during the late 1970's, the advent of dental implants opened up an excitingly new chapter in dentistry.

Through the 1980's, the news of the successful procedure of dental implant surgery spread at an explosive rate. It took approximately ten years of repeated long-term success for the procedure to gain validity.

By the early 1990's dentists readily accepted implant dentistry as an adequate and routine substitute for missing teeth in all areas of the mouth.

Restoring dental implants has undergone a paradigm shift from simply validating that dental implants work to recreating missing teeth with a chameleon-like effect. Even though implants can be restored with a very high degree of success, one of the most difficult and critical areas in the mouth to achieve great esthetic results is in the upper front jaw -- specifically when replacing a single upper central incisor tooth.

Single-tooth implant dentistry present dentists with unique challenges. When a single central incisor tooth is removed due to periodontal disease, tooth decay, trauma, or nerve failure, the body responds by shrinking the bone and gum tissue in place of the missing tooth. The body no longer needs the supporting bone structure; therefore, the bone is decreased and the gum tissue shrinks because of bone resorption.

In order to achieve a natural appearance to the final restoration, restorative dentists must attempt to replace what nature he as taken away. An unnatural appearance will be the result if the tooth is replaced without considering augmenting or "plumping up" the support structures. It would be like placing a great painting in the wrong frame, thus having a diminished outcome.

Achieving Esthetic Implant Dentistry with Crowns

Certain steps are necessary to achieve a successful outcome, especially in the most demanding implant cases, like replacing a single upper front tooth. Before the decision to place an implant is made, patients should know the sequential steps.

The process starts with a thorough exam. Clinically, dentists should examine the affected area and the entire mouth. A comprehensive exam of the bone and soft tissues must be performed along with taking specific X-rays and possibly detailed bone scans to identify any potential complications.

An analysis of your smile should also be performed. Do your teeth and gums show when you smile? Does your upper lip drape over your teeth? If the patient has a high lip line that shows teeth and gums, the need for bone and soft tissue grafting may be necessary.

By discussing several of the aspects necessary for implant treatment, you can be more aware of the possibilities, as well as the limitations, associated with implant dentistry. Armed with various soft and hard tissue grafting techniques, ceramic material advancements, and better dental implant components, dentists are able to satisfy even the most esthetically-minded patients.

By Benjamin O. Watkins, III, DDS

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.