Implantology
Surgical placement of dental implant - dentistry
If you have a damaged tooth that needs to be treated due to an oral pathology, the placement of a dental implant is going to be the best alternative for restoring that tooth. The implantology treatment is only effective in the case where the real tooth cannot be preserved, the dentist will make sure of this as a priority before starting the treatment.
Several transformations can be noticed by losing one or several teeth, related to chewing and dental aesthetics of a person. For this, dental implants can be a medical alternative that will take care of the health of your teeth, preserving their most important functionalities.
what is a dental implant?
In the branch of dentistry, a dental implant is a screw made of titanium that is inserted into the maxillary bone to serve as a base for the placement of prostheses and dental crowns. Titanium is a biocompatible metal with dental bone. After its introduction, it will create an osseointegration mechanism by fusing with the bone and implanting itself in the root of the tooth.
A dental implant can replace one or several teeth, or the entire dentition.
We will take into account five periodontal tissues that we are going to treat in the dental implantology treatment:
The bone, the cementum, the ligament, the connective tissue and the gum (implant mucosa).
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Why is it necessary to put a dental implant?
Placing a dental implant is necessary in case of loss of one or more teeth. It can be a real relief to replace teeth that have been removed due to serious pathology or dental disease. Losing a tooth or extracting it can have consequences on oral harmony, that includes chewing, the way of speaking and finally dental aesthetics. It is crucial to be able to replace them after having made a diagnosis, for that alternative, placing a dental implant, in order to recover not only the aesthetics but also the most important functionalities of the dentition.
The dental implant is placed only when the real tooth cannot be preserved.
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What can cause tooth decay?
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Several external factors or those caused by unfavorable dental hygiene can be at the origin of the degradation of a tooth: these can lead to multi-level periodontal disease, caries, an accident...
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The two most common oral diseases that require the intervention of a dentist with dental implantology treatment are periodontitis and peri-implantitis.
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Peri implantitis: Peri implantitis is a dental disease of the gums, which comes from the inflammation of the mucosa, and which can cause bone loss from the root of the tooth.
Periodontitis: The periodontium is a natural area in the tooth that joins it to the bone, it is the part of cement that covers the root. When the periodontium is damaged, the root of the tooth begins to become more fragile and the tooth can begin to move until it is permanently lost. Periodontitis is going to be a dental disease caused by poor hygiene and other external factors, which, if not treated, will damage not only the tooth but also the neighboring teeth.
Gingivitis: Gingivitis appears in case of incorrect dental hygiene, which, when not treated, can worsen and cause periodontitis.
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In which cases can implants not be placed?
Inserting an implant into the bone base of a tooth requires that it have enough space, but also enough bone, at least 3 mm, to ensure the durability of the implant, although it depends on the case of each one. The titanium of the implant, being a biocompatible metal, will only be able to fuse correctly with the bone when it is too present.
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To diagnose the dental base before treatment and evaluate the compatibility of the implant, the dentist will take an x-ray allowing the osseature of the dentition to be seen thanks to the x-rays.
In the event that a patient suffers from some diseases such as diabetes, smoking... could also be a brake for surgery and treatment that requires a dental implant. In this case, we recommend that you consult your dentist for advice on possible alternatives that may be efficient.
It is also necessary to consult the dentist when the patient is a smoker, which could be a brake on implantology.
The important thing is that implants of different sizes can be found to conform and mold to roots and bone bases of any type, but if the amount of bone is not sufficient, then no implant can be placed.
Dental implants: the surgical process
Before getting to put a dental implant, a dental surgery takes place to extract the tooth and prepare the bone base, disinfecting it and making sure that it has enough space and with which implants it will be compatible. The surgical process lasts two hours or less and is generally performed in a dentistry cabinet.
How long to get used to a dental implant?
Accepting and getting used to the new material implanted in the dentition requires less time than you may think. The sensation may seem strange at first, but in just a month you will be able to talk and chew without feeling that the natural tooth has been replaced in any way.
What advantages do dental implants have?
One of the primary reasons dental implants are favored for tooth replacement is their high biocompatibility with human bone. The metal that constitutes the implants, titanium, allows the implant to fuse with the bone and thus become a natural body over time. In addition, the prostheses that are going to complete this placement of implants are, for the most part, carved with a harmonic appearance with the rest of the teeth. Whether it is the replacement of a tooth or the entire dentition, the final smile remains natural.
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Dental implants are painless and invisible, they will be placed in the root of the tooth and once the process is finished, the presence of the implants is not remembered again. However, the follow-up is still necessary to check the entertainment of that new body in the dentition.
Leaving aside aesthetics, dental implantology allows you to recover chewing function, so it is a very important stage to maintain good health in general.
The surgical process is a procedure that requires detail and patience, but the result will be worth it.
Types of dental crowns on implants
Three types of implants are used depending on the area to be treated: There is
The dental crown - The dental bridge - the false teeth
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