The dental industry has evolved over the past few decades. The technology available to strengthen, whiten and improve an overall “bite” has grown in leaps and bounds. No longer is it necessary to suffer from missing, damaged, or broken teeth. There are so many new types of dentures and partials available; there is an option for anyone, especially with dental implants.
Now when I mention dentures, I’m not talking about your classic plastic dentures that require a shelf full of denture creams and oral pain remedies. Granted, with proper dental care, total tooth loss is no longer a common occurrence in today’s generation. Unfortunately, in the past few centuries, it was normal to experience tooth loss, if not during youth, then during the golden years. Thus, the invention of wooden, porcelain, glass, and eventually, plastic dentures, molded to conform to the gum line became the answer. The problem is that the gums change… causing the dentures to not fit properly at some point during their usage. This creates a whole barrage of embarrassing and inconvenient problems for old-fashioned denture wearers. Dental implants eliminate those worries.
Instead of suffering through years of discomfort and collecting a virtual room of denture creams, consider switching to dental implants. These wondrous new permanent denture designs have been making life easier for false teeth users everywhere. Just imagine, eating a bright, red apple or corn on the cob at the church picnic, without the fear and embarrassment of your teeth popping out. Well, you can!
It is time to stop enduring those inopportune slips of the teeth. Dental implants may seem like a more painful process, but they are in fact, the most modern way to deal with permanent tooth replacements. The variety of styles of dental implants available gives those with dental issues a whole new outlook on life… a normal outlook. Dental implants will both look and perform like your real teeth, or a stronger version thereof.
Everyone loves a beautiful smile and dental implants can easily provide a smile that will light up a room. Dental implants help those with tooth loss to maintain a more youthful appearance as well. One of the long-term effects of missing teeth is the degradation of the jaw bone. This naturally happens as we age, but when teeth are missing, the process happens more quickly. This is obvious in those that are youthful but never replaced missing teeth. It tends to give the young a much older look. Despite utilizing tiny screws as anchors in the jawline, dental implants help to strengthen the jaw bone during the chewing motion. The quicker an individual replaces a tooth, the easier it is for the bones to stay healthy.
Dental implant surgery can easily change one’s life, from eating habits to socializing. Smiles become so much easier with a full set of working teeth that look and feel natural. The dental implant process only takes a few hours and recovery occurs within a few days. The next exciting step for dental implant patients is simply eating all the crisp fruits and crunchy vegetables they’ve been avoiding for years.
What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a root replacement for missing teeth. The implant is screwed into the jaw to hold in place a bridge, a crown, or false teeth (dentures). They were discovered in Sweden about five decades ago and are typically made of titanium.
Titanium is the choice material for implants because of its ability to easily bond with the bone, it does not corrode, is very strong, and does not cause an adverse reaction in the body that leads to rejection of the implant. The bonding of the titanium with bone is referred to as osseointegration. Previously, implants were made of other materials like sapphire. There are current studies that are looking at using zirconia, which is a ceramic metal, in the making of dental implants mainly because it looks more like a real tooth than titanium.
The titanium used for a dental implant is commercial grade titanium and is in five different forms, depending on its composition.
Most Common Types Of Dental Implants
There are different types of dental implants. They are categorized according to the design. The most common type of implant is the root form endosseous implant. It is also called a root form endosteal implant. It is popular because it is the implant that most closely resembles natural teeth. This type of implant looks like a screw and is placed in the bone.
Another type of implant is the plate or blade form implant. It is commonly used when there is not enough bone, maybe because the jaw is too narrow, to place a root form implant. This implant is rectangular and like the root form, is placed in the bone.
Subperiosteal implants are also used but in cases where there is not enough bone depth or width perhaps due to bone loss to use either a root form or a plate form implant. This type of implant is placed on the jaw bone, under the gums.
Other types of less commonly used implants are intramucosal implants, Ramus-frame implants, and transosseous implants.
The type of implant to be used will be determined by the dentist who will carry out an evaluation.
The dentist will most likely be using implants from different dental implant companies but he should be able to recommend the appropriate implant to suit your needs.