Dentistry has come a long way in the last century, and
specifically, dental implants and oral rehabilitation has
opened the doors and mouths with increased treatment
possibilities for many patients. Let's face it - we need
our teeth for chewing functionality and to eat, not just
for looks. Tooth loss can result in shrinkage of gums and
jawbones, and up until recently there were many folks with
partial tooth loss who could not live normally.
Thanks to the field of oral implantology, or dental
implants, a new standard of care has emerged and teeth can
now be restored for both functionality and aesthetics.
Dental implants can also help people with increased chewing
capacity, and improved speech in addition to their
appearance.
Many a periodontist and dental professionals have branched
off and are now specializing in this field, and continuing
research spawns new developments on a daily basis. However
dental implants are not for people seeking new teeth in an
hour; they take time.
Dental implants rely on the bone for support and are
substitutes for natural tooth roots. Today oral implants
are widely accepted even though failures do occur. The
chance for implants to integrate can for example be
jeopardized by the presence of intra-oral bacteria and
inflammatory reactions. People with adequate bone level and
density who are not prone to infection and can maintain the
best oral hygiene would be good candidates for dental
implants.
There are varying types of implants that are available but
the basic definition is that it is a device, or fixture,
that is surgically placed into the jaw bone to replace one
or several lost roots of teeth. Dental implants are
designed to replace the root of a tooth. Implants are the
surgically placed part which goes either into, or sits on
top of the jawbone, while the actual tooth or teeth that go
on top of the implant(s) are referred to as the prosthesis.
Anesthesia techniques today make it easier to perform
surgery in the dental office without discomfort to
patients. Typically, local anesthesia blocks pain.
Many oral surgeons are equipped with a computerized
tomography (CT) program called SIMPLANT, which analyzes the
three dimensional images of a CT scan for implant patients.
The analysis allows them to measure bone density, height,
and width and select the most suitable implant for each
case.
According to one Los Angeles oral surgeon, Dr. Bijan Afar,
"If you are thinking about having a dental implant, you
need to know that there are several parts to this process:
1) the device or fixture; 2) an attachment (abutment) with
a screw; and 3) the crown (tooth) or prosthesis. Patients
need to be aware of several different sequences of events
that take place during the implant process, or
reconstruction as it's often called.
There are basically two distinct phases including a
surgical phase, and a prosthetic phase. The surgical phase
includes all that's concerned with getting the implant into
or onto the bone and getting it ready for the prosthetic
phase. The prosthetic phase includes doing all that is
required to put a single tooth or teeth on top of the
implant(s). After the implant is placed into the jaw bone,
a process that is called "osseointegration" allows the bone
to grow and tighten around it. This process takes a few
months, but after it has integrated with the bone
successfully, the next phase can begin.
The second procedure is where a metal attachment is placed
to the implant onto which the final restoration is
fabricated to replace the missing tooth. Once the third
part or the crown is screwed onto the abutment, the dental
implant is complete.
No matter what your age, if you are missing one or more of
your natural teeth, dental implants may be the right
solution for you. They are a long-lasting and pleasing
alternative to missing teeth.
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Kristin Gabriel is a Los Angeles-based writer and PR
professional. One of her clients, Dr. Bijan Afar, an oral
surgeon, is also based in Los Angeles, and owns five dental
clinics. For more information, visit
http://www.oralimplants.com .
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