Dental Implants are one of the solutions for missing teeth. Putting the crowns, bridges, or dentures can be supported with the help of dental implants easily. The screw is fixed in the jawbone with the surgical fixture in an easier way. For making it function properly, the screw is generally placed on it.
Dental Implants are used as the treatment solution for any missing teeth. Implants are the latest advances in the field of prosthetics and are the closest replacement to a missing tooth. There are several benefits of dental implants, Like replacing the missing tooth, supporting dental bridges, improving the smile, etc.
Dental implants are made majorly out of titanium material that suits the human body properly. An implant is a screw-like surgical fixture that is placed into the jawbone to replace a missing tooth. A crown is placed on this screw to look and function as the crown portion of the natural tooth.
The dental implants cost in India is a little higher compared to the other types of treatments. The single-tooth implant cost in India varies as per the type of implant, service providers, etc.
What are dental Implant?
There is nothing that is as good as your natural tooth. However, people can lose their teeth due to many reasons – decay, trauma, gum disease, bone disease, etc. In order to eat, chew and talk, we need our teeth. So, to restore a person’s missing tooth, dentistry provides a few options – dentures crown and bridge and implants!
How does a dental implant/tooth implant work? Though replacement of teeth has been in dental practice for many decades, today, dental implants are considered the standard of care for prosthetic replacement of missing teeth. Once an implant screw is placed inside the jaw bone, it is allowed fuse with it and this process takes a few months.
This process of blending between the dental implant and jawbone is called “osseointegration.” Implants are made up of titanium, an element that is biocompatible and routinely used in surgeries to replace bones.
The dental implant actually replaces the root of a missing tooth. On top of this screw-like structure, an implant crown or a bridge is placed. Having a dental implant fused to the jawbone is the closest thing to resemble a natural tooth because it stands on its own without affecting the nearby teeth and has great stability.
What are the steps of dental implant/tooth implant treatment?
In order to replace a missing tooth with an implant, the treatment can be divided into the following steps:
- Diagnosis and treatment planning
- Placement of implant
- Healing phase
- Prosthetic phase
In the diagnosis and treatment planning stage, the space around the missing tooth is evaluated and the number of implant screws and crowns is determined based on the amount of space that is available. Measurements of the region and x-rays are used in the diagnosis.
The next step is the placement of the implant screw. This is a minor surgical procedure that is performed under local anaesthesia in the dental clinic. Followed by this phase is the healing phase wherein, the implant is allowed to fuse with the underlying jaw bone in order to stabilise and be able to bear the load of biting forces once the crown has been placed.
This phase can take anything between 3-4 months based on the patient’s overall health, dental health, oral hygiene and medical history. Once the osseointegration of the implant screw with the bone has been confirmed using x-rays, the next step is performed–preparing the implant to receive a crown.
Benefits of Implants Over Other Options
Many patients are sceptical about implant placement as they are relatively newer than the dentures and crowns that have been around for some time. Also, implants are slightly more expensive than dentures and bridges and so people prefer to choose them over implants.
However, implants are the first choice for replacement of missing teeth today due to the many benefits implants have such as:
- Compared to dentures, implants are fixed options which means they provide more comfort and stability
- Since dentures cover a large part of our gum tissue, taste and temperature sensation are nearly lost while one eats their food. This, however, is not seen with implants
- Compared to bridges, implant treatment takes a longer time to complete. However, in the case of bridges, adjacent teeth are prepared to support the missing tooth and can sometimes be slightly compromised in their strength and structure. Implants, on the other hand, are standalone structures and do not cause harm to nearby teeth
- They have the most superior aesthetics and look very similar to natural teeth
- When done properly, implants can last a lifetime, unlike dentures and crowns and bridges, which need to be replaced after a couple of years
A dental implant can do ponders for confidence, since it feels and resembles a typical tooth. Numerous individuals who were modest about grinning as a result of a space from a lost tooth feel increasingly great after dental implants.
Past the style, a dental embed additionally makes it simpler to eat and talk, on the grounds that a titanium post made sure about legitimately in the jaw holds the implant set up.
How Safe are Dental Implants?
After understanding the procedure involved in the placement of implant and implant crown, one question that may have cropped up in your mind is How safe are dental implants?
Well, dental implants are absolutely safe and are routinely done in clinical practise to help replace a person’s missing tooth/teeth. Since the implant is made up of a biocompatible element titanium, it is safe to use inside the body. In fact, titanium screws and plates are routinely used in surgery of bones and joints.
The surgical procedure that is done to place the implant screw is similar to the procedure used to extract teeth. Both are performed under local anaesthesia in the dental clinic.
Are there Different Types of Implants?
Yes, there are different types of dental implants and the right implant for you is chosen by your dentist/implantologist based on the location of the missing tooth, the thickness and height of the jaw bone in that area, health of the patient, and the amount that the patient is willing to spend.
In most cases, your dentist will inform you which is the best implant type for you. Feel free to discuss the same with your dentist. If you wish to replace a missing tooth or teeth and want some more information about dental implants, visit your nearest Dental Square clinic.
Our dental team and implantologist are well-equipped to give you a painless implant treatment and restore the smile and function of your teeth!