What is the Role of Dental Implants?
Dental implants are used to replace lost teeth. Specifically, implants replace the roots of teeth, and artificial teeth are placed on them. Over time, the dental implant integrates with the bone and remains stable. Importantly, implants can replace one or more teeth or support a bridge or a complete denture.
How Many Types of Implants Are There?
Although there are many types of dental implants, the widely used ones are endosteal implants, which have a root-like shape.
That is, in their form, they resemble the roots of our natural teeth. The abutment (the prosthetic part of the implant), which looks like a prepared tooth, is screwed onto the implant, and then the crown, which looks like what the patient perceives as a tooth, is placed. They are made from a titanium alloy, which is completely biocompatible with the human body. Finally, the crown is made from porcelain.
The process of osseointegration is a natural process in which the threads of the implant become surrounded by bone, making the implant one with the jaw and immovable.
What is the Lifespan of Implants?
Everything depends on oral hygiene, the chewing habits of the patient, the presence of bruxism (i.e., if the patient grinds or clenches their teeth), whether they visit the dentist for cleanings every six months, and the overall health condition of the patient.
When these conditions are met, implants can last a lifetime!
Suitable and Unsuitable Candidates for Dental Implants
The placement of implants has no age restriction. The primary criterion for their safe placement is the presence of sufficient and good quality supporting bone.
Diagnosis is necessarily made with a jaw CT scan, not just a simple panoramic X-ray. If there is sufficient supporting bone, the procedure is safely performed by the surgeon, promptly, and with high success rates (over 96%). Implants, like natural teeth, need to be equally cared for with proper oral hygiene.
Patients over 50 who use bisphosphonate medications for osteoporosis should inform their dentist, as it constitutes a relative contraindication. Additionally, conditions such as diabetes or autoimmune diseases are seriously considered when planning treatment.
