Dental implants

What are dental implants?

A dental implant is a small titanium screw that is inserted directly into the bone and allows us to replace missing teeth with artificial ones that restore both the physical appearance and chewing abilities.

A dental implant consists of 3 parts:

• The dental implant itself is a cylindrical titanium screw
• The prosthetic abutment is screwed onto the implant
• The crown or tooth is bolted or cemented onto the prosthetic abutment

How are the dental implants affixed?

The placement of dental implants in the jaw is done through a minor surgical procedure that involves creating a bed of bone to accommodate the implant. When the initial healing phase (or osseointegration) is complete, the prosthetic abutment is placed onto the implant to connect it to the future crown or visible tooth.

What are the advantages of dental implants over traditional dentures or bridges?

• Conservation of a patient’s natural teeth: in order to replace a missing tooth with a bridge it is necessary to cut or grind down the adjacent teeth. Dental implants prevent the modification of adjacent teeth by integrating with your jawbone, which keeps the entire bone intact
• Improved appearance: When teeth are lost the jaw may begin to deteriorate, which affects facial aesthetics. By placing dental implants this process is avoided by maintaining the natural appearance. In contrast, the traditional removable prostheses accelerate bone deterioration, resulting in premature facial aging
• Permanent solution: Dental implants have high success rates and scientific studies have also shown strong long-term predictability rates

Is it possible that my body rejects the dental implants?

No, there have been no cases of the body rejecting the titanium material that is used for dental implants.