Dental Implants - Osteolock Dental Implant Center - Dental Patient Education Resources

Dental Implants - Osteolock Dental Implant Center
The dental implant is a highly specialized device used to restore or replace missing teeth. It is usually made of titanium, an excellent biocompatible material most accepted and endorsed worldwide by researchers, academicians and 99% of implant manufacturers. Biocompatible materials are used for devices that can be implanted in the body without causing adverse effects to the surrounding tissue, or affecting the general systemic condition of the patient. Such materials are also used in orthopedics.
Dental implants dramatically enhance a personÇƒÙs comfort, aesthetics, and social life, especially if she suffers from denture problems. Dental implants improve the retention of dentures or prostheses, allowing problem-free chewing, or a better appearance.
But the major advantage is that they retard bone resorption,as the bone is brought back into function. Most of us are very much aware that once we lose our normal teeth, the area of the bone where the tooth or teeth was removed will start to Çƒ?resorbÇƒ? or shrink, with or without the use of dentures. Once an implant is inserted (the earlier the better to save the bone from further resorption or shrinking), the bone is brought back into function.
Anyone in generally good physical and psychological health can have dental implants. These criteria ensure proper implementation of good oral hygiene. Another requirement is sufficient bone to accommodate the dental implant device (although insufficient bone can be modified by bone grafting). Additional work would be needed for an advanced state of bone resorption. Even patients with systemic problems such as diabetes, hypertension and some curable metabolic problems can still avail of this procedure.
Dental implants last a very long time. There are documented cases of dental implants in use for over 36 years. Some remain in excellent condition until the patientÇƒÙs demise. Like natural teeth, however, implants also need to be checked every six months.
Oral hygiene maintenance of dental implants is easy once the patient gets used to it. Special devices are optional, like water picks and electric toothbrushes. Regular visits to the dentist is a must.
A single missing tooth can be restored by a single free standing implant without sacrificing the adjacent natural sound teeth by mutilation to construct a fixed bridge prosthesis. A missing tooth is usually replaced by either conventional removable or fixed prosthesis.
A common problem of drilling sound vital teeth for fixed bridge prosthesis is hyperemia. Hyperemia of the teeth is an increased amount of blood in the pulp tissue (like an inflamed tissue) that causes the teeth to be very sensitive. That is why some people who wear fixed dentures complain of pain in taking cold foods and drinks. They also feel pain in chewing hard foods. The number of implants necessary to restore multiple missing teeth or complete edentulism is dictated by the patientÇƒÙs bone morphology, bone quality and bone quantity. It is not always necessary to replace them Çƒ?one is to one.Çƒ? Less ideal bone, like for instance scarce bone trabiculation (porous bone), needs more implants for better dissipation of force or load during chewing. Denser bone needs lesser number of implants. Complete edentulism for a standard size jaw needs only about six eight implants per jaw to restore the complete set of missing teeth.
Implant failures are attributed to both patients and dentists. Implant patients who do not follow post-operative instructions, especially during the first few weeks after insertion, and those who do not maintain proper oral hygiene and regular checkups, might lose their implants. Dentists who do not have sufficient background and proper training in this specialty field can harm their patients.