Dental Implants: The Permanent Solution to Missing Teeth

Throughout history, various civilizations have attempted to find a long-lasting solution to the problem of missing teeth. In order to restore the function and morphology of teeth that have been lost due to injury or disease, the ancients used a variety of materials to create the earliest forms of teeth replacement appliances known to humankind.

Archeological evidence shows that the Chinese used replacement teeth made from bamboo as early as 2000 BC, while the Etruscans fashioned theirs from the bones of beasts of burden beginning at about 500 BC. Gold and ivory replacement teeth have also been found in 1st-century Egyptian mummies. Sometime around 300 AD, the Phoenician people of the Mediterranean also made similar replacement teeth from ivory.

Many of these early dental devices were more like dentures or dental bridges in that they were usually supported by ligatures. In this regard, the dental implants used by the Maya people of Mesoamerica at around 600 AD were quite different because their physicians actually embedded the replacement teeth into the jaws of people. These dental devices, made from materials like jade and seashells, are believed to have integrated well with the mandibular bone structure of the ancient patients.

Dental Implants: The Permanent Solution to Missing Teeth
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The modern dental implant

Dental implants as we know them today are a much later invention. It was only in the early 20th century—in 1913—when one of the first successful modern dental implant systems was introduced. It was invented by the pioneering dental surgeon Dr. E.J. Greenfield. His hollow-cylinder dental implant consisted of a gold crown and an iridioplatinum fixture, which was noted for being effective in terms of integrating with the jawbone.

As a matter of fact, this process of bone and implant assimilation—medically known as osseointegration—is very important to the ultimate success of procedures involving dental implants. In order for the surgically implanted components to last for many years, the implants should adequately form a structural and functional bond with the bone.

The benefits of dental implants

Dental implants, otherwise known as endosseous implants, are primarily used to supplant teeth that were lost either because of disease or trauma. If the dental implant is used in an area of the mouth that can be seen, then it also serves the purpose of aesthetically enhancing the teeth. But more than just making a person’s smile more pleasing to the eyes, dental implants can actually also prevent atrophy in the jawbone which can cause the bone structure to shrink. Without stimulation from the teeth’s roots, the jawbone can waste away and contract, making a person look much older than his or her actual age.

Finally, dental implants are also often used as a support structure upon which other dental devices or prostheses can be anchored. Dental implants are typically capped with dental crowns, but they can also be used to support dentures, a removable frame that holds artificial teeth, as well as dental bridges, which comprise one or more artificial teeth that “bridge” gaps where the original teeth have gone missing.

Dental Implants: The Permanent Solution to Missing Teeth
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How dental implants are embedded

The embedding of dental implants is carried out by highly trained and experienced dental surgeons. To embed a regular titanium dental implant, the dentist first surgically buries the screw or fixture part of the implant into the jawbone. It is positioned flush to the bone but beneath the gum. The open gum is left to heal. Once the healing period is complete, a portion of this gum cover is surgically removed again to expose the top portion of the fixture. A part of the implant called the abutment is then embedded into the fixture. The abutment is the supporting implement upon which the prosthetic tooth will be placed later on in the process.

Nowadays, ceramic implants are also available in ceramic varieties that come as one-piece surgical components whose fixture and abutment don’t have to be embedded separately. The advantage of such one-piece systems is that they don’t have prosthetic connections, which can harbor bacteria and compromise the health of the gums.

The time involving the surgical implantation of the fixture, the tissue reconstruction, the healing and osseointegration, the embedding of the abutment, and the final restorative process of capping the abutment with the crown can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

Between the time when the fixture is put in place and the time when the crown is affixed, your periodontist or restorative dentist may require you to wear a temporary denture or bridge so that you can maintain normal activities like chewing and eating food. However, do expect certain limitations or restrictions when it comes to your diet during the first few weeks.

Dental implants do not only help to improve your looks, they can also impact your oral health and quality of life. Consult your dentist today to learn more and to find out whether or not you are a good candidate for this procedure.

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