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 Dental Implants | Ridge Augmentation
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants allow people who have lost teeth to enjoy the function, appearance and permanence that their natural teeth once provided. Dental Implants can be used to replace a single tooth, a partial, a bridge, or full dentures. Understanding the basic principles of Implant Dentistry can make your decision about whether or not a dental implant is right for you much simpler. Being a well-informed patient can make your first visit for a dental implant consultation much more productive because you will know how to ask the right questions to help prepare you to make the best decision possible.
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General Considerations |
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- A dental implant is a man-made replacement for a tooth root, which is essentially a tiny titanium post that will fill the role played by a natural tooth root.
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- Because of the very unique design of dental implants, they become securely attached to your jawbone through a process called "osseointegration".
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- After a waiting period allowing the bone to heal around the implant, final restorations are screwed or cemented onto the implant or an implant component.
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- The final restoration is made utilizing procedures that are very similar to traditional crown, bridge and denture dentistry.
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- With Michigan Dental Implants, it is possible to replace a single tooth, multiple teeth or an entire arch of teeth.
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- For patients who are faced with losing all of their teeth, implant dentistry provides a tooth-replacement option that is much more stable and permanent than removable dentures or partials.
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Implant Composition |
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- Implants are constructed from titanium, a lightweight, soft, noncorroding metal.
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- The surface of the titanium forms a natural ceramic coating when exposed to oxygen which enables bone cells to attach to it.
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- Since bone cells react better to titanium surfaces that are rough, most implants are put through a process by the manufacturer which roughens the surface.
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- Surface treatment, such as a hydroxyapatite coating, work to increase the bone/implant contact. Hydroxyapatite is a material that acts as a component of bone necessary for the implant to fuse to the jaw bone. The fusion process is called osseointegration.
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- Under clinical observation, an osseointegrated implant will feel solid. No mobility will be present.
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- When an implant fails to osseointegrate, slight mobility will be present. In such cases, the bone surface is separated from the implant surface by a thin, fibrous membrane which may be visible with careful x-ray analysis.
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- A waiting period is required for successful osseointegration to occur because a complex series of events must occur.
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A Closer Look at Osseointegration |
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The term osseointegration describes the attachment of bone to the surface of an implant.
The events leading to osseointegration begin at the time of implant placement with the formation of a blood clot between the bone and the implant. This early event begins within the first few minutes after implant placement. Surgical trauma causes bone cells on the surface to die and an inflammatory event begins. Additionally, a fibrous mesh attaches to the implant.
Within weeks, bone cells begin to grow back onto the fibrous mesh, reaching the implant surface. As these bone cells repopulate the tiny gap between the bone and the implant, they help to fabricate the components necessary for bone mineralization. |
| All-on-4 |
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All-on-4 is a technique of restoring an entire arch of teeth with just 4 implants. The process involves removing any remaining teeth from either the maxillary (upper) arch, mandible (lower) arch, or both, and replacing them with dental implants and a set of permanent teeth. This approach is suitable for people who have lost most or all of their teeth and are looking for a suitable and lasting solution.
This method of mouth reconstruction allows a patient with few or no teeth to leave our office with a set of brand new, fully functioning teeth. Tooth extraction, placement of the implants and fitting of the full set of teeth may all be done in one visit.
Using the All-on-4 method offers many advantages to the patient. It is frequently a more comfortable alternative to wearing partials or dentures because the teeth are held in place by implants and are usually permanently in place unless removed by the dentist. The teeth will not become loose or slippery and the patient will typically experience improved oral functioning.
Using All-on-4, we are able to deliver optimal results with very minimal pain or discomfort and provide a very short healing time.
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Single Tooth Implant Photo Gallery
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Case #3
This patient had an immediate load implant which will be replaced by a permanent tooth once healing is complete.
All photos were taken on the day of surgery.
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