Dental implants

Types of Dental Implants based on procedure

There are mainly two types of implant procedures

• Conventional Dental Implants
  

  Below outlines the various phases involved in a conventional 2 step

  Phase1

  First evaluation and x-ray

  A OPG(Panoramic) x-ray is taken and oral examination is carried out to determine implant site and bone conditions. If required a CT scan is suggested if more detailed analysis is required.

  Implant site preparation

  The gum tissue is opened to expose the bone area where the implant will be placed. In some cases, depending on the patient's jaw bone anatomy, a sinus lift or a dental bone graft might be needed as well. Once healthy bone material has been established, the implant is ready to be put into place.

  Placing the Implant

  After the bone has been prepared, the implant is embedded and the tissue is sutured. A surgical cover screw is inserted into the top if the implant to prevent bone and tissue to grow inside the implant. A temporaryprosthesis is provided covering the dental implants.

  Healing Process - Osseointegration

  The implant is left to integrate and heal with the jaw bone. The sutures are typically removed seven to fourteen days after surgery. The implant remains undisturbed for approximately 2-3 months and Osseointegration occurs during this period and the implant gets usually covered by gum tissues. A soft diet is recommended during the first 4 to 6 weeks.

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Phase2

  Uncovering implants

  The implants are uncovered by a minor surgical procedure and they are checked for Osseointegration.

  Attaching the Abutment or metal bar/ball

  If the implant is found to be of good bonding with the jaw bone, a special abutment or metal bar/ball is attached to the implant. If crowns or bridges are opted, an abutment is placed and this provides the support for the new crown or bridge. If overdentures are opted, the metal bar/ball is placed and the clip is used to securely retend the set of new overdentures. An full mouth X-ray is taken for its correctness.

  Placing the Crown/Bridge or Overdenture

  After impressions are taken, the crown/bridge or overdenture is made. If crowns or bridges are opted, it is then fixed over the post and cemented or screwed on.If overdentures are opted, they are simply snapped onto the metal bars or balls.

  
  
  

  
  
• Immediate loading dental implants( Single piece Dental Implants)

  Immediate loading implants or single piece dental implants is the case whereby the prosthetics or false teeth are placed onto the dental implant posts during the same phase after placement of the implants. With an immediate loaded dental implants procedure, phase 1 and 2 are done during the same phase. This means that a patient has new teeth in place during the same trip the implant posts in placed. Immediate load implants enables immediate function of teeth.

  Parts of a single piece dental implant system

  Latest implants systems such as the KOS (King of Singlepiece), the BCS (Basal Cortical Screw) and the BOI (Basal Osseo Integrated) implants are the recent introductions into the world of dental implants which are extremely predictable, simple and highly economical. These implants also present with a unique opportunity where they can be splinted to adjacent teeth unlike the previous ones (delayed loading) where this splinting could not be done. It is to be kept in mind that KOS Single piece implants are not indicated in all cases & they are to be used only in cases where there is good D1 / D2 bone.

  Comparison of Conventional and Immediate loading Dental Implants

  While traditional implant surgery uses a “two stage placement” that takes the surgery to complete in six months, immediate loading or “same day loading” allows completing the procedure the same day. Conventional dental implants require the gums and bones to heal before a crown could be fixed on the implant. The main disadvantage of this procedure is definitely the waiting time during which the patient has to live with no teeth. Sometimes temporary crowns are adjusted before actual teeth could be placed but these are quite uncomfortable and appear to be very unappealing. But those who decide to go for immediate loading dental implants also have to fulfill some minimum requirements in order to make the procedure successful.
  
  If the implant does not attach with the bone correctly, the procedure will ultimately fail.If the tooth is located in a place where a lot of force will be applied afterwards, the chances of implant survival will lessen to a great extent. Another reason for not adopting this procedure could be its high cost as compared to traditional dental implants. This latest technique calls for an expenditure of up to $2500 depending on the experience of your dentist and the number of implants you want. This is a bit expensive for a lot of people out there who would prefer to live with damaged teeth than to pay such a huge amount for a procedure the success of which could not be predicted.
  
  However, if you qualify for immediate load implants, there are many advantages as well thatyou can consider. First of all, it reduces the healing time and allows the patients to carry on with everyday functionality required of their teeth. There is no need to tolerate the inconvenience of temporary crowns while the bone is healing. Since the patient requires only one visit to have the procedure performed, there is a less amount of anxiety and stress involved.
  
  n case the implant fails to integrate, you can opt for another surgery. However, this option will cost you double than a traditional dental implant. If you can afford these disadvantages, the procedure has a lot of potential for you. The procedure has been seen to be the most successful for single tooth restoration.
  
  The research on the success and long-term effectiveness of immediate load dental implants is still underway. However, most believe that the success rate of both procedures is almost similar provided that nothing goes wrong during the treatment. The procedure has more value when the patient is in need of emergency treatment for lost teeth. People are becoming more and more familiar with this new technique with the passage of time and its popularity is increasing with the number of success stories.

  
  

Types of Dental Implants

• Single Tooth Implant
  

  Single-tooth implants can be used in people who are missing one or more teeth. An implant is surgically placed in an opening that is made by your dentist in the jawbone.After the implant integrates (attaches) to your bone, it acts as a new "root" for the crown that will be replacing your missing tooth. A crown (cap), which is made to look like a natural tooth, is attached to the implant and fills the space left in the mouth by the missing tooth. For this procedure to work, there must be enough bone in the jaw, and the bone has to be strong enough to hold and support the implant. If there is not enough bone, be may need to be added with a procedure called bone augmentation. In addition, natural teeth and supporting tissues near where the implant will be placed must be in good health.

  
  
  

  Step by step procedure of single Implant Placement

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• Multiple Dental Tooth Implants
  

  Mulitple Dental Tooth Implants are done when replacing several gaps if teeth. If there are missing gaps together, dental tooth implants with a bridge may be done. An implant bridge will consist of the crowns on dental tooth implants as well as pontic crowns. A pontic crown is a dental crown that is joined together to the anchor crowns on the dental tooth implants in forming a dental bridge.
  
  If there are missing gaps in separate locations, then separate single dental tooth implants with dental crown or a combination of dental tooth implants with dental crown and dental bridges may be done in replacing missing gaps.

  
  
  

  Step by step procedure of single Implant Placement

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• Implant Supported Dentures
  

  An implant-supported denture is a type of over denture that is supported by and attached to implants. A regular denture rests on the gums, and is not supported by implants.
  
  An implant-supported denture is used when a person doesn't have any teeth in the jaw, but has enough bone in the jaw to support implants. An implant-supported denture has special attachments that snap onto attachments on the implants. Implant-supported dentures usually are made for the lower jaw because regular dentures tend to be less stable there. Usually, a regular denture made to fit an upper jaw is quite stable on its own and doesn't need the extra support offered by implants. However, you can receive an implant-supported denture in either the upper or lower jaw.

  
  
• Full Mouth Implants
  

  Traditionally, an implant placed into your bone supports a single crown and this is know as a “single tooth implant”. However, if you have several missing teeth, you do not necessarily need an implant for every missing tooth: one implant can support several teeth via a bridge or denture. The number of implants required depends on the volume and density of bone tissue available at each implant site.
  
  n the case of full-mouth reconstructions, where an arch of several teeth needs to be supported in either the upper or lower jaw, a minimum of five to six implants in each jaw would be required. The exact number of implants needed would depend on the individual case. This type of treatment is not for everybody and any surgical procedure carries risks.
  
  With dental implants you can eat the foods you want and speak with complete confidence. With dentures, eating hard foods such as an apple can be a problem: either the dentures come loose or patients cannot withstand the hard biting forces as they cause pain in the gums. Dentures can be supported by implants, which will greatly improve function, enabling patients to eat the foods they want with complete confidence and not having to worry about pain, or loose dentures falling out.

  
  
  

  Step by step procedure of Implant Supported Full Mouth Bridge Placement

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• Bone Grafting

  Bone loss (or bone resorption) often occurs when teeth have been lost but not replaced, with age, or in people who have worn dentures for some time. When resorption has excessively reduced the jawbone, dental implants cannot be placed as there is not enough good-quality bone material for the implant to anchor to. In these cases, the bone can be rebuilt through modern bone grafting techniques. Bone grafts can build up or fill in jawbone defects allowing the successful placement of dental implants. Bone grafting is also used to help fusion between vertebrae, correct deformities, or provide structural support for fractures of the spine. In addition to fracture repair , bone grafting is used to repair defects in bone caused by congenital disorders, traumatic injury, or surgery for bone cancer. Bone grafts are also used for facial or cranial reconstruction.

  
  
• Sinus Lifting
  

  sinus lift is a surgery that will add bone to your upper jaw and in the area of your premolars and your molars. A sinus lift is sometimes referred to as sinus augmentation. Bone will be added in between your jaw and your maxillary sinuses. They can be on either sides of your nose. In order to make room for the bone, the sinus membrane may be moved upward or lifted.
  
  A sinus lift is performed when there is not enough bone in the upper jaw or the sinuses to hold dental implants. Here are some of the reasons sinus lifts are used.
  
  People who have lost teeth in their upper jaw like the back teeth molars may not have enough bone for implants to be placed. Bone loss may have happened because of periodontal gum disease Tooth loss may have led to bone loss because when teeth are gone, bone starts to get reabsorbed back into the body. If teeth have been missing for a long time then there may not be enough bone left for implants The maxillary sinus could be too close to the upper jaw for the placement of implants. The size and the shape of the sinuses will vary among individuals.