Dental Implants

One of the most exciting and effective dental technologies we use at Tedi Dent are dental implants.  In many cases, implants are the most ideal method of replacing missing teeth as they do not involve the neighboring teeth. Though surgical in nature, it is minimally invasive in most cases.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root replacement and is used in prosthetic dentistry. There are several types of dental implants; the most widely accepted and sucessful is the osseointegrated implant, based on the discovery by Swedish Professor Per-ingvar Branemark that the titanium can be sucessfully fused into bone when osteoblasts grow on and into the rough surface of the implanted titanium. This forms a structural and functional connection between the living bone and the implant. A variation on the implant procedure is the implant-supported bridge, or implant-supported denture.

Healing and integration of the implants(s) with jawbone occurs over several months in a process called osseointegration. At the appropriate time, our dental staff will use the implant(s) to anchor crowns or a prosthetic restoration containing several "teeth". Since the implants supporting the restoration are integrated, which means they are biomechanically stable and strong, the patient is immediately able to chew normally.

Types of dental implants.  The most common type of tooth implant (dental implant) that is placed today is the "endosseous root form implant." These objects are cylindrical or screw shaped devices that are positioned into a person's jawbone. In essence, a dental implant acts as an "artificial root" on top of which a dental crown or one end of dental bridgework bridgework can be secured.

The term "endosseous" refers to the fact that the implant is embedded in the jawbone and penetrates through the gum tissue. The term "root form" refers to the fact that this type of implant is somewhat similar in shape as the root of a natural tooth.

Root form endosseous tooth implants are also described as "osseointegrated (osteointegrated) implants." The term osseointegration refers to the fact that there is a direct fixed connection between the dental implant and living bone. (More precisely, the bone is in direct contact with an implant with no Intervening layer of connective tissue at the light microscopic level.)

A tooth implant is comprised of three components:

The dental implant fixture.  The fixture is that portion of the implant that is embedded in and becomes anchored to (osseointegrated with) the jawbone. It is that portion of the dental implant that lies below the gum line. For all practical purposes the fixture can be considered to be an "artificial root."

Implant fixtures are constructed out of titanium and typically have a hollow or solid, cylindrical or screw shaped design. Each manufacturer will utilize a proprietary surface treatment with their implant fixtures. As a result, fixture surfaces are often machined, grit-blasted, etched or plasma sprayed. The purpose of these treatments is to microscopically roughen the fixture's surface and therefore increase its total surface area, thus providing a greater amount of bone to implant contact.

The dental implant abutment.  The abutment aspect of a tooth implant is its stub portion that lies at and above the gum line. The dental crown or dental bridgework that the implant supports rests on top of the implant's abutment. An abutment is usually attached to (screwed into) the implant fixture 3 to 6 months after it was initially placed.

Tedi Dent can help you understand how dental implants may help you or a member of your family.  Please contact us to make an appointment to discuss this option.