Dental Implants are one of modern dentistry’s most successful and popular developments.
Providing the most long term and effective solution to the issues of tooth loss, the implementation of a dental implant can serve to reinstate the strength and functionality of the mouth, to a degree which surpasses other treatment options.
The process for placing a dental implant can be of a lengthy undertaking, however, the subsequent benefits often prove to be worth the wait.
The first stage in assessment of the patient condition must establish whether or not the individual is a suitable candidate for the implant procedure. This takes into account the amount of remaining bone present in the underlying jaw structure. This is of critical importance, as a lack of supporting bone will render the treatment unstable and therefore unsuccessful.
In extreme cases, where there is an absence of remaining support, bone grafts will be carried out, at the patients wish, where they will be referred to a specialist.
Once the core strength is established, the process of drilling into the jawbone is begun, with a titanium ‘root’ acting as the first component for the implant.
Once this root is in place, a period of up to six months is needed, in which time the ‘root’ is allowed to fuse with the surrounding bone, through a process of ‘osseointegration’. This allows for the biocompatible titanium component to become highly stabilised within the jawbone structure. The surrounding gum is also able to heal within this time.
After this period has been completed, the next stage involves the reopening of the gum surface, to insert an ‘abutment’ to the root, which effectively acts as a post, onto which the ‘artificial tooth’ or ‘crown’ is later placed.
Dental implants are not only the most stable of all the restoration methods available, they also provide a great degree of visual compatibility, utilising the naturally tooth like quality of porcelain crowns, as a suitable finish to the core strength of the implant.
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For any further information about the range of treatment options available to you at Kitchener Street Dental, please do not hesitate to contact us on 07 4638 5111. A member of our team will endeavour to assist you.
