When is dental implant placement necessary?

When is dental implant placement necessary?

Our teeth are constantly exposed to various damaging factors. These can be external, such as accidents, tobacco use or poor oral hygiene. But internal factors also have an impact, such as a genetic predisposition to increased cavity formation or damage caused by diseases. The consequences of these influences are irreversible and sooner or later lead to tooth loss.

With modern dental implants, it is possible to replace any single tooth or multiple teeth, whether they are in the back or front, upper or lower jaw. Dental implants are a great way to anchor fixed or removable dentures, even with edentulous jaws.

Why dental implants are necessary

Missing teeth spoil the appearance of the smile, and more serious complications can occur:

• speech impairment;
• early appearance of facial wrinkles;
• temporomandibular joint malfunction;
• digestive problems due to inadequate chewing of food.
• traditional removable, fixed prosthetics and implants are used to solve the problem. 

Implant placement is the most physiologic method, as it permanently and naturally restores the tooth, replacing not only the apex but also the root.

When dental implants are placed, bone cell nutrition is stimulated, the bone becomes dense and increases in volume, leading to its regeneration. With traditional prosthetics, the bone tissue does not receive loads, which leads to a reduction in its size (atrophy).

Indications for implants

• Loss of a single tooth – anterior or chewing on the upper or lower jaw;
• Absence of several teeth, both single gaps and gaps formed by the absence of 2, 3, 4 or more teeth in a row;
• Terminal defect – loss of the outermost, end teeth on one or both sides of the jaw.
• Complete adentia – absence of all dental units on the jaw;
• Inability to fit removable dentures, e.g. due to gum sensitivity, gag reflex, or intolerance to the material used to make removable dentures.

If one tooth is missing

Possible restoration options are a bridge and implants.

If the teeth on both sides of the defect are healthy and in perfect condition, implant placement with a customized crown will avoid grinding the neighboring teeth for a bridge.

A cheaper and less traumatic way is to install a dental bridge. The prosthesis is attached to two supporting teeth. But it has disadvantages:

• The need for grinding and depulping of neighboring, often healthy units;
• Reduced functionality and lifespan of healthy teeth;
• Is not suitable for restoring an end defect;
• Looks unaesthetic in the smile area.

Several teeth have been lost in a row

In this case, the defect can be filled by implants, bridges or removable dentures.

If two teeth are missing in a row, an individual implant is placed in place of each tooth and individual crowns are fixed on top. If 3 or more units are lost, it is possible to place individual artificial roots for each lost tooth or a smaller number of implants with a dental bridge fixed on top of them.

An alternative is to install a dental bridge supported by neighboring living teeth. But as mentioned above, they must be ground down and depulped. If the supports are in poor condition and can not withstand the load, partial removable dentures are used, which are attached to them with hooks. Both variants of traditional prosthetics lead to bone atrophy at the site of the defect.

An end defect in the dentition

Implants are the only possible option in this clinical situation. Dentures cannot be fitted in this case because there are no support points for anchoring.

Complete absence of teeth

If the problem is solved with implants, 4 (all-on-4) or 6 (all-on-6) artificial roots are implanted into the jaw, and a removable or permanent fixed prosthesis is placed on top. Fixation of the prosthetic structure on implants allows it to hold firmly in the mouth.

Of the traditional prosthetics, only a full removable prosthesis is suitable, which is attached to the gums by suction, but such attachment is extremely unreliable, the prosthesis is unstable, rubbing the mucous membranes.

Inability to wear dentures

Some patients are often allergic to the materials of removable and fixed dentures – acrylic, metal-ceramic. In addition, when wearing removable dentures (especially full dentures on the upper jaw), a gag reflex may occur. Installation of implants solves these problems – titanium root materials are hypoallergenic, crowns on implants do not contain a metal base, we use metal-free prosthetic designs. Removable prostheses on artificial roots do not have an artificial palate, do not cause discomfort.

Causes of tooth loss

Tooth loss due to various reasons leads to the need for implants:

• genetic inheritance;
• advanced tooth decay;
• mechanical damage to the jaw;
• endocrine diseases;
• gum disease – periodontitis, periodontal disease;
• lack of rudiments.

To summarize, dental implants are the most functional and physiologic way to restore your teeth. If you choose Affordable Dentistry of South Florida, there are no risks or complications with implants, and your new tooth will last a lifetime.