What You Need to Know About Dental Implants Tooth Replacement Therapy

Implant dentistry is a permanent tooth replacement therapy using titanium dental implants to replace the tooth root, followed by a prosthetic device (such as a crown, bridge, partial denture, or denture) to replace your lost tooth or teeth. Tooth replacement therapy can do much more than merely improve your smile, it will also make eating and chewing easier and far more comfortable.

Your dental implant will have three components:

• Implants are surgically placed into your jaw
• The prosthesis – or your new teeth, include a crown, bridge, or denture)
• The abutment – which is the small connector that attaches the prosthesis to your implant

Implant tooth replacement therapy involves 2 phases:

• Surgical placement of your dental implant
• Prosthetic fabrication, followed by insertion of the abutment and attachment of your artificial teeth

Successful Tooth Replacement

Dental implants are largely successful, with success rates of approximately 95% over 50 years of research, but risks do exist. The three main groups of risks with implant therapy are:

• That the implant will not integrate into the bone, possibly requiring removal and reinsertion. Certain medical conditions or situations may lead to a higher rate of failure.
• During the implant procedure, damage can happen toimportant anatomic structures such a nerve or sinus. Furthermore the implant may not fit in the desired position. Risks are very small when a cone-beam CT scan is used prior to surgery to visualize where these structures lie.
• Over time, prosthetic components wear out faster in some patients than others. Other factors such as diet, tooth grinding, and patient anatomy.

It is important to remember that dental implant tooth replacement therapy involves dental surgery, for the placement of the dental implant within your jawbone, which may require the efforts of a team of specialists: the dental surgeon, the restorative dentist or fabricator of your prosthesis, and you – the patient. Successful implant therapy requires careful planning and communication and it is vital that you know who will perform which phases of your dental implant treatment and to have a defined plan from each provider before you begin.

Dr. Kaushal Dhawan and staff at The Colorado Center for Implant and Prosthetic Dentistry are available to help you determine effective solutions to all your dental problems. If you would like more information from your Littleton area Prosthodontist, please call to make an appointment today.