Dental implants are titanium cylinders or screw-shaped roots that replace missing teeth. They fuse to the jawbone in a process called “osseointegration.”
Before surgery, you will have a treatment plan made for you that considers how many teeth need replacing and the condition of your remaining teeth and jawbone. You will receive local anesthesia or sedation.
What is an Implant?
An implant consists of a screw-shaped post made of titanium, which acts as a tooth root by fusing with your jawbone and gums. An artificial tooth or crown is then placed on top of the abutment, creating a natural-looking and feeling replacement for your missing teeth.
The surgery to place an implant is typically done in-office with a local anesthetic. Your dentist will likely ask you not to eat anything for a couple of hours before the procedure, since eating can affect how well your surgery heals. 동탄치과
Dental implants can be used to replace a single missing tooth, several missing teeth in a row or even all of the teeth in the upper or lower jaw. They’re also an alternative to replacing teeth with bridges, which require altering (shaving down) healthy teeth on either side of the gap. Dental implants are generally more successful than bridges, which can fail due to the powerful chewing forces they must endure.
Bone Requirements
A successful dental implant requires sufficient bone to anchor the restoration and prevent underlying complications such as infection or failure. During an assessment of your oral health, the dentist will evaluate the amount of existing bone as well as medical conditions and other factors that could impact the outcome of the procedure.
Dentists use a variety of methods to determine the quality and quantity of the available bone for an implant. They may also recommend X-rays or cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for a more detailed analysis of the existing bone.
A minimum of 1 mm of bone needs to envelope the implant, although the ideal thickness is about 2 mm. The height of the bone is also important, as it prevents the implant from touching underlying nerves in the bottom jaw or sinuses in the upper jaw. If there isn’t enough space vertically, the dentist will likely recommend a sinus lift or other bone graft. 내이튼치과
Bone Grafts
A bone graft is used to increase the amount of bone tissue in the jaw, oftentimes preparing it for future restoration. Your oral surgeon may recommend this treatment option to prepare your mouth for an implant or to treat a tooth socket with inadequate bone structure due to a missing tooth, gum disease, or other factors.
During a bone graft procedure, your oral surgeon will create an incision and insert grafting material to add or replace the existing bone tissue. The grafting material can come from your own body (autograft), a donor (allograft), a bovine animal (xenograft), or a synthetic material (alloplast).
Bone grafting is an outpatient procedure and typically takes less than one hour. You will be put under local anesthesia to prevent pain and discomfort during the procedure, and we also offer sedation dentistry options — including nitrous oxide, oral, and IV sedation — to enhance your comfort level. You will need to follow your doctor’s post-surgical instructions to ensure proper healing.
Sinus Augmentation
A sinus lift is a surgical procedure carried out in the upper jaw (the maxillary sinus cavity) to increase bone height where it may be needed to support an implant. A sinus lift can be completed as a one-stage surgical process alongside dental implant placement, or it can be performed as a separate procedure before implant placement.
During a sinus lift, your oral surgeon makes an incision in the back area of your gum tissue to expose the jawbone. They then make a cut into the bone, but take care not to disturb the membranes in the sinus cavity. They then graft more bone into the area, which can be done using bone taken from another part of your body, synthetic bone material, or both.
After your surgery, you will need to avoid sneezing or blowing your nose frequently, as this can cause the bone-graft material to move and loosen. You will also need to schedule a follow-up appointment in 7 to 10 days, where the dentist can examine your healing progress and remove any stitches that haven’t dissolved on their own.