In the pioneer days, you might expect most of the elderly citizens to be missing some or all of their teeth. But today, replacing one tooth, several teeth, or even an entire upper or lower dental set is not only possible, but safe, reliable, and downright commonplace.
Implant dentists specialize in reconstructing people’s smiles. They do this by surgically implanting a replacement root for a tooth whose natural root has decayed (or has been damaged) past the point of saving. That one implant can function as the root for more than one tooth, and an entire upper or lower set can be placed on as few as four strategically-placed implants.
The metal implant dentists use is titanium. Titanium is actually the metal of choice for most surgical implantations — in the jaw, in the hip, on the skull, in and around joints, etc. — since it has such a low incidence of rejection by the body’s immune system. In the case of dental implants, the jawbone heals around the titanium implant in a process known as osseointegration, which firmly anchors the implant in place and creates a secure foundation to withstand the high pressures exerted by the normal chewing process.
But progress hasn’t stopped there. Where traditional implants required a significant amount of surrounding bone to successful anchor it in place, mini dental implants (which are, as you might have guessed, smaller than their traditional counterparts) offer more placement location options, require less time to integrate, and reduce the likelihood that a patient will need a bone graft to augment weak points around the implant.
Because of this advancement, a mini dental implant costs slightly more than a traditional implant, but for many, the benefits outweigh the extra dollar signs. And as further innovations are made in techniques, designs, and materials, the cost is likely to come down. In five years, who knows what wonders implant dentists will be able to perform? Read more articles like this.
