A dental implant is an artificial fixture that we surgically insert into the jawbone of a patient. Our dentists will carry out this procedure when the patient has lost one or more teeth and needs a replacement. Dental implants act as artificial roots which help to keep the replacement tooth in place. When Would You Need Dental Implants?
Dental implants are an alternative to dentures which we use to replace the function as well as aesthetics of natural teeth. They will replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, or all the teeth when needed. On the basis of medical assessments, our dentists will determine whether the patient’s case is fit for dental implants before giving it the green light.
Types of Dental Implants
Dental implants come in two types, endosteal and subperiosteal. Endosteal is more common out of the two, where our dentists will insert the implant into the jawbone and allow it to fuse over the span of a few months.
Subperiosteal implants are usually used when patients lack adequate jaw bone height. In such cases, our dentists will place the implant on top of the jawbone which would hold one or more artificial teeth intact.
Potential Risks of Implant Surgery
Our dentists may refrain from performing implant surgery on patients with acute illnesses, irregular metabolic functions, and bone or soft tissue diseases. Some patients with severe parafunctional habits such as tooth grinding might not be good candidates for getting dental implants due to risks of post-surgery complications.
In some cases, patients with heavy smoking habits, AIDS, diabetes, osteoporosis, and psychiatric disorders will not qualify for dental implants due to the risk of complications. There is a higher chance with these patients of the dental implant failing or giving rise to severe side effects. If you would like to learn more about dental implants, please contact us today.
