What is a dental implant?

Dental implant is a tooth replacement method that is very popular due to its high quality, longevity and durability, increasing the beauty of the mouth, taking care of the gums and not causing speech problems. Implants are more expensive than other tooth replacement methods. Of course, the implant is not done for all people and it is susceptible to conditions such as proper jaw and bone conditions and the absence of gum diseases. An implant is an artificial replacement of teeth, which is considered as a standard treatment to fill empty teeth. A dental implant is a small screw-shaped rod that is inserted into the jaw bone during a surgical operation to be welded to the surrounding bone and ready to hold the artificial crown of the tooth. In fact, the base of the implant acts as the root of the tooth, and the crown of the tooth acts as the crown of the tooth. Therefore, the implant does not need to rely on the surrounding teeth and remains fixed inside the jaw bone. The process of bone fusion to the implant is called osseointegration. ### The type of implant material Most dental implants are made of titanium, but there are also zirconia dental implants. Both titanium and zirconia are substances that the body is compatible with and does not consider them as foreign invaders, so it does not react. Currently, the probability of dental implant success is close to 98%, which means that it is considered one of the most successful treatments. Dental implant steps **1. Examining the condition of your mouth and teeth**: First, the condition of your mouth and health will be evaluated and the necessary photos will be taken. The quality and volume of the bone is carefully checked at this stage to determine whether the implant will have sufficient support or not. **2. Planning and appointment **: then treatment planning is done and surgery appointment is determined for you. **3. Anesthesia **: Before starting the work, you will be under local anesthesia or anesthesia. Sometimes along with anesthesia, there is a need for sedatives. **4. Removing the previous tooth: ** If the damaged tooth has not been extracted yet, first the tooth is carefully and gently extracted so as not to damage the bone and soft tissues. Jaw bone grafting is usually done at this stage and the bone graft material is placed inside the bone of the empty tooth cavity. **In this case, the dentist waits for two to six months until the bone heals completely and is ready for surgery.** If the implant is placed in the upper jaw at the back of the mouth, sometimes due to the low height of the jaw bone in this area and the possibility of sinus perforation, a sinus lift is performed, in which the floor of the sinus cavity is raised and graft material is added below. **5. Bone piercing:** If there is no need to strengthen the bone, the next step after tooth extraction is bone piercing. With a dental drill, the bone is drilled to the desired size and the implant is placed inside. Then the implant hole is closed with a piece called cap screw. **6. Placing the implant and suturing the gums**: The next step is to suture the gums. The dentist may suture the gum around the implant and leave the implant head out, or pull the gum over the implant and suture it to protect the implant more. In the second case, a simple surgery should be done later to install the dental cover so that the gum is cut and opened on the implant. **7. Waiting time for bone graft and implant**: After placing the implant, depending on the condition and quality of the bone, the time you have to wait varies from two months to six months. During this time, no pressure should be applied to the implant. You should let the bone grow and gradually graft to the implant to establish secondary stability in the implant. **8. Placing the abutment: ** After the bone and implant are welded together, the next step comes. The dentist unscrews the cap of the implant and screws a piece called abutment on the implant. The abutment acts like a shaved tooth on which the veneer is to be installed and is a base for attaching the veneer. **9. Molding to make a veneer **: Therefore, a mold is made from the implant on which the abutment is installed to make a tooth veneer based on it. **10. Connecting the cover to the base**: After the cover is ready, you go to the implant to connect it. Connecting the cover to the implant may be with screws or special glue. Types of dental implant methods According to the conditions of the client, the condition of the gums, the location of the missing tooth, etc. A special method is used to perform the implant. We should know that tooth implantation is done through several methods, the most important of which are: ### 1. Single stage dental implant In this method, the process of placing the root and base of the implant is done in one step, and with the repair and suture of the gums in the first step, there is no need to perform surgery or other treatment methods in the next steps, and only need to visit a specialist after a time interval of three to six months for the placement of the dental crown. This time interval is observed for the complete connection and welding of the base to the jaw bone. ### 2. Two-stage dental implant If the placement of the implant base is done in two different visits and with secondary restoration, it is called a two-stage implant. The person should complete the treatment in two stages with a period of 3 to 6 months. In the first stage, the gum base and suture are implanted, and in the second stage, the restoration is done along with the opening of a part of the gum to complete the tooth, and finally, the veneer and crown processes, etc. will also be done. ### 3. Recessed dental implant In cases where the specialist wants implant therapy to replace artificial teeth or dental bridges, he uses the sinking implant method. In this method, smooth or threaded bases are placed inside the jaw bone. ### 4. Immediate or one-day dental implant By examining the client's conditions and performing thorough and detailed examinations, the specialist can determine whether the situation is ready for immediate implant placement or not. If the conditions are available, an immediate implant is prescribed. This method helps to shorten the total treatment time, and by placing the base in the same appointment, the patient only waits for the time prescribed by the doctor for the implant to strengthen. It is not possible to perform this procedure for all people, and the condition of the jaw bone must allow the specialist to perform an immediate implant. **Short link:** https://drnegarmir.com/?p=9228 copy link