Losing a dental piece can be a massive blow to the self-esteem, that’s why the techniques to replace them are being advancing in benefit of the people.
The loss of a tooth does not just affect the basic function of chewing but every other aspect of life. It’s harder to find a job and social relationships get weaker, because the person tends to hide and can see their self-esteem diminished as well as their quality of life. Losing a dental piece can be certainly awful, and even worse if the missing piece is not a single one but a few or all of them, especially if it’s in an aesthetic area like the frontal sector.
Generally, there are three causes that may lead you to lose a tooth:
- Cavities
- Periodontal problem
- Blunt trauma
The tooth is divided in two parts: the crown and the root. The crown being the visible part, covered by a white enamel, whilst the root is the part that extends itself from the jaw to the surface of the crown to hold it.
So, what is a dental implant? Well, it is an artificial root that holds an artificial crown which purpose is to replace the lost tooth and function in its place.
What’s the purpose of a dental implant?
The function of the implant is to replace a lost tooth, being the root the part which is replaced by the dental implant.
Parts of the dental implant.
- The implant (principally made out of titanium)
- The pillar (piece that links the implant with the crown or prosthetic)
- The crown or prosthetic (the visible part of the implant, the one that gives a natural look to the tooth)
This three parts form a complete dental implant
The material of the dental implant
Dental implants are principally made of titanium, which is a biocompatible material. Studies show that this material offers endurance and durability but most important, they have a unique property that allows a direct integration with the bone, better known as Osseo integration.
The main advantage offered by a dental implant over a removable prosthetic is the security and firmness that it provides while eating, laughing and talking, a dental implant is more functional than a removable prosthetic and it’s the closest thing to a normal tooth.
How to know if you can use a dental implant?
Today basically any kind of person can be subject to this treatment. The complexity and particular characteristics of every case can be solved by the two different kind of implants available on the market. The advanced the techniques in surgery, like bone tissue grafting allows to achieve an optimal planification that is successful every time. It’s been scientifically proven that dental implants have a rate of success of 95 to 98 percent.
Is there any contraindication about getting a dental implant?
There’s no registered case of people being allergic to titanium. Nevertheless, the most sensitive patients are the ones who have not controlled chronic illnesses, for example diabetic patients.
