Dental implants are an innovative way to replace teeth that have substantial damage with root involvement. This damage may be accident related or caused by poor oral hygiene with tooth decay. One advantage of dental implants is their permanence and durability. When implants are used to replace several teeth, this gives your remaining teeth a more solid foundation with a more natural looking jawline.
The teeth are designed to match your natural teeth, giving you a greatly improved appearance. Other advantages of dental implants include improved speaking quality. Conventional dentures may slip or feel awkward and affect the sound of speech. Likewise, dental implants that fit like real teeth can make eating easier and more pleasant.
Improved oral health is another potential advantage to dental implants. People who had poor dental health, even as a contributing factor in tooth loss, can achieve better results due to more efficient flossing. Getting between the teeth will be easier and allow for the eradication of bacteria at the gumline.
The presence of dental implants arrests bone cell absorption caused by a tooth and its root being extracted. When the empty space remains unfilled, the body starts reabsorbing the unused bone material. This can cause deterioration of the jaw that can change facial appearance.
WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS
Generally, dental implants are a good option for anyone who has lost teeth for any reason. There are, however, certain circumstances that might decrease your chances of success with implants. Be sure to let your dentist know if you have diabetes that is not well controlled, as this can be a contraindication to successful implantation. Smoking can potentially contribute to dental implant failure, as can mouth cancer or radiation to the jaw area.
A commitment to good oral hygiene habits after dental implantation is a must, as bacterial infections in the gums can lead to failure of the implant. It should be understood that starting or resuming smoking will also increase the likelihood of complications or failure of the implants to merge with the bony structures, and may lead to repeat procedures or expensive treatments for correction.
Bruxism (teeth grinding) is another condition that can jeopardize the long-term success of dental implants. A person who grinds his/her teeth in their sleep can loosen or bend an abutment or cause breakage that will require professional correction. If you have bruxism and dental implants, you will need to wear a corrective device during sleep to immobilize the jaw and prevent damage.
WHAT ARE BIOCOMPATIBLE MATERIALS FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS
Titanium Dental Implants
All implanted tooth replacements consist of three parts. There is the screw, which is the part that is inserted into the bony jaw structure, the abutment which attaches to the screw above the gum line, and the crown, which is the actual tooth replacement. For decades, all implants were made of a metal called titanium, and were successful in about 95 percent of patients who received them.
Titanium implants were initially made of pure titanium but began to be often mixed with small amounts of other metals, including gold and nickel. In a study of 1500 dental implant patients, a small percentage did display symptoms of allergic reactions to titanium. A research paper compiled in 2010 documented that the incidence of allergies to titanium implants was higher in patients who had allergies to other metals. Nickel is believed to be a common source of allergic reactions to dental implants.
When considering titanium dental implants, it is crucial that you have allergy testing done to identify potential reactivity and avoid implant failure. It is important to understand that as metals begin to corrode, they dispense minuscule particles that turn into ions. These ions attach themselves to proteins in all parts of the body and cause symptoms such as skin rashes, pain deep in the muscles, or pervasive fatigue.
The above symptoms suggest that the body’s immune system is under attack, and often the body will respond to this foreign object as it would to a virus, by attacking and trying to destroy it. The attack can trigger a ripple effect that will lead to an autoimmune disease such as lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, psoriasis or scleroderma, Guillain-Barre syndrome, type 1 diabetes or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Ceramic Dental Implants
We are fortunate to have an alternative to metal implants which offers multiple advantages. Although titanium implants have been biocompatible for a majority of users, ceramic implants are inert and present virtually no risk of allergic reaction. Ceramic materials such as zirconium are super strong and nearly unbreakable. Knee and hip joint replacements have used ceramic prosthetics for decades, and the substance even stands up to NASA engineering standards.
Ceramic implants eliminate the risk of corrosion or galvanizing effect that is not uncommon with metal implants. There will not be a problem with metallic aftertaste or an unsightly gray line developing on the gum line. With metal implants, there may be interference with electronic devices such as computers, but this problem does not exist when ceramic materials are used.
Perhaps the greatest benefit to ceramic implants is that they are so completely biocompatible that gum tissue will grow up to and around the abutment, thus eliminating the development of receding gums, which is often a problem with metal implants. In about four to six months following the ceramic implant procedure, the bone will most likely have grown up to the implant surface, allowing the implant to be fastened in place by bone tissue.
All these amazing benefits make ceramic (zirconium) implants the best, strongest and most durable choice for natural tooth replacement.
ABOUT THE DOCTOR
If you are interested in a free consultation for dental implants, contact Dr. Marissa Crandall Cruztoday at the website: www.kopperio.com. Dr. Cruz is a member of the American Dental Association and a Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. She offers specialized care in periodontal therapy and plastic surgery. Periodontal and bone regeneration therapy are also her areas of expertise at the King of Prussia Periodontics & Dental Implants.
