Dental Implants

What is an implant?

An implant is a medical device manufactured to replace a missing biological structure, support a damaged biological structure or enhance an existing biological structure.

Similarly, a dental implant is an artificial tooth root placed into the jaws to hold a replacement for missing tooth/teeth.

Functions

• Replace or more teeth without affecting adjacent teeth.
• Support a bridge and eliminate the need for removable partial dentures.
• Provide support for dentures.

Ideal patients

• Good general and oral health.
• Adequate good quality & quantity bone in jaws.
• Healthy gums free of periodontal gum disease.

Types

• Endosteal (in the bone).
• Subperiosteal (on the bone).

Procedure

A pilot hole is bored into the bone at the edentulous site, which is further expanded using progressive drills. Then the implant screw is screwed into place taking adequate care not to damage or overload surrounding bone.

Healing time of 2-6 months is required before abutment is placed. Over this, a crown/bridge is fabricated and fixed.

Surgical timing to place implants after tooth extraction:

• Immediately post-extraction.
• Delayed immediate post-extraction (2 weeks to 2 months)
• Late implantation (3 months or more)

Success rates

95% success rate depending on operated site, quality & quantity of bone and patient’s oral hygiene.