Components of Dental Implants

Components of Dental Implants

by | Nov 1, 2023 | Implant Complications

What actually are the components of Dental Implants? The Dental Implant Complex comprises a series of parts that are stacked on each other and bolted or cemented together.

At the base of the complex is the dental implant fixture. This is usually a titanium or titanium alloy screw that is inserted into the jaw bone with a minor surgery. Implant fixtures made of other materials such as Zirconia are also available.

After a period of healing, the jaw bone fuses with the implant fixture, stablizing it and anchoring it to the bone. This usually takes 2-3 months.

At this point, an impression is made to register the position, depth and angulation of the dental implant fixture. This can be done with a conventional silicone impression or digitally via an intraoral scan. An analog or digital model is then fabricated.

Depending on the type of restoration that is being planned, the parts for the dental implants will differ. For single crowns and bridges, the restorations can be cemented or screw retained. For cemented restorations, a titanium or ziconia post is connected to the impant fixture. Based on the design of the abutment, these can be fixed with a retaining screw, or directly screwed into the dental implant fixture.

The crown or bridge is then fabricated, similar to what is done with tooth-bourne restorations, and the restoration is cemented onto the implant abutments.

Screw-retained implant restorations do not use an abutment. Instead the restoration is bolted directly to the dental implant fixture with a retaining screw. The restoration can be a single piece, with porcelain baked directly onto a metal framework or a monolithic zirconia crown or bridge. Alternatively, it can be a zirconia restoration that is cemented onto a titanium base.

Screw-retained restorations are technically more difficult to make and deliver, but they use less components, resulting in a lower complication rate. They are also easier to maintain.

In the case of implant-retained dentures, specialized parts, such as locator attachments, are connected to the implant fixtures. The complementary parts are embedded into the denture. These attachements allow the dentures to clip on to the dental implants, improving retention and stability.

If you wondering if you are a good candidate for dental implant therapy, Contact Us today to arrange an appointment. We will do a comprehensive clinical and radiographic examinations, and advise you on your options.

Dental Implants or Teeth?

Dental Implants or Teeth?

by | Oct 31, 2023 | Implant Basics

Patients often ask if dental implants or teeth are better. The simple answer is if the teeth are structurally sound and have a good long-term prognosis, teeth are always better as they are part of your body.

However, there are situations where the teeth are severely broken down or have catastrophic structural or biological issues. The prognoses of these teeth are poor and they require removal.

Implants are the next best thing to teeth. They can restore the function and aesathetics of the missing tooth. However, even though they look like the tooth, it is not the tooth. As with most things, the devil is in the details. The profile is different from natural teeth, which may result in occassional food impaction. Furthermore, the implants do not feel like natural teeth when you bite down - some patients describe a hollow sensation.

The most important fact is that the dental implant is a foreign body that is embedded in the jaw bone. The success rate of implant therapy is very high, but there is always a chance of rejection. The teeth will not be rejected by the body!

If you have to choose between dental implants or teeth, unless the teeth have a catastrophic problem, the choice is always teeth! They are what God or Nature gave you, and are superior in function and aesthetics.

Does Dental Implant Surgery Hurt?

Does Dental Implant Surgery Hurt?

by | Oct 27, 2023 | Implant Basics

Are you concerned about the discomfort arising from dental implant surgery? Rest assured, pain medication can effectively manage any discomfort after the procedure.

The surgery involves numbing the mouth to ensure a painless experience. Although there might be some pain as the numbness wears off, you will be prescribed medicaiton to alleviate any post-operative pain and swellling. In most cases, any discomfort subsides within 5-7 days.

Most patients feel that the pain and discomfort they experienced was much less than after tooth extraction.

If the pain persists or worsens, it is crucial to reach out to your dental professional for guidance.

Remember, the remarkable benefits of dental implant surgery, such as achieving a beautifully restored smile, outweigh any temporary inconvenience. Embrace this long-lasting tooth replacement solution without allowing fear to hold you back.

Contact Us today to see if you are a candidate for implant surgery!

Managing Dental Implant Angle

Managing Dental Implant Angle

by | Oct 20, 2023 | Implant Complications, Prosthetic Problems, Solutions

Is your dental implant angle off? you facing challenges with dental implants that are not in an ideal position? 

Whether the dental implant angle was a deliberate decision to avoid bone grafting or a surgical oversight, we understand the need for a solution.

Our expertise lies in compensating for misangulated implants prosthetically, using specialized components.

By carefully considering factors such as angulation, position within the bone, and implant depth, we can devise a bespoke plan to rectify the situation.

In more severe cases where the misalignment is substantial, implant removal procedures may be necessary, followed by grafting and healing.

Once the site is ready, we can place a new implant in a more optimal position and restore it to ideal function and aesthetics.

If the malignment is mild, a cemented restoration can be used to restore the clinical portion of the tooth. A ceramic or metal post is connected to the dental implant with a retaining screw, then a crown is fabricated to fit this abutment. This is similar to crowns which are done on teeth.

Care has to be taken during the cementation to ensure that all the excess cement is removed, to prevent the extra cement from causing infection under the gums.

The main disadvantage of a cemented crown is retrievability of the crown. Occassionally, the crown may need to be removed for maintenance of the implant. Cemented crowns sometimes cannot be removed without breaking, and a new crown might need to be fabricated.

Specialized parts known as angled multiunit abutments can occassiuonally be used to redirect the direction of the implant retention screw.

These come in predetermined angulations, resulting in some limitations to how much correction can be made.

The extra parts increase prosthetic complications as well as the cost of restoring the implant.

A more innovative solution has been the development of dynamic axes screws, such as the Dynamic Abutment. These sophisticated screws allow for engagement at an offset of up to 25 degrees. In most cases, this is sufficient to redirect the access hole from the outer surface of the crown to the inner surface.

They not only do not require additional restorative space, but do not require additional components. The conventional abutment screw is exchanged for the dynamic axis screw.

These can be used either as part of a conventional analog work flow, or as part of a integrated digital CAD/CAM workflow.

The reduced number of parts and the larger implant retaining screw also decrease the incidence of prosthetic problems.

These revolutionary screws have significantly impacted how these cases can be managed, reducing the number of implants that have to be removed and lowering the costs of restoring these cases.

IS THIS AN ISSUE THAT YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH?

CONTACT US TODAY TO LEARN WHAT IS POSSIBLE

Something Broke!

Something Broke!

by | Oct 19, 2023 | Implant Complications, Implant Problems, Prosthetic Problems

One complication can occur with dental implants is that something broke. Fracture of the dental implant or the implant restoration is not as uncommon as you may think. So what should you do if you encounter a breakage?

Firstly, we need to determine where the breakage occurred. The fracture could be at several different places. The dental implant (or fixture) could have fractured. Or the screw connecting the implant crown to the fixture could have broken. The implant crown could have split or the veneer porcelain of the implant crown could have chipped off.

The necessary treatment will depend on the location of the breakage. Simple solutions could range from simply smoothening out the porcelain surface, to changing the retaining screw. Should a catastrophic fracture of the fixture occurred, this would require surgical removal of the broken implant and possible replacement after a period of healing.

Should you be unfortunate enough to have encountered a breakage, do not hesitate to contact us! In addtion, any information you can provide us regarding your dental implant will be most relevant.

We will perform a comprehensive examination, complete with the relevant dental imaging. Finally, once we diagnose what your specific issue is, we will let you know exactly what your problem is and what needs to be done fix it.

IF YOU ARE FACING A SIMILAR ISSUE, CONTACT US

TO LEARN WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU