Understanding Dental Implants
The goals of dental implant treatment:
To create an aesthetic and functional replacement for natural tooth/teeth.
To regain a confident smile and the ability to chew.
Three components of modern dental implant system
1) Implant body ("implant" or "implant fixture"): the foundation inside the bone
2) Implant abutment: the connection between the implant and the crown
3) Implant crown/prosthesis: the portion outside of the gums for chewing and smiling
Implant body
A dental implant is a screw-shaped fixture that is surgically placed in bone. Following implant placement, bone grows into the implant and forms a strong bond over the next 3-6 months, which is a process known as osseointegration. Once the healing is complete, the implant body serves as a replacement for the root portion of a natural tooth.
Titanium and zirconia implants
Majority of implants are made with titanium, and a smaller percentage is zirconia-based (a type of porcelain with metal-like property).
Studies show that dental implants have a high success rate.
Osseointegration
In simple term, osseointegration the process of bone growing into dental implant. This effectively "incorporates" implant into bone, allowing the implant to serve as an anchor for abutment and crown.
There are many factors that can affect osseointegration.
Time needed for osseointegration
Typically, 3 to 6 months are needed for proper healing and integration after implant placement. Once osseointegration is achieved, then a final prosthesis can be custom-made and placed.
A full-arch implant-supported prosthesis is different. This type of prosthesis is commonly known as "all-on-4" or "all-on-X". Under certain conditions, a temporary prosthesis can be placed immediately after the implants are placed. This is possible because the prosthesis splints all the implants together to significantly improve their stability.