The dental implant is recommended in all those cases in which we want to replace the absence of teeth, lost for different reasons.
It can be used in cases of tooth loss due to disease (periodontal disease, caries, etc.), after dental loss due to accidents and in the case of congenital absence of teeth.
In general, each missing piece must be replaced with an implant. However, in some areas of the mouth, where the teeth receive less load, it is possible to reduce the number of them.
The implant is normally placed under local anesthesia. The latest advances in implantology allow, in the same session, to extract a tooth, place the implant and immediately incorporate the provisional prosthesis, replacing the tooth on the spot.
Some of the advantages of implants:
- It is the safest option, since the prosthesis is attached to the bone, and not to other teeth.
- It prevents bone loss by preserving function on the bone.
- The chewing sensation is similar to that of a natural tooth.
- It has a longer duration, with rates above 90% in periods of 20-30 years.
- When chewing, the bone is subjected to a force similar to that of the natural tooth, which allows it to retain its biological shape.
- Osseointegration occurs, which is a direct bonding at the molecular level of the titanium surface of the implant with the bone. This bond is so strong that the only way to separate the titanium from the bone would be to remove the surrounding bone. Osseointegration takes place in about 6-8 weeks.
- In cases of complete loss of all teeth, dental implants are the ideal solution to improve quality of life, as many patients who wear complete dentures experience considerable difficulty in adapting to removable dentures (removable). The dental implant is fixed and comfortable and there are no parts to worry about because once it has been placed they will continue to function well.
- Absence of pain. No pain or discomfort is felt at any time during the procedure and, in most cases, the postoperative period involves less discomfort than other more common interventions in dentistry.