Implants Placement and Implant Crowns
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What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth that is used to replace missing natural teeth in the upper and lower jaws of the mouth. Owing to their strength, aesthetic value and durability, implants are considered to be the best replacement for natural teeth in dentistry today. Unlike dental bridges and dentures, implants replace the crown as well as the root portion of the teeth effectively.
How are implants placed into the jaw?
There are two main parts of a dental implant. The lower half which resembles a screw, is known as the implant, and has to be surgically fitted into the underlying bone of the jaw. The top portion, which is known as the implant crown, is fixed on top of the implant once the latter has fused successfully with the jawbone. Because this is an invasive surgery, anesthesia is administered prior to the procedure so the patient does not experience any pain or discomfort.
One of the most important factors that determine the success of an implant surgery is bone density. The implant must be fixed into a healthy bone for osseointegration to take place. Osseointegration is the process whereby the threads of the implant fuse with the cells of the surrounding bone, thus giving the artificial tooth a strong and firm foundation. In cases where bone density is inadequate, artificial bone must be grafted into the site of surgery as a prerequisite.
It may take a couple of months for the implant to integrate with the bone and once this happens, the crown can safely be cemented/screwed in, as the final phase of the surgery.
What are implant crowns?
An implant crown is the top portion of a dental implant which is made to replicate the crown of the missing tooth. Some of the materials which are used to fabricate implant crowns include porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, gold and zirconia. Porcelain Fused to Metal is perhaps the most popular of all owing to its outstanding strength as well as excellent aesthetic value, however, Zirconia crowns as are also rapidly gaining popularity.
Implant crowns are fabricated to look exactly like the teeth they are replacing in terms of shade, anatomical features and contour.
Dental implants offer complete restoration of speech and masticatory function, and well as the aesthetics of your smile. They can also be used to support complete upper and lower dentures to give patients better stability without the use of adhesives. If you have lost a natural tooth to decay, fracture or an accident, give us a call today and book an appointment with Dr Tom Trinh at Salado Creek Dental for professional implant consultation.