Implant therapy is a modern treatment for patients who have lost teeth. It involves placing an artificial tooth root (called a dental implant) and a prosthetic tooth to replace the missing natural tooth or teeth. The result is a natural-looking, permanent solution that restores the patient’s smile and function. The implant restorations produced today are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth, and they can be used for many years with proper maintenance.북가좌동치과추천
A dental implant consists of two parts, the implant body and an abutment, which connects the implant to the crown. The implant body is placed in the jaw bone, where it bonds with the surrounding bone during a process called osseointegration. The abutment extends from the implant body through the gums to the mouth, where it supports the crown or bridge that replaces the natural tooth.
The abutment can be fixed or removable, depending on the type of restoration it is supporting. In either case, the abutment must be kept clean to ensure good health of the implant and surrounding teeth. A dental implant can be used in combination with a fixed denture, or it can replace all of the natural teeth in the mouth. When the abutment is attached to a fixed bridge or denture, it will prevent movement of the prosthetic and will reduce the amount of force required to eat or speak.
For some patients, the abutment may need to be shaped for better anchorage. In addition, the abutment can be used to support a full or partial denture in the lower jaw, where conventional restorations might not provide adequate stability.
In the upper back jaw, where bone quality and quantity is more difficult to obtain, sinus augmentation can be used to develop enough bone for an implant to survive. This procedure is done by creating a small opening in the gum tissue to expose the bone. A series of drills are then used to create and enlarge the site for the implant fixture, which is inserted into the bone. Once the implant is firmly in place, stitches are placed to stabilize the gum.
As the implant treatment has evolved, new surgical techniques and prosthetic design have been introduced to allow for better, more precise placement of the implants and to increase the success of the final restorations. These changes have improved the clinical results of implant therapy, making it a more viable option for treating patients with missing or severely damaged teeth. However, with the increasing number of older patients requiring dental care, the challenges to achieving optimal outcomes have also increased. This article reviews current implant innovations and discusses new therapeutic protocols for edentulous patients, with special emphasis on improving outcomes for elderly patients. The authors have no commercial conflicts of interest to disclose. This 2 credit hour self-study activity was published in March 2023 and expires March 2026.이일우치과