Dental implants are one of the most famous innovations in recent years in the field of dentistry as a super effective solution in cases where a patient, for one reason or another, loses one or more teeth irreversibly and urgently needs to solve the problem to prevent the teeth from moving out of place, causing them to form poorly with each other, and to restore the functionality and aesthetics of the smile.
Implants are titanium screws that are made of various types of materials such as ceramic, zirconium and noble metals. Their function is to support the root of the jaw so that the dental crown can then be placed, which completes the entire process of recovering the aesthetics and common function of the mouth.
Dental implants can be placed in any missing or damaged tooth, such as implants in the front teeth, requested by hundreds of people who have suffered loss or fall of these specific teeth.
What are They and When Should I Choose the Correct Type of Material to Place a Dental Implant?
- CERAMIC IMPLANTS: Ceramic implants are a fairly stable type since their color persists over time, they are unlikely to be rejected by the body and they can also have a fairly low thermal conductivity. They are also known because they are the ones that come closest to the natural tone of the teeth because they are translucent. Among their disadvantages are that they cannot be used by any patient since, if the tooth to be replaced is very dark, it is not suitable due to its transparent tone.
When can they be used?
They are a good option for patients who do not have very dark teeth, who have very extensive cavities, they are also important for patients who are allergic to metals, presenting allergies or sensitivity to titanium, among others.
- NOBLE METAL IMPLANTS: There are certain metals that are used in the dental field such as nickel, titanium, gold, among others. Titanium is the most common and used metal since it has a high degree of compatibility with the mouth and good quality standards.
When can they be used?
These can be used when you need or want to avoid using adjacent teeth. They are the quickest to place in the event of an abrupt tooth loss.
- ZIRCONIUM IMPLANTS: This is also a type of ceramic but it has greater resistance. Its high naturalness has caused that not only implants are made with this material, but also bridges, crowns, prostheses, among others. It could be said that they are the most comfortable and preferred by patients.
When can they be used?
Since zirconium does not have the same resistance as titanium, it is recommended for patients who have lost front teeth since in teeth such as molars it does not have much durability.
Implants also tend to be classified into different types such as zygomatic, which are perfect for those patients who do not have enough bone for the implant. Endosseous are the most common where the titanium screw is placed directly and subperiosteal, which are used for patients who have a very compromised bone structure.
All this sounds easy but in reality it is a process that can take weeks because before everything, the doctor must perform a series of studies on the patient to see if he or she can be subjected to a process like this.
Sometimes the affected person does not have enough bone in the jaw to support the implant, so other methods must be used. Those who do have enough bone undergo surgery with local anesthesia to place the screw.
Once this step is done, the patient must wait a few days for the implant to osseointegrate with the bone and be completely sure that the mouth will not reject it, although this is unlikely to happen since they are made with materials that are biocompatible.
Once the osseointegration is complete, the success of this must be assessed by means of a check-up and then the dental crown is placed, which are fixed prostheses that are aesthetically identical to a natural tooth in shape, size and color. They are placed to restore the function of the mouth and give the patient a beautiful smile.
