Dental Applications That Are Used With Dental Implants
Dental implants can be used in multiple ways to restore lost teeth. The devices are embedded in the bone of the jaw, where they undergo a process called osseointegration.
Osseointegration is the connecting of the implant to the bone tissue. Once the implant has been placed, bone cells grow to fill the spaces between the implanted device and the jawbone.
Osseointegration usually takes several months to complete. After the implant has integrated with the bone material, the device is securely stabilized in the jawbone.
Still, a dental implant only replaces the root portion of a missing tooth. The crown of a missing tooth still must be replaced using other prosthetic devices.
Here are a few dental applications that are used in conjunction with dental implants to replace lost teeth.
Fixed Bridges
A fixed bridge can be attached to the mouth by securing the bridge crowns to the abutment teeth. However, in some cases, an abutment tooth may not be available on one or both sides of a dental gap.
For bridge connectivity, a dental implant may be used instead of an abutment tooth. The bridge crowns can connect to the abutment of an implant.
After an implant wound has healed, an abutment can be added to the device. This abutment allows the implant to attach to crown replacement devices.
Dentures
A denture may be implant-supported. It includes false teeth that are attached to a base. The device is customized. Thus, it may fit flush against the soft tissues of the mouth to create stabilizing suction.
Nevertheless, the amount of suction is usually not sufficient to keep a denture in place securely when a person chews. In some instances, the denture may even move about when a person speaks.
Dental implants may be used as a stabilizing base for a denture. A dental provider can attach a mechanism to the underside of a denture. This mechanism can attach to the abutment of a dental implant.
Denture wearers can still remove and replace their implant-supported dentures at will. Consequently, the dentures can be taken out of the mouth for cleaning.
All-on-Four Implants
Traditional dentures are removable. However, there are multi-teeth replacement devices that remain attached in the mouth and can only be removed by a dental professional.
All-on-fours can attach to the supporting dental implants using screws. Because the devices are not removable, they can be treated like natural teeth.
To learn more about dental implants, schedule a consultation with a dentist in your local area.
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