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Teeth
may be lost for a variety of reasons - periodontal diseases, caries
and/or accidents, or they may even be congenitally missing.
Although loss of a single front tooth may cause an appearance problem
and embarrassment, the most serious
consequence of the loss of any tooth is the resultant drifting of the
adjacent or opposing teeth with
destructive consequences for the
bite. Furthermore, the loss of one or more teeth is usually
followed by the progressive shrinkage of the adjacent jawbone. |
| Individuals
who are missing several or all of their teeth experience multiple
problems related to their removable dentures. Some people are embarrassed
or self-conscious about their dentures. Others, because the
dentures are unstable, cannot eat properly and are often in pain from
trapped food particles or from irritated
gums sores. |
| The
average denture wearer loses up to one half of the chewing efficiency
of those with natural teeth or fixed replacement teeth. The most
devastating problem, however, is bone resorption. This is the
progressive shrinkage of the jaw itself as the bone tissue atrophies
due to the lack of teeth and their functional stimulation of the
supporting bone. This shrinkage of bone results in poor denture
fit as well as unnatural, unattractive changes in the facial
structure. For obvious reasons, people who have experienced
tooth loss are anxious to replace the missing teeth with something
that looks, feels and functions like natural. |
| Conventional
methods of tooth replacement |
| Conventional
methods of tooth replacement have often required the fitting of artificial
crowns on the teeth in the form of bridges and/or removable
dentures. In order to fabricate bridges, perfectly healthy tooth
structure would need to be removed by drilling in order to provide a secure fit
for the artificial appliances. But the missing tooth root would
not be replaced and the gap in the jawbone itself would remain and thus
the bone would shrink due to a lack of functional stimulation. |
| The
mass of the originally existing bone would continue to decline over
the years, possibly resulting in poorly fitting dentures and cosmetic
problems with a subsequent loss of the normal pleasures of every day
life. |
| A
"natural" solution - dental implants |
|
Such
disadvantages can now be avoided by using dental implants for tooth
replacement. The PERMADENT® method of tooth replacement
is both safe and scientifically proven. Tooth replacement
by implants means that both the crowns and the roots of the teeth are
naturally substituted for. |
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Implants,
which really act as artificial tooth roots, are anchored in the
jawbone to provide a stable foundation upon which replacement teeth
are firmly attached. With implants, damage to the adjacent
natural teeth is avoided because it is not necessary to drill away
their enamel. |
|
Implants
also preserve the healthy bite relationship of the teeth by preventing
drifting of the adjacent teeth. And unlike bridges, which have a
limited lifespan and often have to be replaced, dental implants are
usually permanent and trouble-free. |
| Which
teeth can be replaced by implants? |
 |
Single
Teeth
The single implant as a tooth root replacement is the most natural and
long-lasting way of closing the space that results from a missing
tooth. The implant will look and feel like a natural tooth and
has the advantage that it is not susceptible to routine dental
diseases.
Bone
loss in the jaw is eliminated and the existing tooth substance is
preserved since healthy adjacent teeth do not need to be ground
down. Unlike bridges, which have a limited lifespan, implants
are usually permanent and trouble free. |
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Large
Gaps
Here, too, implants represent the ideal alternative. They can
either be used to replace each missing tooth as an individual unit
(like individual natural teeth), or else they can be used to serve as
supporting abutments for replacing the missing teeth with a permanent
fixed bridge attached to the implants rather than the adjacent natural
teeth.
In
either case, the replacement teeth feel and function like the natural
teeth they are replacing and the remaining natural teeth are not
compromised. |
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Shortened
Rows of Teeth
If the molars are missing, the conventional solution is to restore the
teeth with a removable partial denture. Removable
"partials" are usually uncomfortable and are the least well
tolerated dental prosthesis.
Additionally,
they often cause damage to the bone and to the remaining natural
teeth. Implants, on the other hand, allow solid fixation of a
replacement that looks and feels natural. |
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Fully
edentulous ("toothless") jaws
Provided there is adequate bone, complete removable dentures can be
eliminated by substituting permanent fixed teeth attached to dental
implants. A complete jaw of teeth can be replaced with as few as
five implants in the lower jaw or eight implants in the upper jaw.
If
fewer implants are desired, two or four can be used to provide stable
support for a removable prosthesis. In either approach, it has
been proven that the use of implants significantly improves the
quality of life while stopping progressive bone deterioration, which
is the usual sequela of wearing removable dentures. |
|
| The
procedure |
| The
dental implant is an artificial foundation (or anchorage unit) that
replaces the natural tooth root. The implant body (a small
titanium post) is inserted into the jawbone in a short office
procedure using a local anesthetic. Titanium is a space-age
metal to which bone tissue unites directly, forming a permanent
biologic bond. |
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| Your
prosthesis can be removable, fixed or a combination.
Here a single tooth is fixed directly to the abutment. |
This
type of prosthesis is carefully fitted to your mouth and then
entire metal frame is then permanently fixed to your
abutments. |
This
removable prosthesis clips firmly to the abutments with a bar
device, but can be taken out for ease of cleaning |
|
| The
bonding process is completed rapidly, often in as short as six
weeks. During this "bonding" period, the patient wears
temporary replacement teeth at all times. Unlike in the past,
today's modern techniques have eliminated the need for a second
surgical intervention when, in a second phase after bonding is
complete, the replacement teeth are fastened to the implants. |
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| Healthy,
clean, single-tooth implant (without healing cap) ready to
receive abutment. |
The
abutments will take one of several shapes, depending on which
type of replacement prosthesis your dentist feels is best for
you. |
Before:
One single-tooth implant with abutment already screwed into
place, ready to receive new replacement tooth. |
After:
Careful restoration to ensure the best fit, results in natural
look and feel, even close up. |
|
| The
result is stable teeth, which restores the natural function and
appearance of the mouth and which patients say feel and look
natural. The PERMADENT® permanent replacement teeth have
the added advantages that they are rarely affected by dental disease
and they usually last a lifetime. |
| Who
is a candidate? |
| Provided
the anatomical and medical health requirements are acceptable, any
missing teeth can be replaced with the aid of dental implants.
Age is only a factor in the sense that implants cannot be done until
the jaws have stopped growing (about 15 to 16 years of age). |
| There
is no upper limit to the age at which implants can be done and age
does not seem to be a factor in success rates. The availability
of adequate bone is of critical importance and for that reason not
everybody is a candidate for implants. |
| Only
after an assessment of the patients' health, including an oral
examination and X-rays of the jawbone, can implants be
recommended. The basic prerequisites for an implantation are
adequate bone quality and quantity and normal wound healing capacity
of the body. |
| Results |
| Several
million people worldwide have experienced the benefits of
implant-based tooth replacement. Implantology has become an
integral part of every-day dentistry and in many respects, it is the
most desirable method of tooth replacement. |
|
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| More
than 30 years of clinical studies as well as our own thirteen years of
clinical experience have shown the PERMADENT® type procedure
to be predictably long-lasting, far exceeding the current standards
for other forms of conventional dental replacements. |
| Your
next step |
| While
the PERMADENT® procedure can work for people of all ages,
every person has unique physical requirements and esthetic desires,
which must be taken into account and discussed in evaluating the
benefits of this procedure. Not every person is a candidate and
eligibility can only be determined during an individual
consultation. |
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