The Science Behind the Type of Dental Implants We Provide

For thousands of years, the concept of dental implants followed, pretty much the same pattern. Then, with the advent of modern medicine, a scientific miracle took place and implants became some of the most viable means of replacing lost teeth. Today we focus on things like seamless integration, osseointegration, and bio-integration as ways to ensure that your body accepts the implant and treats it as part of itself. Titanium played a significant role in the advanced development of the dental implant. Being that Titanium is the only metal which has the ability to meld with human tissue, known as osseointegration, it has become the cornerstone upon which all implants are based. To help this process along and to ensure that the body heals quickly after an implant surgery, some implants are actually coated with hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite occurs naturally in the bones and tricks the body into believing that the implant is truly part of the bone for maximum stability and security.

For dental implants to be successful, integration is an essential component. It is one that we have paid a great deal of attention to and, over the years, have developed a number of ways to ensure that the body integrates the implant into itself. We use a variety of surfaces that help facilitate integration. Some of the surfaces that are available include grit-blasted implants, acid-etched implants, plasma-sprayed implants, and hydroxyapatite-coated implants. There are also a number of different styles of dental implants from which we can choose in order to best match your needs. However, the choice is a little misleading since your body will be making the choice for you. The type of implant that is used depends very heavily on the amount and strength of the bone mass you have under the teeth. Sometimes it becomes necessary to use a different type of dental implant in order to protect the bone, and also give the new teeth strength and stability.

We use dental implants known as Ramus Frame implants when a patient does not have enough bone mass, or the bone isn’t strong enough to withstand a traditional implant. The Ramus Frame implant is anchored a short distance away from the actual site of the tooth or teeth. It is installed in a place where the bone has enough density to withstand an implant, and then a thin metal bar is left visible for us to place the bridge or dentures. We traditionally will anchor the implant near the back corner of the mouth near the wisdom teeth or in the center of the chin.

The more traditional type of dental implant is known as a root-form implant or an endosseous implant. This implant is typically place directly under the site where the fake tooth is going to be placed and drilled into the bone itself. These implants are cone shaped, often in the form of a small titanium screw or nail so that they can be easily anchored. One the implant has been placed and has had a chance to heal, the bone will be responsible for the stability of the device.  During your consultation, we will let you know which solution we feel will work best for you.