The goal of modern dentistry is to restore the patient to normal contour, function, comfort, esthetics, speech, and health whether restoring teeth with caries or replacing an entirely missing tooth. This makes implant dentistry unique as it enables one to achieve these goals. But what is a dental implant and how does this work? Is it an affordable option or will it burn a hole in your pocket? Let’s discuss some aspects of the implants in this article.

WHAT IS AN IMPLANT?
A dental implant is an artificial root, that replaces the missing tooth and holds the artificial crown in place, to make it function like a natural tooth. Implants are made of titanium material that has the unique ability to fuse with our natural bone. As time progress, the implant becomes stable and integrated as the bone grows around it, making it function similar to a natural tooth. This is in fact the closest thing you can get to replace a missing natural tooth?

SINGLE TOOTH LOSS?
Adult patients often have one or more crowns as a consequence of previous large restorations or root canals required to repair the integrity of teeth. The general mean life span of a well-made crown is about 12 years. The patient needs to get the crown replaced after that time and if the underlying natural tooth structure is already damaged by then due to marginal leakage, it should be extracted. Patients’ socioeconomic conditions also lead them to opt for extraction rather than spending money over an artificial crown. This led to many adults losing their teeth at the prime of their life. Though placing a fixed dental bridge is an existing option, it requires the preparation of healthy teeth next to the missing tooth. This simply means that you are getting a replacement of your lost tooth on the expense of wasting adjacent natural tooth structure. For this and other reasons, dental implants are an advantage over other missing teeth replacement option.

MULTIPLE TEETH LOSS?
Dental Implants can also be used in the replacement of teeth in completely edentulous patients by various concepts. This can be done by means of full mouth implants where 5-6 implants are placed in the upper jaw and 6-8 implants are placed in the lower jaw to give a fixed prosthesis. 2-4 Implants in the lower jaw and 4 implants can be used in the upper jaw for an implant supported removable overdenture. The development of new concepts like all on 4 and implant overdentures lead to the usage of fewer implants thereby making it affordable for many people to receive the treatment.

ADVANTAGES OF IMPLANTS?

Esthetics:
o An implant allows replacement of only the missing teeth
o Adjacent natural and healthy teeth can be spared
o An Implant has the same natural emergence out the gums
o The patient’s natural facial contour, esthetics can be maintained


Functionality:
o Bone growth around implants makes it stronger and prevent the bone loss that is usually observed in the regions of tooth loss
o Patients can maintain good oral hygiene just like they do for natural teeth.
o Speech patterns will not be disturbed, unlike removable prostheses “dentures”
o Patients can chew normally and it feels like a natural tooth due to its integration with bone.


Longevity:
o When properly maintained, it lasts for a lifetime
o This provides an edge over dental bridges which have an average lifetime, due to marginal microbial leakage with decay and need to be replaced.

HOW MUCH CAN ONE SPEND ON A DENTAL IMPLANT?
The implant restores the lost tooth and is claimed to be the closest replacement to the missing tooth. Millions of dental implants are placed every year and the demand for dental implants is increasing. Ease of oral hygiene and maintenance is also one of the factors for patients to choose implants over dental bridges. Nonetheless, good dentistry is undoubtedly a costly affair. One should know that there are different brands of implants available in the market. Many of these brands are not properly accredited nor certified which is why such are presented to patients with incredibly low prices. The price variance between different clinics and doctors doesn’t only depend on the implant type itself, it also depends on the connection type with the crown “regular abutments versus customized abutments”, abutment material “metal versus zirconia”, crown material “porcelain fused to metal versus zirconia crowns”, type of connection between the crown and the abutment “cement retained crowns versus screw retained crowns” and many other variables that you as a consumer should know about and value. Though good implants may be a pricy treatment option, but the outcome and longevity of treatment once the service is performed by an experienced and knowledgeable doctor, overcome this issue.

We at Dr. Raed M. Abutteen dental office are committed to the idea that financial constraints should not act as a barrier and prevent the patient from seeking dental treatment that they deserve. As a community and patient-friendly office, with our experienced staff, we have committed to offering implants at affordable prices to make the treatment available for people, across all walks of life. From the consultation to the crown placement, our goal is to make your implant appointments smoother, hassle-free, and pain-free. Please do not hesitate to consult us for your dental needs as you deserve only the best care for your teeth. PDF File