Dental Implant Team
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is basically a post that is anchored in the jaw. This acts as an artificial root and is firmly connected to the bone and thus forms a stable base for a denture or prosthetic tooth which is placed on the post. Generally, this procedure is gentle on the remaining teeth because if a tooth is to be replaced between healthy neighboring teeth, they do not have to be ground down to the stump, as is the case with a bridge.
An implant usually consists of three components: the implant body, abutment and crown. The implant body forms the artificial tooth root. It usually has a cylindrical or tooth-root-like shape and is anchored in the bone of the upper or lower jaw via a thread. The so-called superstructure sits on this base. First the structure, also known as the abutment. This is an intermediate piece made of titanium or steel that looks like a diamond capped at both ends and is placed precisely on the implant body (two-piece dental implant) or is already firmly connected to the threaded body (one-piece dental implant). The operating dentist attaches the visible upper part, the implant crown, to this abutment. After three to six months, the implant will be joined to the surrounding bone to form a solid and very resilient unit. This implant will not only look, feel, and function like a natural tooth, but it will also help ward off any further deterioration of your jawbone.
What material are dental implants made of?
The most frequently used systems are made of pure titanium. Titanium bonds well to bone. There are almost no allergic reactions here and titanium shows good stability. The ceramic implants often used in the past show very good healing, but they are used less and less because of the higher risk of ceramic breakage.
Who performs a dental implant?
Not just any dentist can perform a dental implant. If you have found a reliable and trustworthy dentist that you like, of course, you should first inquire about whether the treatment is possible there. If they do not, dentists who offer implant services and who have trained accordingly often advertise them, so they are easy to find on the Internet or in the telephone directory. In doing research for your implant team, it is important also to look for reviews, talk to other patients, and do as much research as you can on your chosen dentist before you book your procedure.
A reputable dentist will readily provide information about his or her experiences, chances of success and possible complications and, if necessary, recommend suitable colleagues. And he will take the time to answer all of the patient's questions, concerns and uncertainties and only begin treatment when these have been satisfactorily resolved.
More and more dentists who offer implantology services are working with modern anesthesia methods such as twilight sleep or nitrous oxide. Compared to traditional local anesthesia, these have the advantage that the patient not only experiences the surgical intervention in his jaw without pain, but also without fear, and without the stressful side effects of general anesthesia.
Not only will you work with a dentist who is trained in implantology, part of your implant team may also include dental hygienists and assistants, as well as a separate anesthesiologist who might help with the surgery. (Most dentists are trained in oral anesthesia, however, and a separate anesthesiologist will only be used if you undergo general anesthesia.) Your dentist will generally coordinate your care across his or her team. Another important member of your implant team will be your regular doctor. Your dentist will do a complete health screen before performing any oral surgery and will be especially important to discuss any chronic or acute illnesses you might have with your dentist prior to surgery. Conversely, it is important to discuss your plans for an implant with your regular doctor so that he or she may speak with you about any illnesses you have that might contraindicate having implants.
The most important member of your dental implant team is you! It is very important not only that you find the right team for your implant, but also that you follow your dentist’s instructions very closely and monitor your own progress and healing after the surgery. You must make sure that you care for your implant through proper dental hygiene like brushing and flossing every day and let your dentist know if you are having bleeding, pain, implant movement, or any other signs of distress or infection in the implant.