Clinique dentaire Michel Hakim’s team are able to advise you about the best treatment options available to make you smile again.
A dental implant is a durable technique used to replace a missing tooth. It consists of placing a small metal insert into the patient’s jawbone that will act as an artificial root for the new tooth.
This metal rod or insert is made from titanium, a biocompatible material. The implant will stimulate the bone and avoid bone loss naturally occurring after a tooth is extracted.
Why a dental implant?
Since a titanium implant inserted into the jawbone becomes osseointegrated it often lasts much longer than a bridge. Moreover an implant limits bone loss in the area whereas a bridge does not. A bridge requires a more complex oral hygiene care and often has to be changed over the course of a lifetime. For example, if the bridge fitting becomes inadequate or if a cavity develops along a root of the teeth supporting the bridge, a new bridge will need to be made. An implant cannot develop a cavity and you will be able to floss in between teeth like a regular tooth.
A traditional dental bridge requires preparation and reducing adjacent teeth whereas an implant does not. Since an implant is placed in the jawbone, it is more solid and presents a higher chewing coefficient compared to a bridge.
How does a dentist place an implant?
Dental implant placement requires several appointments spread out over a period of 3 to 6 months. The reasons being the following:
- Your dentist needs to complete a full dental exam of your mouth, including x-rays. He will be able to determine if you have sufficient bone density and quantity for implant placement. If you don’t then the implant will not be properly osseointegrated. A bone graft might be recommended ;
- The second phase of treatment is surgery. A small incision of the patient’s gum is made where the implant is placed, in the same area where the previous tooth was. A few stitches are required to enable the tissues to heal. The implant will then become integrated with the bone (osseintegration). Healing is the longest step in this procedure and is necessary before proceeding to the next step ;
- When the tissues have healed completely, a pillar is fixed to the implant over which a crown will be placed ;
- The crown is made from ceramic or another material and then is screwed to the pillar.
Once the procedure is complete, the implant plays the same role as a natural tooth. An implant might have a lifespam of up to 30 years!
If you wish to replace one or more missing teeth, contact Clinique dentaire Michel Hakim’s team . We will be able to determine if dental implants are suitable for you!
