In the event a person looses one or more teeth due to an injury or perhaps decay it is possible to replace the missing tooth or teeth with an artificial tooth referred to as a dental implant. Titanium dental implants in Annapolis are little pins in the basic shape of a screw; this is imbedded directly into the jawbone of the patient and acts as the “root” or anchor for an abutment and crown. Titanium is used as it is one of the few materials that have proven to bind to regenerating bone tissue. The implantation of the insert is done by an oral surgeon and has an admirable success rate.
Bone not only accepts titanium, it actually fuses with the metal; this is called osseointegration. Dental implants go back to 1965 when the first implant was successfully inserted into the jaw of a patient. Prior to dental implants in Annapolis the only solution for missing teeth was a bridge, named for the fact that it bridged between two healthy teeth adjoining the area where the missing tooth once was. Although this worked it meant partially destroying two perfectly healthy teeth in the process.
Titanium dental implants are quite small and are threaded on both ends. The end of the implant which is designed to go into the bone is tapered; the shape is very close to that of a natural tooth root. This shape allows the oral surgeon to remove a damaged or diseased tooth and implant the titanium insert all in one sitting. Although most inserts are made from pure titanium there are less expensive options such as titanium alloys which have been put to the test in labs and passed.
The position of the implantation is first studied using three dimensional X-Rays or X-Rays taken from various angles. What is important to the surgeon doing the work is the health of the bone, the bone density as well as the shape, width and depth of the bone. All these issues are important to ensure a successful implantation procedure, it is important that important elements found in the mouth such as nerves in the lower jaw and sinuses in the upper jaw are not damaged or compromised in any way.
Once the implant has fused with the underlying jaw bone an abutment is placed on the top of the protruding screw. A mold is finally taken of the area and an artificial tooth, usually ceramic, is made and fitted. The benefits of dental implants are discussed in detail at visit us website.
