Dental Implants - Methods

Implantology deals with the science of long-term dental replacements via operational methods, materials, and the exhaustive application of a wide range of technical possibilities.¹

The term "implant" is, in the narrower sense, commonly taken to mean a dental screw, usually made of titanium or a titanium base alloy, which is set in the mandible in place of the dental root and functions as a support mechanism for a variety of dental replacements. The causes of missing roots for individual or multiple teeth are usually accidents or diseases; sometimes, dental roots and their corresponding teeth are simply developmentally absent (agomphiasis).
Through the use of implants, gaps in the teeth (whether they consist of one or several contiguous teeth) can be filled, shortened rows of teeth (in a "free end" situation) can be lengthened at their end, or a completely toothless mouth can be equipped with dental replacements. The advantage of implant technology is that healthy neighboring teeth do not need to be debuffed - implants even contribute to the preservation of the mouth's bone structure. Furthermore, patients who employ implants feel that their teeth are natural and secure; as a rule, dental integrity is safeguarded.²

Basic requirements for the successful installation of implants are a mouth free from inflammation in combination with precursory treatment of gingivitis and any other diseases which would negatively impact the integrity of the dental structure. Moreover, the patient should be at least 18 years of age, at which point jawbone growth is largely complete. The most important basic requirement for long-term implant preservation is a comprehensive and professional oral hygiene regimen.³

There are different timepoints of interest for implants. An "immediate implant" is installed directly after dental loss. This causes the risk of damage to be somewhat greater. Further implants are the "early implant" (4-8 weeks after dental loss), the "staged implant" which is installed 3-4 months after dental loss, and the "late implant" (6+ months after dental loss).⁴

Your individual situation must be taken into account before you can decide on whether implants are a suitable solution. Please consult your dentist.