Almost all dental implants in use today are made from titanium
or titanium alloy, materials that have been shown over many
years to be well tolerated by bone. The terms 'osseointegrated
implants' or 'endosseous implants' are widely used to describe
dental implants that can develop and maintain a close union with
bone in order to support replacement teeth.
There are many different implant systems available and when
competently used they can all deliver a highly reliable form of
treatment.
 A
dental implant is essentially a substitute for a natural root
and commonly it is screw or cylinder shaped. Each implant is
placed into a socket carefully drilled at the precise location
of the intended tooth. If an implant has a screw-thread on its
outer surface it can be screwed into position and if it does
not, it is usually tapped into place. The main aim during
installation of any implant is to achieve immediate close
contact with the surrounding bone. This creates an initial
stability, which over time is steadily enhanced by further
growth of bone into microscopic roughness on the implant
surface.
In order to support replacement teeth, dental implants
normally have some form of internal screw thread or post space
that allows a variety of components to be fitted. Once fitted,
these components provide the foundation for long-term support of
crowns, bridges or dentures.
Uses For Dental Implants:
For video information on implants, click here.
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