Implants
Dental implants are biocompatible artificial tooth roots to replace missing teeth.
You may have a tooth abscess, a broken tooth that cannot be saved, a root-treated tooth that is still causing severe pain, or you may have unfortunately lost a tooth in an accident. This can cause difficulty eating, misalignment of the bite, jaw pain, and lowers self-esteem. A dental implant is an extremely effective option to replace missing teeth, restoring chewing function and a smile. Dr. med. dent. Arhold has undergone extensive training and invested in the latest technology, with years of experience to offer dental implants to our patients.
Why do I need to replace a missing tooth?
Tooth loss can be devastating. Not only can it affect your appearance, but it can also lead to other dental problems that can affect your health. Tooth loss can be caused by the following:
- Bone loss
- Shifting and drifting of the teeth
- Change of the bite due to tooth displacement
- TMJ problems
- Difficulties with proper chewing
- Additional load on the remaining teeth
You may not know it, but when you lose a tooth, you also lose about 25 % of weight-bearing jawbone in the first year. This happens due to a lack of regular stimulation of the chewing, biting or speaking functions that normally support the teeth. In addition, when the other teeth move or tilt, they cause an imbalance in your bite, which puts more stress on the TMJ. This often leads to TMJ pain. So if a tooth can be replaced as soon as possible, it will prevent adjacent teeth from moving & provide the necessary stimulation, helping to keep not only the teeth but also the jawbone intact and healthy.
Dental implants are artificial roots made of titanium or ceramic that are inserted into the jawbone and are intended to replace the natural tooth root in the long term. With its help, single teeth or even multiple tooth gaps up to a complete set of teeth can be effectively rehabilitated in the long term. Options for tooth replacement:
- Single crowns
- Crown blocks or bridge constructions
- Abutments for partial and prostheses
Implant-supported solutions are the best way to restore a tooth in its natural way. Moreover, they ensure a long durability.
If bone augmentation is performed at the same time as implant treatment, the threads of the titanium screw are inserted when the implant is screwed into the bone.
Procedure of placing dental implants
Planning phase
Planning is the most important part of the process. With our two-dimensional X-ray machine we make an orthopantomogram, OPG for short, so we can diagnose hidden problems immediately and get a crystal clear overview of your implant treatment. The OPG helps to assess the amount of jawbone where the implant needs to be placed.
Implant placement
Under local anesthesia and absolute sterile preparations, Dr. med. dent. Arhold places the dental implant in the ideal location. During this step, a sinus lift or bone augmentation can additionally be done at the same time.
Healing
The bone must grow around the dental implant and integrates into the thread of the implant in about 10-12 weeks. In case of bone augmentation or sinus lift, healing is from 12-16 weeks.
Abutment Platzierung
Wenn die Heilung abgeschlossen ist, gibt es eine mini invasive Wiedereröffnung. Dabei wird ein Abdruckpfosten aufgeschraubt und wir entnehmen jeweils oben und unten Abdrücke. Diese Abdrücke kommen ins Labor für die Herstellung einer Zahnkrone. Als Verschluss kommt ein sogenanntes Healingabutment (Gingivaformer) wieder auf das Zahnimplantat. Dadurch kann das Zahnfleisch schön zum Rand hin anwachsen, für eine perfekte Verbindung zur Krone.
Implantatkrone
Im Labor angefertigte Krone wird nun mit dem Zahnimplantat verschraubt.
Nachkontrolle
Nach einer bis zwei Wochen kontrollieren wir, ob die Höhe der Krone passt und auch alles andere schön verheilt ist.
Mini implants
Mini implants promise firm support and stability for an artificial tooth replacement. They are inexpensive, quickly inserted, minimally invasive and immediately loadable.
New on the market, the so-called mini implants, thus offers an alternative to classic dental implants for some patient groups. Many people complain that their removable dentures constantly slip out of place. This is not only annoying when chewing, but often also when speaking. These problems can almost always be solved by inserting mini-implants and adjusting the denture.
The insertion of conventional implants is associated with health risks for about one third of all patients. Patients of the "over 60" generation in particular often suffer from pre-existing conditions that make major surgical procedures a risk for them. Mini implants are used particularly frequently for this group of patients. If you also do not want to undergo a major dental operation because of the high risk, mini implants offer you an alternative. The diameter of such implants is 1.8 -2.9 mm, whereas the conventional dental implants have a diameter from 3.6.
Mini implant systems are also suitable if the jawbone is particularly narrow or has already receded considerably. If this applies to your jaw, you will also benefit from this treatment method. The lengthy bone augmentation often required for regular implants is not necessary with mini-implants.