What are dental implants?

Dental implant technology is a new project that has been developed in recent years in the field of oral medicine. The dental implant referred to here is not really a tooth or teeth like natural teeth, but a “prosthetic” restoration method in which implant material is embedded in the alveolar bone (implant) and then prosthetic teeth are made on it. For patients who for some reasons cannot have conventional veneers, this method offers the hope of restoring their teeth to chewing function. There are strict indications for dental implants, and not all conditions can be treated with dental implants. People who are missing teeth have always expected the denture to function like real teeth, but the scope of application of fixed denture is limited by objective conditions, and removable denture is difficult to satisfy patients because it cannot fully restore chewing efficiency, affect pronunciation and foreign body sensation. The use of natural or artificial materials in a suitable shape and surgical implantation into the alveolar bone has long been explored to provide a stable foundation for the denture to improve its function. Since the 1930s, with the development and interpenetration of dentistry and biomedical engineering, the implant denture has been established in the field of dentistry. Especially in the last decade or so, implant dentures have been widely used in clinical practice and have achieved good results, gradually becoming a restorative modality that patients and dentists are happy to adopt. The implant denture is composed of an implant located in the jawbone and an open part that is pierced and exposed to the gums. The implant is the unique structure of the implant denture, acting as an artificial root and an artificial appliance, the latter being the abutment, the abutment and the artificial denture part attached to it, which plays a functional and connecting role. The part that passes through the mucosa of the alveolar ridge is called the implant neck, and the part above the implant neck is called the superstructure. In some systems where the implant is completed with a secondary surgery, there is a discrete implant base between the implant and the superstructure, and the implant neck is located in the middle of the implant base. The implant denture can perform with a high masticatory efficiency, with a small or even no abutment area, but still with good retention and stability. In cases where the alveolar ridge is significantly resorbed and traditional dentures are not successful, implant dentures have significant advantages. The implant is surgically placed in the jawbone like a crop. After 3 to 6 months, the implant is firmly bonded to the jawbone and the denture is attached to the upper end of the implant to become a dental implant. The implant surgery is performed 3 to 6 months after the extraction and the artificial implant (artificial root) is placed. Restorations (porcelain teeth, etc.) are made on the artificial roots 6 months after the surgery. When a patient wearing an implant denture performs chewing functions, the dental forces are transmitted directly through the implant into or on the jawbone, and the forces are quickly transmitted and dispersed into the larger supporting bone, thus being able to withstand larger dental forces and having good support. The implant denture is held in place by a retention device on the abutment, which provides good retention and stability. The implant denture has a small or no abutment, which makes the patient feel comfortable.