When it comes to implants, people often think of planting flowers, grass, trees and other plant-related words, but in recent years many people have heard another term “dental implants”. What is the difference between teeth implants and our own teeth? 1. What is a dental implant? Dental implant is actually a way to insert teeth after tooth loss. Unlike our usual understanding of implant, dental implant is not a seed buried and waiting for it to grow into a tooth, but a metal implant nail similar to a tooth root is buried in the alveolar bone of the missing tooth, and after the nail is completely integrated with the alveolar bone, an artificial crown is made and installed on the nail. Before the advent of implant technology, there were two traditional ways to restore missing teeth: removable dentures and fixed dentures. A removable denture is fixed to the adjacent tooth by a retaining ring and can be removed and cleaned by the patient, but it requires a larger retention component, is less comfortable to wear, and is less stable. A fixed denture requires adhesion to an adjacent tooth that has been presharpened to a smaller size and cannot be removed by the patient. Both removable and fixed dentures need to be fixed with the remaining teeth in the mouth and therefore require more or less grinding and preparation of these teeth, which can cause damage to the teeth to some extent. The emergence of dental implants, which do not damage adjacent teeth, have good stability and no foreign body sensation, has overcome the shortcomings of many traditional dental implant methods and has become a popular choice for restoring missing teeth in recent years. The Department of Periodontology, Peking University Dental Hospital, Beijing, China 2. What is the material of dental implant and what is the effect on our body? As mentioned earlier, dental implants are composed of a metal root and a crown. The metal root is usually made of pure titanium or titanium alloy, which has excellent compatibility with human tissue and can be completely integrated with the alveolar bone. The artificial crowns are usually made of porcelain or all-porcelain, which have been used for a long time in the traditional veneer field, and their safety is fully guaranteed. Some people are concerned that dental implants may affect future imaging tests such as MRI, but this concern is not necessary. When MRI is performed, only a limited area around the implant will have a certain degree of shadowing, and it will not affect the shadowing of other parts of the body. 3. Do dental implants require surgery and is it very painful? The implantation of the titanium root into the alveolar bone requires a minor surgery, but for most patients with sufficient bone mass, the procedure is not painful and can be completed quickly under local anesthesia. However, if the local bone is not enough to accommodate the titanium root, the surgery will be more difficult and the postoperative reaction will be aggravated, but generally the postoperative pain and discomfort will not exceed one week. 4. How long is the period of dental implant treatment and what is the success rate? Compared to traditional dental implants, the treatment period for dental implants is much longer because it takes about 3 months for the artificial implant studs to bond with the alveolar bone, which is difficult to be shortened by human intervention. If the amount of bone is not sufficient to accommodate the implant, bone grafting may be required, which can take longer than a year, but if the treatment is successful, it will be worth the time. Many people worry about the failure of dental implants, but there is always a possibility of failure in any treatment, and dental implants are no exception. With the continuous development of implant materials and technology, the success rate of implant treatment has been improving. The current research results show that the 10-year treatment success rate of dental implants is above 90%, which should still be a very reliable treatment method. If the implant treatment fails, the implant may be removed like an extraction, and the implant will be implanted again after the local alveolar bone heals, or a traditional veneer will be chosen for restoration. 5. Is dental implant treatment available to everyone? Although dental implants provide more treatment options for patients with tooth loss, not everyone can have dental implant treatment. Some patients with systemic diseases are not suitable for implant treatment, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc. that are not well controlled. Heavy smoking also greatly increases the risk of implant failure, and it is best for patients to quit smoking before undergoing implant treatment. It is also important to point out that untreated periodontitis is also an important risk factor for implant treatment. Patients with periodontitis must undergo implant surgery only after perfect periodontal treatment. Periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults in China. If implant treatment is performed without periodontal treatment, dental implants can also suffer from a disease similar to periodontitis, which we call “peri-implantitis” and can eventually lead to implant loss. 6. Do dental implants require maintenance? Like our own teeth, dental implants also require regular cleaning and maintenance, including daily brushing and flossing, as well as regular checkups and professional cleaning. This is why it is important to maintain the dental implant. After talking about the advantages of dental implants, there are many shortcomings of implant treatment, such as long treatment period and the need for surgery. In addition, the high price is also an important point, which varies from one region to another and from one medical institution to another. With the development of China’s economic level, more and more people can afford the price of implant treatment, and dental implants will surely benefit more patients who have lost their teeth.