What are Dental Implants–History, Uses, Benefits, and Cost Factors

Dental implants are metal structures a Dentist inserts in your jawbone to replace a missing or decayed/rotten tooth. The main advantage of Dental implants is that they are made from durable and corrosion-resistant metals like Titanium. These artificial teeth work exactly like natural teeth, giving the same look and feel. Dental implants are relatively safer and more durable than dental bridges as they do not harm the jaw bone, and that’s because they are made from biocompatible material.

Ancient History of Dental Implants

Dental implants may sound like modern technology, but their roots go beyond centuries and civilisations, with the first dental implant pieces of evidence found in China (2000 BC). During those times, bamboos were carved into the shape of teeth and used as implants. This proves that a great set of teeth was in fashion even in ancient times. A full set of teeth not only helps in chewing food but can also enhance facial features.

How were Modern Implants discovered?

The idea behind the first modern dental implants came in 1952 when the orthopaedic surgeon Dr Per-Ingvar Branemark found that rabbit bones can fuse with titanium while studying blood flow in rabbits. This gave him a starting point for modern dental implants, and after continuous research, he finally succeeded in implanting titanium in a live patient. The life of titanium dental implants was around 40 years, which was a great success, and this was the start of modern dental implants.

Cost Efficiency with Technology

Earlier, the cost of dental implants was higher as the material was expensive and required expert medical professionals to implement. However, with the advancing technology, affordable dental implants are available in the market with safer alternatives like drill-free implants and cost-effective materials. You can explore these options and consult with your dentists to learn more about the alternatives before your Dental implant treatment to decide what’s best for you.

When to choose Dental Implants?

Dental implants are durable solutions for teeth replacement and are very popular because they look exactly like natural teeth. Their durability and biological compatibility with the human bone make them a perfect solution for the following problems:

Discomfort Because of Missing Tooth

• A missing tooth affects your facial appearance and can cause discomfort while biting or chewing. The major problem with missing teeth is the resorption of the jaw bone, which can affect your oral health and the strength of the jaw bone. Dental Implants are preferred for filling the missing tooth as they almost feel and function like natural teeth. The material (generally titanium) used for teeth implants is biologically compatible with our bones and hence fuses with the jaw bone without the risks of infection or bone corrosion.

Improper bite alignments

• Bite refers to the fitting of the upper and lower jaw when the mouth closes, and accidents, injuries, missing teeth, or genetics can cause a misalignment of the bite. This misaligned bite can change the facial appearance and make chewing food difficult. Dental implants are a major help in aligning the bite by filling in the missing teeth or changing the particular teeth that are causing the misalignment.

To replace dentures

• Dentures are like removable synthetic teeth that are used to replace missing teeth but dentures may look unnatural and cause discomfort due to their instability. Choosing Dental Implants to replace the dentures can give you permanent relief without any worries about further replacement. An advantage of implants over dentures is the natural look and feel provided by the implants.

For a Permanent Solution

• Dental implants are made with materials that can last long by fusing with the jaw bone, which makes these implants a permanent replacement for natural teeth. You can ensure a longer lifetime for these implants with the help of correct maintenance and using precautionary measures to make sure they are not affected by germs and Bacteria. Regular brushing and flossing are recommended for the long life of implants as they remove bacteria and germs accumulated on the implants.

Not Enough Teeth for Other Options

• Dental Implants are one of the most effective solutions for either toothless or almost toothless jaws because they are fixed right on the jaw bone without the support of neighboring teeth. The teeth added by the dental implants are fixed permanently and won’t move while chewing.

There are many benefits of dental implants, but that does not mean implants are the only solution or that anyone can have implants. An examination is conducted before deciding whether you are eligible for implants or not, factors like diabetes, jaw bone health, and oral health are considered before suggesting Dental Implants.

Different metals used for the Dental Implants

The choice of material is a very important factor for the health of your jawbone and the durability of the implant. Factors like strength, durability, resistance to corrosion, longevity, and biocompatibility are considered carefully before choosing the implant material. With the correct material, you can reduce the cost to get affordable dental implants that are perfect for you.

Some materials that are generally used for the implants are:

Titanium

Titanium is among the most popular choices for dental implants because of its long history of success and its biocompatibility with the jaw bone, making it easy to fuse with the jaw and fixing the implants permanently.

Zirconia

Zirconia implants are newer in the market and cost more than traditional titanium implants. Zirconia is a strong ceramic and has a natural white colour which helps in giving a better look than titanium implants. Another difference between titanium and zirconia implants is that titanium comes in two parts while zirconia implants come as a single part. However, titanium implants are stronger than zirconia and usually have a longer life span.

Gold

Golden implants are not commonly used because they are more expensive than titanium and zirconia. People usually choose gold implants because of personal preference and aesthetic reasons.

Porcelain

Porcelain is a type of ceramic that is now used for dental implants for people who prefer metal-less implants because they can look unnatural for people with thin jaws. Titanium implants are stronger and cost less than ceramic implants; however, ceramic implants look more natural than metallic implants.

The choice of material for the dental implants depends upon the bone density of your jaw and the aesthetic qualities that you desire. If you are confused with the multiple-choice materials, you can always ask your dentist for advice. We at Dentis Healthcare believe that the duties of a Dentist are not limited to performing treatment but also guiding the patients. That’s why, in addition to giving best-in-class dental treatments, our team guides you throughout the treatment, helping you understand what’s best for you.

Important Precautions after Dental Implants

You spend a lot of money on your dental implants, and now it is your responsibility to keep them safe after the treatment. There are a lot of things you can incorporate into your daily life to ensure that the implants stay intact permanently, and some of them are listed below:

Using a Softer Brush

Dentists recommend using a softer brush after the implant treatment to protect the gums from damage from the bristles of the brush. Our mouth is filled with sensitive nerves, and the implant treatment exposes these nerves, making them vulnerable, which is why soft brushes are used.

Stop smoking and alcohol use.

For a safe and successful treatment, it is advised to stop smoking 2-3 weeks before the treatment, during the treatment, and for 3 months after completing the treatment. Smoking is generally bad for oral health, and with the treatment, your gums are exposed to much more harm. That is why you should refrain from smoking until the implants settle down and fuse completely.

Choose the Toothpaste carefully.

Using the right toothpaste after implant surgery helps to keep the gums and implants healthy. Doctors recommend non-abrasive or low-abrasive toothpaste that is less harsh on the enamel. This ensures that the implant’s strength is not affected by the chemicals in the paste.

Floss Daily

Make a habit of flossing daily to remove any remaining food particles between teeth, as they can produce germs that will corrode the implants.

What kind of Food to avoid

The implants need some time to fuse with the jaw bone and fix permanently; until then, you should avoid crunchy, acidic, and sticky food because they can damage the implants and misalign them.

All-on-4: A Cost-effective and Permanent Solution for Full Dental Implants

All-on-4 dental implants are a revolutionary treatment where four dental implants are fixed on the arcs of the jawbone to replace the whole row of teeth from the upper or lower jaw. This treatment is a revolutionary solution for toothless or almost toothless jaws because when there are few or no teeth left in the jaw, denture fitting can be difficult as there is no support. In all-on-4 dental implants, the artificial implants are inserted at an angle, making them safer and more convenient for people with low jaw bone density. This implant technique is more cost-efficient because instead of replacing all the teeth with separate implants, only 4 implants are used to replace teeth in the whole jaw.

These dental implants have many advantages, but there are some precautions to take before and after all on 4 dental implants to increase the life of your implants and have a healthy jaw. Some of the precautions are listed below:

• Maintaining a strict diet until the implants settle down can help save your jaw and implants. It is strictly recommended to avoid hot, hard, and chewy foods. You can have soft food that requires minimum chewing, like yoghurt and mashed potatoes.
• Before the treatment, make sure to consult with a licenced dentist because they will first need to evaluate your mental and medical conditions before considering the all-on-4 dental treatment. The evaluation includes oral health, jaw bone density, medical conditions, and a few more.
• You need to stop smoking and drinking alcohol before the procedure as they can infect the jawbone, Also, your dentist may ask you to avoid eating some selected foods and beverages before the treatment to ensure your gum health.
• Although the treatment is safe, it can cause slight swelling and discomfort afterward. To treat these symptoms, you need to have proper rest. In case the discomfort is unbearable, ask your dentists to prescribe you some medications to deal with the discomfort. Both opioid and non-opioid-based medications are prescribed for dental pain, but opioids should only be used in special circumstances. Learn more about Opioids and Dental pain before considering them for your pain relief.

Factors affecting the cost of Dental Implants

Implant Material

Dental implants are only made from special materials that are biologically compatible with the human bone so that they can fuse easily with the jaw bone without causing any bone infection. The most popular materials used for implants are Titanium, Zirconia, and porcelain. Among these materials, titanium is the strongest and most popular but has aesthetic problems because of its metallic colour. The choice of material can affect the cost of full-mouth dental implants, for a more durable and better-looking implant, you may have to spend more.

Number of Implants

This is generally the main factor behind the cost of Dental implants as more implants mean more material and longer surgery, which increases the cost of implants. The increase in the duration of the surgery increases the fees of the dentists and also increases the number of scans and tests that are required before the surgery.

Implant Location

The location of implants can also affect the cost of treatment because the front teeth implants require more precision than back teeth, which increases the cost of treatment. More precision means that the dentist’s fees will be higher.

Location

Multiple countries perform dental implant treatment at a much more affordable price than others. Different countries charge differently for dental implants for example, the cost of dental implants in Las Vegas may be between $1500 and $4000, which may vary according to your condition.

Risks Associated with Dental Implants

The risks associated with dental implant surgery are listed below:

Bones not fusing with the Implants: Implants are directly drilled into the jawbone and are made from a biocompatible material so that they can fuse with the bone. But when the implants fail to fuse with the jawbone, it results in loose and unsafe implants that don’t have a long life.

Inexperienced Surgeon: Our mouth and jaw are filled with sensitive nerves, which is why the precision required for Dental Implants is very high. These treatments should only be done by an experienced surgeon to minimise the risk because if the implants are misplaced by mistake, they can have complications leading to severe pain.

Sinus Problem: This is a very rare problem that may occur during the upper jaw implant treatment, where the sinus is damaged during the surgery. But with the help of advanced technology, the cases of sinus damage during the treatment are very few, and even in those few cases, the damage is easily treated.

Oral Infection: Lack of hygiene after dental implant surgery can lead to infections around the implant area because of the bacteria and germs gathering in the implant area. That is why to ensure the longer life of your implants, you need to brush and floss regularly, and for brushing, always use the dentist-recommended low-abrasive toothpaste.

Before deciding to go with full mouth dental implants, first consult with your medical professional to learn about the risks associated with the treatment so that you can avoid them to ensure a safe treatment.

Why Choose Dentis Healthcare for Implants and Other Services?

A successful dental implant treatment depends on the experience and expertise of the dentist performing the surgery because an inexperienced surgeon may misplace the implants, causing unnecessary health complications. Dentis Healthcare is well aware of this and that’s why our team of experienced professionals provides best-in-class services with technologically advanced systems to ensure a painless treatment. We offer a wide range of services, including teeth filing, dental implants, teeth whitening, root canal treatment, and many more.

Conclusion

Dental implants provide a permanent solution for missing and rotten teeth, replacing them with an implant that almost looks and feels like your natural teeth. This treatment is generally costly when compared with dentures and bridges but you can get affordable dental implants by choosing other methods like drill-free implants and using cost-effective material for the implants. These other affordable options come with a shorter life span and may seem unnatural.

Dental implants may seem like an expensive treatment at first, but they prove to be very cost-efficient in the long run. In the case of Implants, you won’t need to visit the dental clinics regularly as seen in the case of Dentures and Bridges. If you maintain oral hygiene and take other precautions, the implants will remain functional for a long time. To get dental implants, first consult with your dentist and have a full oral examination to ensure that you are eligible for the treatment.