Before choosing dental implants, it is very important to consult a dentist to understand the potential benefits and risks and confirm whether you are suitable for the procedure. The prices required for different dental conditions are also different.
Background
When a tooth is lost due to injury or disease, a person can experience complications such as rapid bone loss, defective speech, or changes to chewing patterns that result in discomfort. Replacing a lost tooth with a dental implant can significantly improve the patient's quality of life and health.
Introduce
Dental implants are medical devices surgically implanted into the jaw to restore a person's ability to chew or their appearance. They provide support for artificial (fake) teeth, such as crowns, bridges, or dentures.
Dental implant systems consist of a dental implant body and dental implant abutment and may also include an abutment fixation screw. The dental implant body is surgically inserted in the jawbone in place of the tooth's root. The dental implant abutment is usually attached to the implant body by the abutment fixation screw and extends through gums into the mouth to support the attached artificial teeth.
Things to consider:
Your overall health is an important factor in determining whether you are a good candidate for dental implants, how long it will take to heal, and how long the implant may stay in place.
Ask your dental provider what brand and model of dental implant system is being used and keep this information for your records.
Smoking may affect the healing process and decrease the long-term success of the implant.
The healing process for the implant body may take several months or longer, during which time you typically have a temporary abutment in place of the tooth.
After the dental implant procedure:
Carefully follow the oral hygiene instructions given to you by your dental provider. Regularly cleaning the implant and surrounding teeth is very important for long-term success of the implant.
Schedule regular visits with your dental provider.
If your implant feels loose or painful, tell your dental provider right away.
Benefits of Dental Implant Systems:
Restores the ability to chew
Restores cosmetic appearance
Helps keep the jawbone from shrinking due to bone loss
Preserves the health of the surrounding bone and gums
Helps keep adjacent (nearby) teeth stable
Improves quality of life
Ways Dental Implants are Evaluated for Safety
Dental implants systems are typically made of materials that follow international consensus standards of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or ASTM International. These standards have details of what makes a safe material. Most dental implant systems are made of titanium or zirconium oxide. Other materials such as gold alloys, cobalt-based alloys, titanium alloys, or ceramic materials are sometimes used. The safety profiles of these materials are well-known.
Dental implant systems are evaluated according to international consensus standards. Biocompatibility testing, to show that bodily contact with the device does not cause complications like irritation or allergic reaction, is part of the evaluation that helps ensure the materials in the dental implant system are safe and do not cause adverse effects when implanted in people.
Reporting Dental Implant System Problems to the FDA
Prompt reporting of adverse events can help the FDA identify and better understand the risks associated with medical products. If you have problems associated with your dental implant system including the dental implant body, the dental abutment, or the dental abutment screw, we encourage you to file a voluntary report through MedWatch, the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting program.
