Dental implants as we know them today were invented in 1952 by a Swedish orthopedic surgeon named Per-Ingvar Brånemark. Today, dental implant procedures are the standard of care for prosthetic replacement of missing teeth.
The dental implant procedure has gotten quite popular thanks to its ability to mimic natural tooth roots and withstand up to 3 tonnes per square cm pressure from biting down on food without fracturing or breaking off.
A dental implant is a surgical fixture that replaces the root of missing teeth, and acts as an artificial tooth. It must be inserted into bone where it fuses with the surrounding tissue over several months to create a strong anchor for replacement teeth.
This “artificial tooth root” serves to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Unlike natural teeth that are held by strong gum tissue and roots within the jawbone, an implant is fused directly into the bone for increased stability which makes it close enough to mimicking natural ones.
The process of fusing between implants and the jawbone is called “osseointegration.” Most dental implants are made from titanium, which allows them to integrate with bone without being recognized as a foreign object by our body.
Dental implants have a 98% success rate today. Over time, technology and science has greatly improved the process of dental implant placement to achieve this high success rate.
How Much Will a Dental Implant Cost?
The cost of a single dental implant can vary depending on the region and who is performing the procedure. A conservative estimate for an implant cost ranges between $3,000-$4,500. This includes all fees including surgery placement as well as any additional components or crowns needed to complete treatment successfully.
Unfortunately, dental insurance considers implant placement to be an elective procedure even though it has become the standard of care. Dental implants have been widely accepted as a cost effective way to replace missing teeth and improve function for patients who are not candidates for removable dentures or cantilever bridges.
Dental implants have become a favored option for tooth replacement because they offer a conservative approach with an almost 98% success rate.
What are the Potential Complications and Risks of Dental Implants?
With any surgery, there are always risks and potential complications that the patient may face or for which they must prepare. Being healthy enough to undergo oral surgery is extremely important in ensuring a successful recovery process after an implant procedure.
In order to minimize any risk of complications with oral surgery, a dentist will always ask their patient about current or previous medical conditions before beginning an implant procedure.
This information is important so the surgeon can plan for what might happen during and after surgery in case something arises unexpectedly. Because each person’s body is unique, it makes sense that every individual has different reactions when they go through this type of surgical process.
Before going through the dental implant process, it is important to review any existing medical conditions you might have. If you are taking medication or have a bleeding disorder or allergies, speak with your dentist about the possible risks of proceeding in order for them to judge whether treatment can be done safely and comfortably.
Although dental implants have a high success rate, there are many things that can go wrong if not done properly. Infection is an unlikely but possible complication of the procedure and may require antibiotics or even surgery to resolve it.
Fractures occur in only one percent of cases when dental implants are used for tooth replacement because they’re made from titanium alloy which has very strong mechanical properties.
Overloading occurs more frequently than fractures at around seven to nine percent due to over-tightening during placement while poor positioning causes less problems with five percent occurrences as bad case scenarios result in loss of teeth adjacent to the implant site.
