Dental implants serve to replace lost teeth. Their principal advantage over fixed bridges is the fact that that neighbouring teeth are not damaged by grinding. In certain cases it is not possible to resolve a defect to the teeth in a permanent (i.e. non-removable) manner without using implants (replacement of the last teeth in a line of teeth). Implants can also be used to anchor complete removable dentures (the denture “snaps” onto the implants and holds more firmly in place).
Dental implants are comprised of
- a screw set into the bone
- a screw set into the bone
the gum – the abutment – to which an all-white crown is cemented In the first (surgical) phase a screw is implanted into the bone. This is performed under local anaesthetic. This is followed by a healing phase, during which a firm join is formed between the bone and the screw. After healing, a small part of the screw is made accessible, again under local anaesthetic, so that the second part of the implant – the abutment – can be fixed to the screw. This is the beginning of the final “prosthetic” phase, when impressions are taken and a crown made in the laboratory, which is finally cemented firmly to the implant.
