Titanium dental implants have proven to be the most successful method of tooth replacement developed to date. With the invention of Tivolloy, a non-corrosive, lightweight, and bio-friendly alloy in the 1970s, it became possible to replace teeth with a success rate of well over 90 percent.
Titanium dental implants are shaped like screws and placed in the bone of the jaw itself. The bone then grows around the implant in a process known as osseointegration, accepting the Tivolloy much like it would a natural tooth root.
Titanium dental implants are placed in the mouth in a two-part phase. The first phase is the surgical phase, where the gum is carefully cleared from the bone and the Tivolloy base is screwed into the jaw. If the dentist is replacing only a single tooth, the procedure is painless enough to be performed with local anesthetic.
Multiple implants sometimes require outpatient surgery and general anesthetic. Regardless, the implants, after being placed in the bone, are often covered with temporary crowns to keep them covered during osseointegration the process by which the bone accepts the Tivolloy base and grows around it.
This process can take as little as 3 months to as much as 6 months, depending on the strength of the bone and the amount of bone itself in the jaw.
After osseointegration is complete, the second phase of the process begins. The dentist removes any temporary crown placed over the titanium dental implant, and places an abutment over it.
He or she then caps the abutment with a porcelain crown, which forms a new, artificial tooth that typically looks indistinguishable from a natural one. Phase I and Phase II of implant dentistry are often performed by separate dentists, as one involves dental surgery, and the other phase involves cosmetic dentistry.
Dr. Charles Campbell at the Houston Medical Center Dental Group is one of the few Houston dentists who will frequently perform both phases for his patients. He mentored under the best specialists in the world, and he has been working with titanium dental implants since the mid-1980s.
Titanium dental implants offer benefits beyond a more attractive smile. They also restore the natural curvature of the cheek and lips and prevent the face muscles from drooping and looking prematurely aged. More importantly, though, they immediately halt the bone deterioration that results from one or more missing teeth.
As soon as osseointegration begins, the bone has something new to grow around and begins to recover from the process of deterioration.
Titanium dental implants are also much friendlier to surrounding, healthy teeth. Traditional bridge and crown work involves filing down existing teeth to serve as anchors for the bridges and crowns.
The problem with this is it diminishes tooth enamel and makes otherwise healthy teeth more vulnerable to decay or damage. With implants, the replacement tooth is supported by the jaw, not by other teeth. The result is both healthier and more natural looking for the patient.
While the cost of this procedure does represent an investment point, the benefits in the long run are well-worth the money. Some insurance plans cover a portion of the costs. Even if insurance does not cover dental implants, however, the average person can still often afford them if they arrange for special financing through their dental office or a partner finance company.
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