Implants replace missing teeth and consist of two parts: the screw placed into the bone of the jaw and the artificial tooth (crown, bridge or removable prosthesis) which is screwed or cemented onto the implant. Dental implants may be an option for people who have lost one or more teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason and who prefer not to wear dentures. They are proved to yield high predicatibility for incorporation and satisfactory longevity and nowadays they tend to meet high esthetic demands.
Three major indications can be defined for the use of oral implants:
- To increase subjective chewing comfort
- To preserve natural tooth substance and adequate, existing reconstructions
- To replace strategically important missing teeth.
The most important steps in implant therapy are the following:
- Preoperative diagnostics and risk analysis
- Detailed clinical and radiographical evaluation of the case
- Surgical and prosthetic considerations
- Implant installation in a sterile environment under local anesthesia
- Osseointegration period ranging between 3-6 months
- Prosthetic rehabilitation
