05 Mar Dental Implants: What is osseointegration?
Dental implants are becoming increasingly popular because they offer patients a structurally complete tooth replacement option. This is due to osseointegration of the dental implant by the bone tissue at the implant site. Not only does this property give dental implant patients numerous benefits, it also requires that the patient have enough bone tissue at the implant site to support osseointegration, which is essential to dental implant stability.
Osseointegration And The Benefits Of Dental Implants
Dental implants are made of titanium, which is biocompatible. Therefore, in the months after an oral surgeon inserts a dental implant in the jaw, the surrounding bone tissue fuses with the dental implant. That process is known as osseointegration and leaves the dental implant as a permanent fixture in the jaw. It allows dental implants to function as artificial tooth roots, which gives the tooth replacement stability and numerous advantages over conventional appliances like fixed dental bridges or dentures. For example, an implant-supported appliance is much more effective at chewing than a conventional one is because of the physical link between the bone and the implant, which facilitates absorption of fairly strong chewing forces.
Importance Of Bone Quality At The Implant Site
In order for patients to take advantage of dental implants, they must have sufficient bone at the implant site to complete osseointegration. If patients have experienced bone loss following tooth loss or have insufficient bone tissue at the site due to a congenital defect, it could present a barrier to implant placement. Your oral surgeon will evaluate the quality of bone at the proposed implant site to determine if it has enough bone tissue.
For patients who have inadequate bone tissue at the implant site, bone grafting can help them become eligible for placement of dental implants. This procedure takes bone from a donor source, which can be elsewhere in the patient’s body or an external donor source, and inserts it at the implant site. Over time, the donor bone becomes integrated into the jaw.
To learn more about how dental implants work and their multiple advantages as a solution for tooth loss, call Central Oklahoma Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates and speak to one of our knowledgeable staff members or schedule a consultation.