Indications for a dental implant
Dental implants replace the root of the tooth and serve to replace lost teeth. If a single tooth has been extracted, an implant can be the basis for a crown. An alternative is a dental bridge, but this would require two adjacent teeth to be ground down and also crowned, a loss of healthy tooth substance that is avoided by the implant.
If several teeth are missing, dental implants can also replace the abutment teeth. The alternative would be a removable denture. If even the last teeth in the row of teeth are missing, a dental bridge is only possible with the help of implants.
If the jaw is edentulous, in the majority of cases a total prosthesis would be the best option. However, there are patients whose jaw conditions are so unfavorable that a denture does not hold properly. To avoid the annoying use of adhesives, implants can provide a secure anchorage.
Such a restoration is also necessary if the patient only wants a firmly seated replacement. However, in these patients it is not only possible with one implant, but depending on the condition of the jaw at least six implants have to be placed. In the lower jaw we often have difficulties to make a total denture hold.
Especially when the jaw ridge has already sunk considerably. The reason for the bad hold of the total prosthesis is due to the movements of the tongue, the chewing and lower tongue muscles. Implants are often the last resort.
Contraindications for dental implants
There are some situations in which it is more sensible to prefer conventional alternatives to an implant restoration. If the jawbone has degraded too much and augmentation, filling with the patient’s own bone is not desired, implant restoration is not possible. Drugs that interfere with bone metabolism, such as bisphosphonates, or treatment with cytostatic drugs and cortisone also question the use of implants.
Even heavy smokers must be checked whether implants should be placed. Of course, patients with poor oral hygiene should be excluded from implant treatment There are different indications of the life span of implants, ranging from 10 years to life-long. The durability of dental implants depends mainly on 3 factors. The osseointegration, i.e. the connection of the implant with the jawbone, the construction of the dental bridge or prosthesis attached to it, which ensures an even distribution of the chewing pressure on the implants and the careful cleaning of the implants. If these 3 conditions are met, the implant should perform its function for a long time.
