Scope of Dental Implantology

From the above reading you must have understood how Dental implants have come into existence. Dental Implants are the future in dentistry and are becoming more and more widely used by the dentists across the globe. Dental implant success rates have skyrocketed in the past few years and people are finding comfort and confidence in replacing missing teeth with dental implants.

Compared to all other dental disciplines, implant dentistry has enjoyed far more innovation and progressive development in recent years. Various developments of new implant systems, the propagation of new and improved diagnosticprocedures and the introduction of novel surgical techniques have taken place.Technical procedures have also advanced from the introduction of state of the artCAD-CAM technology to improve prosthodontic precision of fit and allow restoration of implants in non-ideal positions. Now we shall discuss the scope of Dental Implants.

As already discussed, implant therapy offers many advantages over conventional fixed or removable treatment options and in many cases is the treatment of choice.With the realization of the benefits of implant therapy and its acceptance, the scope of implants in modern dentistry is huge.Every type of tooth-replacement dentistry can be performed using dental implants as a more successful alternative. One implant can replace a single tooth, a few implants can support a bridge replacing more teeth or a completely edentulous mouth can be restored using implants to carry either a fixed bridge or a removable denture.The number of implants needed to replace many teeth depends upon a number of factors including both the amount of bone available and the type of bone. In the upper jaw six to eight implants can support an entire arch of fixed teeth while four implants are required to support a maxillary overdenture. In the lower jaw five implants are satisfactory to support a full-arch bridge while removable overdentures can be supported by a minimum of two implants to five implants. Mini Implants can be used in smaller numbers to support and stabilise removable dentures to great effect. Patients often describe how the placement of implants under a denture has changed their life because a difficulty in chewing and talking can be very depressing and a stabilised denture allows eating of whatever is desired and speaking in public without fear of the denture moving. Sometimes an implant can be placed directly into the socket of the tooth after extraction or traumatic loss and a crown can similarly be fitted at the same appointment. The “Immediate” technique is not suitable in every case and works best in experienced hands in select situations.The prosthetic options will be discussed

Zygoma Implant supported prosthetic rehabilitation
Defects of the maxilla may result from trauma, disease, pathological changes, or follow surgical resection of oral neoplasms. The zygoma implant developed by Branemark was specifically designed to offer maximum bone anchorage where conventional support cannot be taken. The zygoma implant is a very long implant ranging from 30 to 52.5 mm. The head of the zygoma implant is engineered to allow prosthesis attachment at a 45-degree angle to the long axis of the implant. With this specific design, these implants have been successfully used to support prosthesis in the atrophic edentulous maxilla, as well as in patients who have undergone maxillectomy.

Radiographic view of the zygoma implant

The increasing popularity of dental implants has led to its use for orthodontic anchorage. Conventional means of achieving orthodontic anchorage have been used for the better part of the last 100 years. They offer varying degree of successful anchorage, though absolute anchorage which is the 100% resistance against reactive forces has remained elusive. Osseointegrated implants are quickly living up to their potential to provide such anchorage. Several types of implants have been used to provide orthodontic anchorage.

Dental implants are now been increasingly used for Maxillofacial Prosthodontics.Maxillofacial Prosthodontics involves the prosthetic rehabilitation of patients with congenital or acquired defects of the oral or facial areas. Some of the more challenging patients are those requiring rehabilitation of the mandibular resection and those receiving facial prosthesis. Application of the technology of osseointegration has provided treatment options with improved prognosis for these patients. Dental implants have prosthesis also been used for facial prosthesis which includes nasal, orbital or auricular prosthesis. Implant and bar retained facial prosthesis are easier to orient and place, especially for the manually compromised, and no adhesive is used, so clean-up is easier and margins are manipulated less. However, the implant fixtures for craniofacial rehabilitation are designed differently from those used for dental application. For many sites, the bone available is not as thick, therefore the implants are shorter. The fixture also has a broad flat surface to contact the outer surface of the bone. Many of these implants are used with magnetic attachments for retention of prosthesis.

Use of maxillofacial implants to support auricular prosthesis

With the multiple uses of dental implants, the implants have created a enormousniche place for itself in the field of dentistry. The scope of implants is unending and with the continuing research on them, more innovative ideas keep coming up leading to their more and more popularity and increased use in the field of dentistry.