Implants and their components
Implantology is a technique that allows you to replace missing natural teeth with artificial teeth by placing dental implants. This integrated and safe practice, as well as being very long-lasting, is now the first choice for anyone who wants to solve this type of problem. But let’s now go into more detail about the implant and its components to see what elements and components are in dental implants that determine their final structure.
First of all, it is good to emphasize that an implantology intervention can be carried out thanks to the phenomenon of osseointegration, that is, taking advantage of the ability of the connective bone tissue to regenerate itself and therefore stabilize itself around the new implant. This path guarantees the stability of the implant over time.
However, this process takes several months. For immediate fixation of fixed teeth, good initial stability must be achieved, i.e., ensuring that the implant is sufficiently anchored to the bone and does not move from there, even if osseointegration has not yet occurred.
Implants and their components
Implant post
The main elements of an implant are the screw, which is the actual implant, scientifically called a fixture, the abutment or transmucosal stump, which is the interface between the implant and the prosthesis, and the prosthesis, which can be a full arch.
The implant post or screw is inserted into the jawbone during a short surgical procedure using advanced computer-aided surgery. The actual post looks a bit like a natural tooth root, exactly the way it is designed, so if you see an implant post, you may notice that its end is tapered, just like a real tooth root.
The length of an implant post can be up to 18 mm, and mini dental implants, for example, have longer posts for greater strength and stability. A typical dental implant abutment is hollow so that the abutment can be screwed onto the abutment.
The three-piece implant design allows the implant posts to be covered for bone integrity, so they are not necessarily immediately restored with a prosthesis. Instead, the abutment is attached later when the implant dentist is ready to fabricate and place the implant prosthesis.
Implant Abutments
A wide range of implant abutments depend on the implant system used to restore the teeth. For example, implant abutments that secure implant crowns and bridges are very different compared to abutments used to support dentures. An implant abutment used to secure a crown or bridge looks a bit like a small tooth protruding above the gum line.
The abutments used to support the prosthesis vary greatly, as dental implants can have special attachments on their fitting surface that are glued onto the abutments, or the abutments can be used to support the bar. The prosthesis is then placed directly on the bar.
Implant Prosthesis
An implant prosthesis can be a crown, bridge, or implant-supported prosthesis. Single-tooth implants restore dental crowns, while multiple implants can restore dental bridges or may be used to support dentures. Crowns and bridges are permanently fixed in place and can only be removed by an implant dentist in Toronto.
Implant prostheses are removable so they can be removed for regular cleaning and maintenance. While implant prostheses are in the mouth, they are held firmly in place and are much stronger and more stable than conventional prostheses that are placed on the gums.
Most single-tooth implants are made of three components, but some are two-piece. These dental implants are made so that the implant post and abutment are one unit. The implant prosthesis is placed directly on the implant.
A bridge or a crown
The most common implants are usually made up of a threaded, conical, or possibly cylindrical screw, which is treated on its surface with acids, sandblasting, laser,r, or even plasma spray to have a greater roughness and thus be able to be better fixed. The upper jawbone is due to the friction it creates with the second bone.
On the other hand, the abutment, also called the transmucosal component, because it passes through the entire gum tissue, can be considered an integral part of the fixture (screw), sometimes completely integrated into the implant.
On the other hand, if the two elements are separate and must be connected (more extensive structure), then they are connected by a specific system that allows for hooking, which can be fixed and adjustable so that the structure is modular and easily adapted to the patient’s anatomy. The abutment allows for the compensation of any inclination of the implant, which may be tilted for better fixation.
Overdentures In addition, there are mini-implants, also called mini-screws, which are used to provide greater stability to removable dentures through overdenture attachment methods, which offer titanium implants with a rod or spherical head.
What are the materials used for dental implant components?
We have seen and explained implants and all their constituent parts, and we have also paid attention to mini-implants. Now let’s see what are the most used materials in the manufacture of the different parts.
Of course, the superior material in dental implants is titanium metal, which is considered more suitable than others, since it has characteristics that give it excellent resistance to stress and high biological inertia, or that characteristic that some materials have to interact well and without problems with biological systems. As we have already said, many modern implants have a surface structure that is made to increase the bone cohesion capacity of the implant inside the jaw.
Different types of materials are used for crowns: we can rely on ceramic or classic composite materials that, thanks to continuous developments, are more resistant than ceramics and have an aesthetic result of excellent quality.
