Tooth replacement is a surprisingly simple process thanks to developments since the 1980s in dental implant technology, which has increased success rates and improved the quality, stability and longevity of the implants.
Tooth replacement can be surgical or non-surgical. The non-surgical method is less expensive, but as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for. Even the highest quality prostheses are not ideal. They fulfil the aesthetic purpose, but any dentist will tell you that they neglect one very important factor in tooth replacement dentistry: they are not embedded directly into the jaw, but rather are removable. Whilst this might sound exceptionally practical, there is an issue. When not used to hold natural teeth in, the jaw bone is prone to shrinking back. This is a risk for those patients who are missing large quantities of teeth. This is irreversible and when it occurs it cause problems in later life when removable prostheses cannot be held in as there is no jaw bone for them to rest on.
Surgical tooth replacement involves the use of dental implants. These are medical devices, shaped a little like small screws and made from clinical grade titanium. Titanium, it was discovered in the last century, has the special quality of fusing directly with animal bone, allowing it to act as a very stable replacement anchor' for a crown which will replace the visible part of the tooth. Titanium is also very unlikely to cause an allergic reaction, and this fact undoubtedly contributes to the high success rate of tooth replacement treatment using dental implants.
Surgical and non-surgical tooth replacement both require the work of creating a visually realistic replacement before it can be put in place.
Surgical tooth replacement has to be carried out in two parts. First the gum is stripped back under local anaesthetic and the implant itself is fitted. Secondly, after several weeks of healing, the crown, or the visible replacement will be fitted.
The success rate of the implants is well over 90% and they are known to last as many as forty years or more, provided that they are cared for and cleaned properly.
