If you are investigating dental implant treatment in Ajax, you’ll want to know as much as possible about this procedure and how it could assist you. Understanding specific dental terms can be useful and will help increase your confidence in treatment.
Outlined below are just some of the terms you might hear being used when you visit a dental office in Courtice.
Dental Implant
A dental implant is a small screw or post that is surgically inserted into the jawbone, artificially replacing your tooth root. It provides a strong and secure foundation for a replacement tooth. There are many types of dental implants, and they can have different widths and are different lengths. Your dental implant dentist in Clarington will select the most suitable dental implant for your needs.
Abutment
The abutment is attached to the dental implant post and is a specific type of connector. It allows your new artificial tooth to be connected to the dental implant. Just like dental implants in Pickering, abutments come in lots of different shapes and sizes.
Dental Implant Crown
Once the abutment is attached to your implant post, the dentist can make your new dental implant crown which fits over the abutment and is either screwed or cemented in place. It might sound strange to think of a crown being screwed onto your implant, but sometimes it can be a very practical solution, allowing for easy retrievability of the crown, for example, if we need to examine the abutment underneath or to perform any type of maintenance work. The screw hole is covered with tooth-coloured composite resin so it is invisible.
Dental Implant Bridge
Just like an implant crown, a dental implant bridge fits over the abutments and is cemented or screwed in position. The exact number of dental implants required to support an implant bridge can vary, but we will always recommend the solution that will provide an optimal and long-lasting outcome.
Implant-Supported Denture
An implant-supported denture will clip onto the implant abutments, or it’s possible to have a bar attached to the abutments and which supports the denture. Once in place, the implant-supported denture is absolutely secure, yet is easily removed for cleaning.
Osseointegration
This is an important process that occurs when the dental implant is inserted into your jawbone and is where the post gradually fuses or will osseointegrate with the bone over several months. During this process new bone cells grown on and around the post, anchoring it firmly in place.
Titanium
Most dental implant systems are made from titanium because it is an extremely biocompatible material, promoting good osseointegration. Titanium has a high oxygen affinity, so that when inserted into the jawbone, it forms a thin oxide layer, aiding osseointegration. This metal is widely used as it is rare for people to have metal allergies to this material and it is very lightweight and strong. However, here at Durham Dental Solutions, we know some people are more sensitive to metals or would just prefer a metal-free dental implant in Newcastle.
Zirconia
Zirconia is an extremely strong type of dental ceramic and is an alternative material to titanium. Just like titanium, zirconia is highly biocompatible and integrates well with the jawbone. If you feel a zirconia dental implant may be a better solution for you or are concerned about allergies or skin sensitivities to conventional titanium implants, we may suggest you consider a MELISA test in Whitby. This is a diagnostic tool that can identify specific allergies and sensitivities.
There are some other advantages in considering zirconia dental implants, not least, better aesthetics and particularly when replacing a tooth right in front of the mouth. Some people have thin gum tissue, allowing the natural gray colour of titanium to shine through. Because zirconia is white, it closely mimics the colour of a natural tooth, eliminating this problem.
We imagine you have many more questions. Don’t worry, as we can answer them during your initial free consultation for dental implants in Brooklin.
