Match Your Natural Teeth

Many of Indians suffer tooth loss — mostly due to tooth decay, periodontal disease, or injury. For many years, the only treatment options available for people with missing teeth were bridges and dentures. But, today, dental implants are available…
By Abhigyan /Abhinav

Dental implants are replacement tooth roots which provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth. Success rates of dental implants vary, depending on where in the jaw the implants are placed but, in general, dental implants have a success rate of up to 98%. With proper care implants can last a lifetime. Dental implants can be used to replace a single tooth, several teeth, or all of the teeth. The goal of teeth replacement in dentistry is to restore function as well as esthetics.
When it comes to tooth replacement, generally, there are three options like removable dental appliance (complete denture or partial denture), fixed dental bridge (cemented), and dental implant. Dentures are the more affordable option for replacement teeth but are the least desirable because of the inconvenience of a removable appliance in the mouth. Furthermore, dentures can affect one’s taste and sensory experience with food. Dental bridgework was the more common restorative option prior to the relatively recent shift to dental implant treatment. The main disadvantage to bridgework is the dependence on existing natural teeth for support. Implants are supported by bone only and do not affect surrounding natural teeth. Deciding on which option to choose depends on many factors. Specifically for dental implants, these factors include
Location of missing tooth or teeth,
Quantity and quality of the jawbone where the dental implant is to be placed,
Health of the patient,
Cost, and
Patient preference.
A dental surgeon examines the area to be considered for the dental implant and makes a clinical assessment of whether the patient is a good candidate for a dental implant.
There are great advantages to choosing a dental implant for tooth replacement over the other options. Dental implants are conservative in that missing teeth can be replaced without affecting or altering the adjacent teeth. Furthermore, because dental implants integrate into the bone structure, they are very stable and can have the look and feel of one’s own natural teeth.
Implant surgery can be performed by any licensed dentist provided that the treatment follows the standard of care and is in the best interest of the patient. However, since implants are surgically placed in the jawbone, dental specialists who routinely perform surgery within the jawbone are the natural fit for implant surgery. Oral maxillofacial surgeons (oral surgeons) treat all hard and soft-tissue diseases or defects, which includes extraction of teeth and jaw surgeries. Periodontists treat disease of the surrounding structures of teeth such as the gum and jawbone. Both oral surgeons and periodontists often specialize in dental implant placement.
Once the implant has integrated fully into the jawbone, the next phase involves placement of the implant crown that will be supported by the implant. This is typically performed by the general dentist or a prosthodontist (dental specialist focused on tooth replacement).
Dental Implants are the ideal solution for replacement of missing teeth and they have changed the face of Dentistry over the last 25 years. A Dental Implant is a titanium post (like a tooth root) that is surgically placed into the jawbone beneath the gum line that allows the Implantologist to fix a crown on the top of that, thereby providing the appearance of a natural tooth. Implants look, feel and function like natural teeth thereby offers the most realistic, long lasting solution for the restoration of functionality of your smile.
The key to the success of all implants is a process called osseointegration. This is how the bone in the jaw grows into and around the implant. Titanium is a special material that the jawbone accepts as part of the body. Depending on your particular problem, implants can be more expensive than the alternatives (denture or bridge). The fees will depend on many factors and vary considerably.
A few insurance companies cover implants, but may have low annual dollar limits. You should always check with your insurer.The upfront cost for implants can be more than for other types of restorations. But the investment can pay off in the long run. You may not need an implant for every missing tooth. Your dentist can discuss how many implants you will need.
If you are considering implants, you must have healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant. If your bone is too thin or soft and unable to support an implant, you may require a bone graft. Or if there is not enough bone height in the upper jaw or the sinuses are too close to the jaw, you may require a sinus lift.
Implants are devices that replace the roots of missing teeth. They are used to support crowns, bridges or dentures. Implants are surgically placed in your jawbone. Most of the time, implants feel more natural and secure than other methods of replacing missing teeth, such as dentures.
There are many reasons it’s important to replace missing teeth:
. Having all of your teeth can make you more self-confident. You don’t worry that people notice that you have teeth missing.
. When teeth are lost, the area of the jawbone that held those teeth starts to dissolve. Implants help to preserve the bone and the shape of your jaw.
.Tooth loss affects how well you chew and what foods you are able to eat. Some people who have missing teeth have poor nutrition, which can affect overall health. Raw fruits and vegetables require more chewing. Someone who finds it difficult to chew may avoid them. Other options, such as blending, pureeing and juicing, are not always considered.
The loss of teeth can change your bite, the way your teeth come together. Changes in your bite can lead to problems with your jaw joint, called the temporomandibular joint.
Losing teeth can lead to changes in your speech. This also can affect your self-confidence.

There are several types of implants, including:
Root form
Subperiosteal
Mini
Root-form implants are the most common type used today. A root-form implant is made of titanium. It looks like a small cylinder or screw. After an implant is placed in the jawbone, a metal cylinder called an abutment eventually is attached to it. The abutment serves as a base for a crown, denture or bridge.

WHY DENTAL IMPLANTS
Implants seem to be today’s state-of-the-art tooth replacement option regardless of whether you lost one or more or all teeth, implants are a perfect way of restoring your natural smile.
In exclusive interview with Double Helical, Dr Suresh Ahlawat lists the reasons for dentals implants to restore one’s natural smile:

1. Implants are just like your natural teeth:
Your natural tooth has roots that hold it in place and securely anchor it to your jawbone. Similarly, implants develop a firm attachment with the jawbone, as they are made of titanium, a material known to have a unique ability to fuse with a living bone. The good thing with implants is that you can speak, eat, and smile with confidence because implants don’t slip off as dentures do.

2. Implants are durable tooth replacements:
Dr. Ahlawat further adds that, “Since the implant becomes part of your jawbone, they offer a lasting solution to tooth loss. While other tooth replacement options such as bridgework and removable dentures may require replacement with time, implants may last a lifetime especially when cared for in the right way.”

3. Implants prevent bone loss:
Even when you lose one tooth, the bone tissue beneath the lost tooth starts resorbing and melting away. Dr Suresh illustrates that, “this can give your face an aging look and leave your jawbone vulnerable to fractures. Fortunately, implants can provide the required stimulation once they fuse with the jawbone and prevent bone loss.

4. Implants don’t affect the adjacent teeth:
While other tooth replacement options can weaken the adjacent teeth, implants do not affect the health of the adjacent teeth. For instance, bridgework requires support from the adjacent teeth, resulting in the stress of these adjacent teeth. This makes them susceptible to decay. The good news is that implants don’t depend on adjacent teeth for support and that means that they don’t have any effect on the nearby teeth.

5. Implants are easy to take care of:
Taking care of implants is just like caring for your natural teeth. You should brush and floss daily. Besides, you don’t have to apply special adhesives and creams or soak the implants in a glass of water overnight as you would if you were using dentures.

6. Implants have Better quality:
Dental implants are of better quality than bridges and dentures. Therefore, if you have lost a tooth, then, implants are likely to offer you a better smile and boost your confidence as well. Implants require a very sound knowledge, skill and technology.

About Dr. Suresh Ahlawat

Dr. Suresh Ahlawat, MDS, Maxillofacial Surgeon and Implantologist, BDS,DNB (USA) is an eminent Dental Surgeon (Implantologist) in Gurugram, Haryana. He has been facilitated by the Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupender Singh Hooda for his excellence in dentistry. Also, he has been awarded the best Implantologist in Haryana by FAMDENT association in the year 2016. Adding to his list of awards, the Finance Minister (Govt of Haryana) has also awarded him for his exemplary dental services and skills.
He has been a dental practitioner for more than two and half decades now. In his long career, he went on to bring sparkling smiles over his patients’ faces by his maneuvered skills along with the latent reservoir of his dental knowledge.
He has successfully handled innumerable critical cases during his long professional tenure and provided gratifying results to his patients. From the feedback given by his patients, he is known for empathic approach and gentle hands and hence extensively respected by his patients. Patient’s ease and comfort are his prime concern and thus he keeps himself up-to-date with the recent technology and knowledge for their betterment.
Dr. Suresh Ahlawat (MDS) along with his team of doctors, is having an experience of more than 25 years in implants .He is well trained in implants across the globe (like in India ,Spain ,Korea ,Bangkok ) and is a renowned international speaker for implantology. He is a Diplomate of World Congress of Implantology (WCOI) and an international speaker for CWM Korea and Miami Medical Seminars MMS, USA. To keep upbeat with latest knowledge, Dr Suresh Ahlawat has travelled widely to USA, Switzerland, UK, France, Spain, S Korea, Bangkok etc His major interest areas are IMPLANTS, COSMETIC DENTISTRY AND FULL MOUTH REHABILITATION.
It is known fact that, a single wonderful smile on your face can bring numerous adversities round to your side. To achieve this, Cosmetic dentistry is endeavored to create a positive makeover to your teeth that will enhance your smile. In the modern-day dentistry, cosmetic practices embrace the gamut from elementary color correction to replacing the lost teeth by IMPLANTS, along with redefining the size and shape of your teeth.
At Gurgaon based Muskaan Dentals, there is state-of-the-art with the most recent trends as well as technology, which can shower benefits to the patients. The general oral health and esthetics of the patient is looked after well here. There are plenty of options available for you to augment your tooth function along with smile which Dr. Ahlawat explains you at length here at muskaan dentals.
Dental implants utilized at our centers are resourced from the best companies of the world like Noble biocare (Sweden), CWM (Korea),Adin (Israel) ,Straumann (USA) ,Briadent (Germany) etc. Majority of dental implants are executed under local anesthesia as well as the right medication and conscious sedation under stringent aseptic conditions by extremely trained and experienced implantologists where a solo implant procedure hardly takes about 15 minutes and completely painless.
Instant loading implants are done, also known as- TOOTH IN AN HOUR, where the crown or cap is located on the tooth implant right away subsequent to its surgical position in jaw bone in a solo sitting. In majority of implant cases, the crown, bridge or else denture is fabricated and placed around 3 to 6 months as of the date of the implant insertion. The price of the implant surgical procedures are reasonably economical compared to the excellence of the implants used, as well as the dexterity of the implantologists with International Standards.