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For that million-dollar smile...

With advances in surgical techniques, dental implants have become more reliable.

Twenty-eight-year-old Samuel lost two of his upper incisors in a road accident. "Flashing a toothless smile was not my idea of impressing my girlfriend," he grins, displaying his newly implanted teeth.

Thanks to modern technology, Sam had his teeth replaced through dental implants.

Dental implants are scientifically prepared small cones or cylinders made up of titanium and its alloys, shaped like the roots of natural tooth, that are surgically placed into the jaw-bone, as a substitute for natural tooth roots. Though expensive, Titanium is biocompatible and has no harmful effects on the body. Dental implants feel so natural that you may forget to have ever lost a tooth. High-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more tooth saving than traditional crowns and bridges, since implants do not rely on neighbouring teeth for support. Any person in good oral and general health, with an adequate amount of bone to support the dental implant, can undergo the treatment. Patients who are uncontrolled diabetics or have severe psychological problems (or severe medical compromises) are not good candidates for dental implants. Dental implants are used to replace missing teeth due to any reason, to avoid painful and loose dentures and to prevent shrinkage of the jawbone after tooth loss. Placement of dental implants is similar to other dental procedures. Most often there is minimal post-operative discomfort, allowing the patient to resume normal activities the following day.

There are different types of implant systems available today (it differs from patient to patient) - Two-stage delayed loading conventional implants and single-stage immediate loading implants.

In the first stage, implants are placed within the bone through a minor surgery under local anaesthesia. These are left to heal for a period of three months for the lower jaw and five months for upper jaw. The single stage implants, as the name implies, involves only a single minor surgical procedure, but this technique can be done only in certain conditions. They are usually done as a replacement for front tooth lost either due to trauma or accident (as in Samuel's case), and can also be done immediately after the removal of the teeth. The advantage in such cases is that it requires only a minor surgical procedure and the artificial tooth can be placed immediately over the implant. Thus the patient can walk out of the dental clinic with the implant and teeth within a matter of hours. The number of implants required for total replacement of all natural teeth varies from patient to patient. Before implants the only relief was from denture adhesives, a messy compromising solution at its best.

Dental implants are a blessing over complete dentures as the latter are the least stable of dental restorations. Dentures get loose easily and often cause irritation and embarrassment.

Since implants are biologically bonded to the living bone tissues, once united with the bone structure they support the teeth firmly and safely. Dental implants prevent progressive bone loss associated with tooth loss and help preserve bone levels and a youthful facial appearance.

Although dental implants are considered to be a permanent solution there are some caveats. Sometimes the dental implant does not integrate and it will be lost. In those cases, another implant might be placed that would stay there and become permanent. Sometimes, the restoration will have to be repaired or serviced. As a matter of fact, most restorations will require some degree of maintenance and sometimes, replacement, over a period of time. You should be prepared for future expenses in this regard.

To get that million-dollar smile, dental implants can be really helpful. With the advance in surgical techniques, dental implants have become more predictable and reliable.

KASHI VISHWANTHAN

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