Dental implants are used to replace missing teeth using a bone-embedded post to anchor teeth or even a denture into spaces of missing teeth in the mouth.
There are usually three main pieces to what is collectively known as an implant. First, there is the fixture that is surgically placed in the jaw bone ridge that acts as an anchor to permanently hold the next part, which is the abutment. The abutment is a retainer that aligns and tightly holds the replacement tooth or teeth. A single implant-supported tooth is very much like a natural tooth in the mouth, having no other means of support but the fixture, which acts like a root embedded in the bone, permanently holding the replacement tooth without external retainers. Other scenarios may have fixtures arranged in pairs or in multiples to support permanent bridges. Complete dentures can also be retained using implants, preventing denture plate slippage or a loose denture.
There is usually an implant placement stage and a restorative stage. In the placement stage, a patient is first evaluated for the appropriateness of implants, then a procedure is performed to surgically place the fixture or fixtures. Next is the restoration stage, which follows some months after fixture placement to allow for healing and integration of the fixture with the bone. Once it is determined that the fixture is strongly integrated with the bone, the pre-planned restoration stage begins with records taken for a dental lab and fabrication of the custom restoration by the lab. The restoration is now ready to deliver to the patient and is attached to the now integrated fixtures.
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