The first-ever dental implant procedure dated back to 2000 B.C. and involved a variety of bizarre tools and implementation techniques. From using animal teeth down to the complete absence of anesthetics, the procedure was painful and didn’t yield aesthetically pleasing results.
But while completely inconvenient, the procedure paved the way to improvements, and as the medical and dental fields both witness exponential developments, less invasive and more practical technologies have emerged.
Most of these technologies are available worldwide and in leading centers such as the Istanbul-Based Dentakay. If you’d like to learn more about dental implant technologies, you may book a free online consultation with Dentakay to have all your concerns addressed.
So what are dental implants, and what are some of the most recent innovations in the field?
What Are Dental Implants
Dental implants are a restorative treatment that reverses tooth loss down to the root. This structure is a 3-part unit that consists of the crown, the abutment, and the root. The presence of the root in dental implants prevents all the side effects that could possibly emerge from its absence, such as loss of bone density and tooth shifting.
Without further ado, here are some of the latest technologies in dental implants.
Recent Technologies in Dental Implants
1. Digital Planning
Part of the reason dental procedures are becoming very aesthetically pleasing is that they’re customizable. Dental Implantation is a procedure that has to implant a titanium root into the jawbone. Because no two people have the same jaw bone structure, customization becomes essential in the placement of dental implants. Digital Planning uses CBCT scan to study the unique structure of your jawbone and plan out the depth and angle of your implantation.
This technology also allows your dentist to evaluate the overall health of your bone structure and detect issues such as bone erosion, a condition that may prevent you from opting for a dental implant directly. In case you have lost bone density in the area where you need to get an implant, your dentist will perform bone grafting to restore the density before starting with root implantation.
2. One-Day Dental Implants
Traditionally, a dental implant procedure would need at least 6 months to complete. Throughout the 6 months, your dentist performs separate parts of the procedure until the final step of crown placement. However, with the help of the CBCT scan and the CAD/CAM technology, many people can now get their dental implants in one session.
With the CBCT scan, your dentist can thoroughly study your bone structure and determine if you’re a good candidate for the procedure. Once that’s done, your dental implants the root along with the abutment at once. As for the crown, the CAD/CAM technology allows your dentist to take accurate impressions using a computer-assisted camera and design a properly fitting crown which a 3D printer then manufactures on the spot.
Prior to the CAD/CAM system, your dentist would manually take impressions of your teeth by having you bite on a mold. The mold is then sent to a laboratory that manufactures the crown in 3 weeks.
3. Computer-Assisted Implant Placement
The entire placement of the root is now monitored via advanced technologies such as a computer-assisted program and oral cameras that limit down risks and errors and also allow for very precise positioning of the root. It’s time-efficient and practical while also ensuring you get the best results possible out of the surgery from an aesthetic aspect as well as the comfort of wear.
4. Antibacterial Coating
While dental prosthetics are generally decay-resistant, the gum tissue isn’t. Among the many misconceptions regarding dental prosthetics is that they don’t require cleaning or hygiene practices. In a sense, it’s true for the prosthetic unit itself, where it’s decay-resistant.
However, bacteria can still grow on the surface, and while it may not damage the crown, it can affect the gums and other dental tissue in the area. Over time this can reduce the longevity of your crown. For this reason, you’ll find that dentists try to limit bacteria-breeding food items while also encouraging patients to practice a good dental hygiene routine.
The antibacterial coating reduces cases of decay but doesn’t entirely eliminate them. So while you have no food restrictions with this dental implant technology, it is still essential for you to brush your teeth twice daily and floss. In other words, this technology increases the longevity of Dental Implants.
The Takeaway
Dental Implants had evolved exponentially since their humble beginnings some thousands of years ago, and they continue to develop. Technologies are working towards giving each patient a customizable experience to cater to their special traits. From precise positioning to accurate impression taking and design, every detail is considered to make the procedure convenient for you and the results extremely natural and pleasing.
