Over the past 50 years, countless attempts have been made to replace missing teeth with dental implants. These implants have taken various forms, including screws, posts, blades, and metal grids. Unfortunately, they were very unpredictable and generally failed because they were placed into the jaw in a fashion that allowed soft connective tissue to grow between the implant and the bone. This thin layer of “gum-like” tissue often resulted in the implant or infection looseness in only five to 10 years.
This was the unsure state of dental implants until 1982. At that time, Dr. P.I. Branemark, a Swedish surgeon, published the results of over 25 years of work with implants. His findings have significantly altered the way many dental implants have been performed since that time.
In the 1950s, Dr. Branemark was analyzing the repair process of bone tissue. During these experiments, he and his colleagues serendipitously discovered that living bone tissue could bond directly with the space-age metal titanium.
This process, which Dr. Branemark called “osseointegration,” led to a scientific breakthrough in long-term tooth replacement. Combining specially designed titanium implants with a highly refined surgical process, The Avondale dentist can now provide patients with an alternative to bridges, partial dentures, or complete dentures.
The first Branemark implant patients were treated in 1965, and those implants still function. Since Dr. Branemark treated his first patient, several million osseointegrated implants have been placed in patients’ mouths worldwide with an extremely high success rate. Historically, osseointegrated implants that function for at least one year after placement continue to function at more than 98 percent. Osseointegrated implants provide more function and comfort, but they also reduce the amount of continuing bone loss due to the loss of natural teeth. The osseointegrated implants require a team effort: a surgeon places the implants, and a prosthodontist constructs the artificial teeth. Both members of the implant team should have specialized training in implant treatment. Finally, as a part of the team, the patient must practice careful hygiene throughout the surgical procedure and afterward to ensure the best result.
Manhattan Dentist
David S. Binder, DDS,
Rebecca Binder, DDS
551 5th Ave., #1114
New York, NY 10176
Tel: (212) 867-2730
https://www.ManhattanNYDentist.com