Park
Cities Dental
Care 
"Trust the Experience"
Dental
Implants
When patients lose teeth, their ability to chew food and speak distinctly
is reduced. Many people are uncomfortable with dentures, as they do not
replace the quality of function of natural teeth. More dentists and patients
are considering implants. Natural teeth can withstand biting pressure of
up to 540 pounds per square inch. With dentures, after years of deterioration
of the supporting tissues, many people can apply only 50 pounds per square
inch. With a successful dental implant, people can absorb as much as 450
pounds per square inch. Dental implants are becoming the alternative of
choice.
Who is a candidate for dental
implants?
Statistics indicate that 42 percent of Americans older than 65 are
totally edentulous and more than 40 million Americans older than 55 have
lost some or all of their teeth. Thus, older patients are more likely to
seek implant therapy. However, anybody who is dissatisfied with dentures,
and who would like to eat or speak with less discomfort, may be a candidate
for implants. Unlikely candidates for dental implants include patients
who have had a recent heart attack, AIDS, hepatitis, chronic or severe alcoholism, prolonged corticosteroid use, blood dyscrasias, collagen diseases,
uncontrolled diabetes, malignancies in treatment, drug dependency, recent
history of chemotherapy, metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis, chronic
tobacco usage, endocrine disorders, history of osteomyelitis, and personality
or psychological disorders.
How long will implants last?
Most implants have a 10-year, 70 percent to 95 percent
survival rate. The success of dental implants depends on many factors,
including the patient's bone type and amount, the patient's medical condition,
the bite relationship of the remaining teeth, cosmetic concerns, personal
expectations, the training and experience of the implant dentist, the number
and type of implants chosen by the implant dentist, and the quality of
the patient's home care skills once the implants are in place.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are substitutes for natural tooth roots.
They rely on the bone for support. Implants give replacement teeth a more
stable base and improve the use patients can get out of their dentures
and bridgework. Implants are small (usually 4 mm in diameter and 8 to 15
mm in length) and long lasting. They are made of light titanium metal,
and some are coated with a bone-like substance (called hydroxylapatite
or HA) that many dentists believe can help the implant bond with the bone
and tissue. Dental implants are not new, as. ancient Incas and Egyptians
were "implanting" carved jade, sapphire and ivory teeth thousands
of years ago. Implants have been studied in dentistry for more than 40
years. Estimates indicate that the overall number of dental implants inserted
in the United States increased fourfold from 1983 to 1987, and during that
same period, the number of practitioners who perform implant therapy increased
tenfold. Implant experts estimate that currently over 300,000 dental implants
are used in the U.S.
How safe are dental implants?
Dental implants are considered safe and effective alternatives
to dentures. The metals and coatings used for dental implants adapt very
well to the bone, allow the bone to grow alongside the implant, and are
well-tolerated by the body. The incidence of bone rejection or allergy
to the implant are minimal-less than one-tenth of one percent.
Dr. Hibbs is active in two Implant Study Clubs in the Dallas area.
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Send comments to: Dr. J. Eric Hibbs