Dental Implants are devices which offer significant stabilizing effect on dental prostheses through a rigid connection to living bone. Implants are designed to provide a direct titanium-to-bone interface ( osseointegrated ).The system of Branemark and co-workers pionered clinical prosthodontic applications with the use of commercial pure titanium endosseous implants.

According to Weiss C and Weiss A, Dental Implant is a device of biocompatible material(s) placed within or against the mandibular or maxillary bone to provide additional or enhanced support for a prosthesis or tooth.

According to Dr. Álvarez-Arenal, a Dental Implant is an artificial tooth root that a periodontist places into a jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. Dental Implants are an ideal option for people in good general oral health who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason.

Based on numerous studies of Branemark P-I, osseointegrated implants can support a prosthesis and do not rely on natural abutment teeth for additional stabilization.

The legendary and one of the most famous specialist in Implant Dentistry, Dr Carl Misch, stated that the primary function of dental implant is to act as an abutment for a prosthetic device, similar to a natural tooth root and crown. The restoring dentist designs and fabricates a prosthesis similar to one supported by a tooth and as such evaluates and treats the dental implant similarly to a natural tooth.

Advantages of Implant Supported Prostheses

According to Dr. Dabas, the following are the advantages of Implant Supported Prostheses

1. Maintenance of esthetics
2. Maintenance of bone
3. Maintenance of occlusal vertical dimension
4. Proper occlusion
5. Improved psychological health
6. Tooth positioned for esthetics
7. Regained proprioception
8. Maintenance of muscles of mastication and facial expression
9. Improved phonetics
10. Increased retention
11. Increased stability
12. Improved success rate of prostheses
13. Improved prostheses function
14. Increased survival time of restoration

References
Weiss C, Weiss A: Principles and Practice of Implant Dentistry, 1st ed. Mosby, Inc US 2001
Misch C: Dental Implant Prosthetics, Mosby Inc St Louis US 2005
Dabas V, Dabas U: Introduction to Oral Implantology, 1st ed. AITBS Publishers 2005
Álvarez-Arenal, A., de Cos Juez, F., Lasheras, F., & Quevedo, M. Advantages and Disadvantages of Double Threaded Dental Implant Screws As Opposed to Single-Threaded: A Study from a Biomechanical Perspective by the Finite Element Method. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1148(1), 13-16. doi:10.1063/1.3225255. 2009
Branemark P-I: Osseointegration and its experimental background. J Prosthetic Dentistry, 50:399-410, 1983
Dental Implants Prosthodontics

Written by:
Jesus Lecitona+, DMD, MScD-Prosthodontics