The possible effects of splinting natural teeth to dental implant Essay

The possible effects of splinting natural teeth to dental implant restorations - Essay Example Modern dental implants help these dentally challenged people who have lost their teeth in some unfortunate way. Dental implants are so realistic that they are virtually identical to real teeth in form, sense and purpose. Dental implants allow these persons to eat normally again and are rest assured that their facial structures are back in line. The implants are actually miniature titanium posts, planted in the gaps where a tooth or a set of teeth should be. Once these are in place, these posts act as anchors and as tooth root replacements. The jawbone then bonds with the titanium, providing a base for the new tooth ("What are Dental Implants"). According to surveys, there are a lot of Americans suffering from oral deficiencies (Meskin & Brown; Harvey & Kelly). Implants are seen as appropriate alternatives to other oral correction aids, with about 300,000 to 428,000 implants performed each year (Seckinger et al). Osseo integration (Branemark) or functional ankylosis (Schroeder et al) are the formal terms for bone anchorage attributing to the sound success of dental implants. Osseointegration works at the microscopic level and it involves the bond between the bone and implant (Branemark). There are no unstable soft tissue connection between the bone and implant, and this implant bonds at an amazing level of efficiency. Electron microscope photographs show that the bone and implant are only about 20 nanometres apart (Listgarten et al). On metal implant surfaces, the oxidation reaction between titanium forms an oxide layer (3 to 5A) on the surface of the implant (Albrektsson). This oxide layer is highly desirable as it has a c eramic -like feel to it and is resistant to water and most forms of corrosion and is entirely organically attuned (Hansson et al; "Dental Implants in Periodontal Therapy"). History shows that implants were performed ever since people learned how to replace teeth in some way. The ancient Mayans have performed dental implants as evidenced in their obsidian carvings. In the recent eras, gold and other precious metals , ceramics , rubber, stainless steel were used at some point and has proved to be effective ("Implant history"). In 1952, Per-Ing-var Branemark, based in Sweden made a breakthrough discovery resulting in dental implants using various techniques and tools in dental technology. It turns that the metal titanium can bond with organic material well and when placed surgically in a jawbone, it facilitates anchorage and also the full recovery of gums. Thus the term "Osseo integration" was born ("Implant history"). Osseo integration was actually discovered accidentally by Dr. Brnemark. Dr. Brnemark observed that titanium can combine with bone tissue, a fact that is in contrast with modern scientific facts. He showed that under certain conditions, titanium can be incorporated into living tissue with much success and with out the hassles of tissue swelling or tissue rejection Dr. Brnemark as the discoverer of this occurrence' was also the one who first coined the term "Osseo integration" ("History of dental implants"). 1965 saw the birth of the new screw-shaped implants, but these types of implants wer subsequently improved until 1985. after this time that dentists were confident of this process and it has been used ever since. Throughout those 20