Want New Teeth Implants? Here’s Some Terminology You Might Like to Know, PART 4

This four-part article series explains the meaning to some rudimentary dental implant terminology that patients might come across on their journey to getting new teeth.

Welcome back to our four-part article series on some rudimentary terminology you might like to know if you’re thinking of having new teeth implants placed. In our previous article installment, the third part of the series, we reviewed some important terms pertaining to full mouth reconstruction, including bone grafting, which is a procedure that is done to augment and encourage the growth of new and healthy bone tissue in the jaw so that dental implants can be placed. We also provided a brief description of the All-on-4 dental implant protocol and osseointegration, the process whereby bone tissue forms a strong biological bond with the titanium surface of an implant.

In this article, the final installment of our four-part series, we’ll provide a brief explanation of tooth anatomy before discussing the various oral conditions that cause tooth loss and Cone Beam Computed Tomography, an indispensible diagnostic tool used by the oral specialists that offer patients new teeth with dental implants.

Dental Terminology You Might Like to Know!

The Anatomy of a Tooth: Your teeth consist of a hard outer coating of dental enamel, which protects the delicate insides from infection and contamination by bacteria. Beneath the enamel is a slightly softer and more porous substance called dentin. Within the heart of the tooth resides the pulp chamber, within which lie all the tooth’s nerves and blood vessels (called the pulp). This chamber narrows at the base of the tooth into the thin canals that run the length of the roots (root canals).

Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CT): CBCT is a diagnostic imaging tool that emits a cone-shaped beam of X-ray radiation. The resultant images are translated into digital data by the machine and this is fed into a computer software program. The oral specialists who use CBCT can use this software to view a highly detailed and accurate 3-D picture of their patient’s dentition, tooth orientation and jawbone structure (see image below). This, in turn, enables them to plan dental implant surgery before the patient has even come in for the procedure. By determining the best possible sites for dental implant placement prior to surgery, oral surgeons can reduce risks, complications and the chance of implant failure. Cone Beam CT also decreases the degree of invasiveness, thus decreasing recovery time and patient discomfort.

Periodontal (Gum) Disease: An advanced oral bacterial infection of the gums surrounding the teeth. Periodontal disease, or periodontitis, is the advanced stage of gingivitis and is marked by gum inflammation and recession, chronic bad breath, oral lesions, tooth discoloration and tooth loss. Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in the United States. Risk factors for this condition include smoking, heavy drinking, poor oral hygiene and illnesses such as diabetes, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Edentulism: The state of not having a single original adult tooth left. There are currently an estimated 38 million edentulous people living in the United States. These people desperately need new teeth, yet instead of opting for a sophisticated teeth replacement solution like the All-on-4, they instead tend to wear removable dentures.

Plaque: A whitish sticky substance that can be scraped off the teeth with a fingernail. Under the microscope, plaque is revealed to be millions upon millions of bacterium. There are over 700 different kinds of bacteria in plaque!

Tartar: Hardened deposits of plaque, which offer bacteria an excellent hiding place away from the roving bristles of your toothbrush. Tartar causes tooth decay and tooth loss... and it can only be removed by a dental healthcare professional, which is why it’s so important to visit your oral hygienist twice a year!

Want to Get New Teeth? Here’s Some Terminology You Might Like to Know, PART 3

This four-part article series explains the meaning of some rudimentary dental implant terminology that patients might come across on their journey to getting new teeth.

Welcome back to our four-part article series on the rudimentary terminology you might like to know if you are looking into getting new teeth in one day. In our previous article installment, part two of the series, we provided definitions for two conventional teeth replacement technologies: non-implant supported bridges and removable dentures. We then went on to explain the dangers often associated with these technologies, which only replace the visible portion of missing teeth - alveolar atrophy. Let’s now take a look at bone grafting and a sophisticated dental implant procedure that can be used to give patients presenting with advanced jaw bone loss new teeth in as little as a single day!

Dental Terminology You Might Like to Know!

Bone Grafting: “Bone grafting” is procedure whereby bone tissue is acquired from another part of the body (or another source) and used to augment the jaw in site/s of depleted bone volume. As it was discussed in Part 2 of this article series, bone loss is generally a result of tooth loss and alveolar atrophy. In the context of oral and maxillofacial surgery, bone grafting is done to augment and encourage the growth of new and healthy bone tissue in the jaw so that dental implants can be placed. Bone grafting is an invasive procedure and is therefore can be quite traumatic and painful for patients to go through. It is also expensive and usually requires many months of healing before the jawbone is strong enough to accept implants.

The “All-on-4": The All-on-4 is a revolutionary dental implant technique that was first introduced to the market in the early 1990’s. Since it’s innovation by European implantologist, Dr. Paulo Malo, it has enjoyed tremendous success worldwide due to its ability to provide patients suffering with failing dentition (or who have lost most if not all of their original adult teeth) with a brand new set of fixed teeth in as little as a single day, with a single surgery. This treatment time goes without precedent: Traditional dental implant procedures and techniques could require as many as 18 months to give patients new teeth.

This All-on-4 protocol consists of the strategic placement and angulation of four dental implants in regions of the jawbone that are more resistant to the atrophy caused by tooth loss (see image above). Through the careful planning of implant sites, oral specialists are almost always able to find enough support for a customized, non-removable (fixed) prosthetic dental bridge, without the need for bone grafting first. This saves patients in need of new teeth the trauma and expense of undergoing such a procedure, while also saving them the many months that would otherwise be spent in recovery.

For these reasons and many more, the All-on-4 is considered a “breakthrough” in the fields of dental implantology and fixed oral rehabilitation.

Osseointegration: The process whereby bone tissue biologically bonds or fuses with the surface of an implant. Titanium is completely biocompatible, so the body typically does not reject the implant. Rather, the bone cells attach themselves to its surface and new bone grows around the implant.

Stay Tuned for Part 4

To learn more about dental implants and oral health terminology, stay tuned for the final installment of this four-part article series.

Need New Teeth? Here’s Some Terminology You Might Like to Know, PART 2

This four-part article series explains the meaning to some rudimentary dental implant terminology that patients might come across on their journey to getting new teeth.

Welcome back to our four-part article series on some rudimentary terminology you might like to know if you’re in need of new teeth in one day! In our previous article installment, the first of the series, we opened with a look at some of the most important concepts to become familiar with:

Dental implants are tiny titanium screws that are placed in the jawbone and are used to support a replacement tooth, which can either be a dental crown (in the case of a single tooth replacement) or a fixed bridge (as in the case of full arch restoration). An abutment or “collar” is the component that attaches the visible replacement tooth to the dental implant.

Let’s continue with a definition of some of the older, more conventional teeth replacement technologies that are still available today...

Dental Terminology You Might Like to Know!

Removable Dentures: Removable dentures (see image above), commonly known as “false teeth”, are the conventional teeth replacement option for patients who are in need of new teeth. They resemble a complete set of teeth and gums, but are far bulkier than fixed bridges because they rely on their mass and the support of the gums and oral structures to keep them stabilized in the mouth. Without anything “permanent” holding dentures in place - like dental implants - removable dentures are free to move around and, in extreme cases, can even fall out. They can often be uncomfortable and insecure, as well as needing to be removed for cleaning and at nighttime.

Removable dentures only replace the visible portion of the missing teeth, the crowns, and not the roots. This facilitates the bone that formerly surrounded the tooth roots to atrophy and waste away (see atrophy below).

Non-Implant Supported Dental Bridge: The conventional approach to replacing one or two adjacent missing teeth is to file down the neighboring healthy teeth and use them to support a “bridge” or linked series of replacement dental crowns as is shown in the picture below.

The two adjacent teeth are “prepared” in order to support the middle crown, which is one of the reasons dental implants are considered a more advantageous solution to missing teeth (they don’t require the involvement of adjacent healthy teeth). While non-implant supported crowns offer aesthetic solutions, they do not replace the root of the missing tooth and, similarly to removable dentures, this can lead to atrophy of the underlying jawbone.

Alveolar Atrophy: The alveolus is the part of the jawbone that houses the teeth. When teeth are lost, this bone typically disappears as it becomes resorbed by the jaw. Similar to the muscles in your body, bone tissue requires stimulation or “exercise” to stay healthy. The tooth roots are responsible for keeping the jawbone stimulated and they do this by transmitting the forces associated with eating (grinding, chewing and incising) into the underlying bone tissue. When the roots of the teeth are lost, so too is this stimulation and as a result, the bone that formerly encased the tooth roots (the alveolus) atrophies and disappears.

The result of bone loss has a widespread impact upon one’s oral health: it often upsets the stability of the neighboring teeth and can even cause further tooth loss. Bone loss also puts a patient’s candidacy for dental implants in jeopardy, because implants, just like natural teeth, require adequate bone volume in order to remain rooted in the jaw.

Replacing missing teeth with conventional technologies, such as traditional bridges and removable dentures, is ineffective in preventing alveolar atrophy because they only replace the visible tooth structure and not the roots. This is why dentures need replacing every few years or so - because they fail to fit the changing shape of the jawbone. This is also why dental healthcare specialists recommend dental implants to patients in need of new teeth.

Stay Tuned for Part 3

To learn more about dental implants and oral health terminology, stay tuned for the third installment of this four-part article series.

Need New Teeth? Here’s Some Terminology You Might Like to Know, PART 1

This four-part article series explains the meaning to some rudimentary dental implant terminology that patients might come across on their journey to getting new teeth.

Do you need one or more of your teeth replaced? According to statistics released by the American Dental Association, tooth loss would seem to be an inevitable part of life. Even if you care for your teeth properly and seek regular professional attention from a dental healthcare expert, chances are you’ll lose at least one of your teeth during the course of your lifetime. When you do lose a tooth, it is imperative that you seek out the best possible tooth replacement option available so that you can continue your day-to-day as comfortable and confident as possible! What is the best option? Dental implants, of course! So, if you need new teeth, here is some terminology you might like to know before you hit the specialists’ office.

Dental Implant Technology

Dental Implant: A freestanding artificial tooth root constructed from medical grade titanium metal. This tiny screw is inserted at the site/s of the missing tooth or teeth, or at pre-determined locations in the jawbone and is usually used to support either a ceramic tooth crown (in the case of single tooth replacement) or a prosthetic dental bridge (as in the case of full arch reconstruction).

Dental Crown: A dental crown is typically a ceramic restoration that is used to replace large portions of the natural tooth structure that have had to be removed due to physical injury or decay. When supported by a dental implant, crowns can be used to replace the entire tooth structure visible above the gum line. They are carefully shaped to closely resemble natural teeth and are made of strong and durable materials that mimic the optical properties of dental enamel. If you have lost one or two of your teeth, you will most likely have implant-supported crowns placed.

The image above clearly shows the titanium dental implant, which serves as the “anchoring root” for an artificial tooth crown. Usually, the only visible component of this tooth replacement technology is the durable ceramic crown and this is fabricated to be virtually indistinguishable from any of the neighboring natural teeth.

Abutment or “Collar”: The abutment is the component that connects the ceramic crown (replacement tooth) to the dental implant, which resides below the gum line. Together, the implant, abutment and crown make up an entire replacement tooth.

Bridge (Fixed): A fixed bridge is essentially a complete set of artificial teeth and gums, usually made from a durable metal framework along acrylic or ceramic teeth, which is held permanently in place using dental implants in NJ. A bridge is carefully fabricated to closely resemble a full set of natural teeth and gums and is an excellent solution for patients who have lost most or all of their original adult teeth or who suffer from a failing dentition. Owing to the durability of the materials from which it is made, a fixed bridge can also support a strong and natural bite, enabling patients to eat most foods.

Stay Tuned for Part 2

To learn more about dental implants and oral health terminology, stay tuned for the second installment of this four-part article series.