Why are implants so advantageous?
With a dental restoration supported on implants, you will once again feel as if you had your own teeth.
Tooth defects need to be repaired for health reasons, too, and not just for aesthetic reasons. If gaps between teeth are not closed, the remaining teeth loosen and start tilting towards the gaps. And, in time, the opposing teeth will also suffer and begin to lose their stability.
The main advantages of implant-based restorations:
- Dental restorations fixed to implants feel just like your own teeth with their own natural roots.
- They are very strong, like natural teeth.
- They look just like natural teeth.
- Modern implants are made of materials such as titanium or advanced zirconium oxide ceramic. Both materials are particularly suitable for patients with allergies and are highly biocompatible. They are securely fused with the bone.
- Surrounding teeth are conserved. They do not need to be ground down in order to create fitting points for the restoration.
- Implants can provide the fixing points for a secure and stable dental restoration even if there are only a few natural teeth remaining in the mouth.
- If there are no remaining natural teeth, implants are the best alternative for improving the security of the fit of a prosthesis, especially where conventional fixing methods have not been successful. (The conventional approach is to use the suction effect between a denture plate and the upper jaw – there is not enough space for this in the lower jaw). Even if the gums of the lower jaw have shrunk, it is still possible to use implants to provide a secure anchoring point for a prosthesis.
- Where there are no remaining natural teeth, and implants are used to secure a full denture, there is no need for a denture plate. Without the feeling of having something unnatural in your mouth, eating is much more of a pleasure, and you can chew and speak with confidence.
- A jaw with implants does not suffer from bone shrinkage in the area around the implants. The pressure caused by chewing is transmitted via the implant in the same way as it is by a natural root. This stimulation prevents the bone from wasting.
- If a number of back teeth are missing, implants can help keep the tissues of the jaw joint and the opposing jaw in condition. Many people find removable partials for slightly shortened tooth rows uncomfortable, so they don’t wear them. This leads to wastage. Fully implant-based or combination tooth/implant-based bridges do not present any comfort problems, and, because they will always be present in the jaw, they represent a highly advantageous treatment alternative for patients with shortened tooth rows.
- Dental restorations where there are jaw or facial injuries: If parts of the jaw are missing – perhaps due to an accident or the surgical removal of a tumour – it may be impossible, even after surgical reconstruction, to wear a conventional full denture. In such cases an implant-based dental restoration is often the only alternative.
- Important information for patients with German statutory health insurance: New rules governing the contributions paid by statutory health insurance funds towards dental restorations came into force in January 2005. Contributions are now fixed and based solely on the diagnosis.