Dental Health Magazine Dental Health Magazine Issue 8 | Page 24

24
Issue #8, December 2017
(a)Patient wearing a
removable denture
(b) Completed
implant fixed
ceramic bridge with
better esthetic
A dental implant is essentially a titanium
metal screw, normally between 8 to 16
mm long, which is inserted into a prepared
bony socket in the jaw. It will act as a
replacement root for the missing tooth. A
specially made titanium metal attachment
called the abutment will be attached onto
the implant, which forms the external
connection for the new replacement tooth
(crown) or teeth (bridge or denture).
During healing, the titanium surface of the
implant fuses with the surrounding bone,
in a process known as osseointegration,
which can take about 3-6 months. After
this time, the implant is sufficiently strong
to support one or more false teeth.
2
Is the material used
to make dental
implant safe?