What Is Osseointegration?

Among the main treatments that we offer at Implantation Dental Center involves the placement of dental implants. Likely the most important aspect of any dental implant procedure is the eventual osseointegration process that occurs. This process is vital to the ongoing success of the dental implant, which is why you should know more about what osseointegration means and how it could affect your treatment.

 

What Does Osseointegration Refer To?

To understand what osseointegration refers to, you should first understand what a dental implant is. Whether you have one or multiple teeth that need to be replaced, dental implants are able to act as artificial teeth for any tooth that you’re missing. A dental implant is comprised of a durable titanium screw that’s implanted directly into the jaw bone. This screw will serve as the base for the artificial tooth that’s placed on top of it. Once the screw has been placed into the treatment area, you will need to wait for anywhere from 2-6 months before the artificial tooth can be attached to the implant, which is necessary because of the osseointegration process.

 

Osseointegration is a process that occurs when the metal in your mouth fuses with the surrounding bone. In order for your dental implant to be successful, it’s absolutely essential that the titanium screw is able to be integrated with the jawbone that it’s attached to. After the screw has been installed, the cells of the jawbone will start to attach themselves to the surface of the titanium screw, which will effectively lock the implant to the bone. When this process has been completed, it’s safe for the artificial tooth to be attached to the implant.

 

How Long Does This Process Take?

 

The rate at which the bone heals around the implant can depend on a variety of factors, the primary of which is based on your genetics. Some people are able to heal at a more rapid pace than others. On average, the osseointegration process should take around 2-6 months to be completed.

 

What Can Cause Osseointegration to Fail?

 

The osseointegration process actually has a very high rate of success, which means that it’s unlikely that your implant will fail. If there’s a chance of failure, it’s likely that our dentists will be able to identify the problem before the implant is ever installed. However, there are some issues that you might want to be aware of. For instance, an insufficient amount of bone mass in the jaw can cause the osseointegration process to fail, which essentially means that the jawbone wasn’t strong enough to accommodate the implant. If you tend to smoke, the effects of doing so can heighten the risk of failure with osseointegration. The same is also true with individuals who are suffering from diabetes or are taking specific medications.

 

When you’re missing a tooth or have a tooth that likely needs to be replaced in the near future, our dentists at the Implantation Dental Center will make sure that all of your needs are met. We have the expertise necessary to correct a wide range of dental issues that you might be suffering from. If you wait too long to have a dental issue treated, it’s possible that the condition will worsen to the point where decay sets in, which is why you should have any serious dental issue treated early on. Contact our offices in Plantation today if you would like to take a closer look at your treatment options.