About Dental Implant

Switzerland-based Straumann Group specializes in dental implants, restorative dentistry and tissue regeneration. Straumann traces its roots back to more than 50 years. It was established in 1954 in Waldenburg, a Swiss village, by Dr. Ing. Reinhardt Straumann.

Today, with its recent acquisition of ekton, a company focusing on CAD/CAM-based tooth replacement, Straumann monopolizes the dental sector when it comes to surgery, restoration and regeneration.

Straumann now manufactures in Switzerland and the U.S. dental implant components and instruments, and products related to dental tissue regeneration in Sweden. The company has over 1,600 employees globally, with their products readily available in over 60 countries.

More information on Wikipedia.

Image source: Straumann.com

Nobel Biocare is a dental implant company that also focuses on aesthetic dentistry. They are headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and in Gothenburg, Sweden. It was founded in 1981 as Nobelpharma, then in 1996 renamed as Nobel Biocare.

Nobel Biocare develops, produces and markets dental implants, bridges, crowns and veneers. They have four centers in Sweden and the U.S. and have sales organizations in over 30 countries. Nobel Biocare is listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange as well as the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The company’s world dental implant market share is estimated to be 35 percent. They have over 1,800 employees worldwide and revenue totaling up to 484.5 million euro as of 2005.

More information on Wikipedia.

Image source: Nobel Biocare

When it comes to health, everyone wants to have the best care. With more than a hundred dental implant companies in the U.S. alone, it’s hard to choose which one is the best. According to Wikipedia, these are presently the top dental implant companies:

Remember to do your homework and gather as much information as you can before choosing a dental implant company. Be in the know of their background. Never settle for anything less, especially when it comes to health care.

A successful outcome of a dental implant relies heavily on the dentist’s skill, the kind of bone where the implant will be placed and the patient’s oral health. Studies show a 90 to 95 percent success rate in a five-year period.

A dental implant is said to be unsuccessful if it gets lost, if there is bone loss of more than 1 mm in the first year and more than 0.2 mm the next year. Another factor that may contribute to the failure of a dental implant is if the patient has poor oral hygiene. Lastly, Smoking significantly decreases the success rate of a dental implant.

Image source: CSU Pumona

Dental implant is designed to replace a missing tooth and is composed of three parts: the titanium implant that fuses with the jawbone; the abutment, which fits over the portion of the implant that protrudes from the gum line; and the crown, which is created by a prosthodontist or restorative dentist and fitted onto the abutment for a natural appearance.
Most people who are missing single or more teeth opt for a fixed bridge; However, a bridge may require cutting down of healthy, adjacent teeth that may or may not need to be restored in the future. Then, there is the additional cost of possibly having to replace the bridge once, twice or more in the future. Similarly, a removable partial denture may contribute to the loss of adjacent teeth. Studies further shows that within five to seven years there is a failure rate of up to 30% in teeth located next to the fixed bridge or the removable partial denture. (Source:The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS))

As a new advancement on treating tooth loss due to gum disease, titanium dental implants coated with protein is the answer. MCG researchers did laboratory tests using protein to implants to direct endogenous stem cells in becoming bone-forming cells. The result was almost a complete regeneration of lost tissue. Around the teeth, the bone-forming cells grew into existing bone and eventually into bone themselves. But, the root of the tooth was destroyed by the replacement bone. That process prevented regeneration of other essential tissues around the tooth. More test to come in the near future to be able to make protein be usable in bone regeneration.

(Source:Science Daily)

There are three types of implants, and they can be described according to their shape and how they are attached to the jaw.

ENDOSSEOUS (en-doss-ee-us)-“within the bone”
These are implants that usually shaped like a screw or cylinder and are made either of metal, metal covered with ceramic, or ceramic material. They are placed within the patients jawbone. There are also blade-shaped implants.
SUBPERIOSTEAL (sub-pear-ee-oss-tee-al)-“on top of the bone”
These are implants consist of a metal framework that attaches on top of the jawbone but underneath the gum tissue.

TRANSOSTEAL (trans-oss-tee-al)-“through the bone”
These are implants that are either a metal pin or a U-shaped frame that passes through the jawbone and the gum tissue, into the mouth.

The dental specialist or general dentist is the one who chooses the type, size, and design of dental implant. This choice is made according to where the implant will be placed, what kind of bone and how much bone is available, and the design of the tooth or teeth that will be supported by the implant(s). Your dentist will be the one to determine which type is best suited to your needs.
(Source:New England Musculoskeletal Institute)

Researchers found out that with the use of a 3D-CT Scan in the mouth, they will be able to create and insert a full dental implant in just one day. Before, it takes 6 months in placing the implant and its crown but now with the use of the new imaging technique the surgeon can locate the exact spot in placing the implant. Also, the patient needs two surgeries before but now they can compress it to one day. Periodontists will first use CT scans to create a 3D model of the patient’s mouth. Furthermore, using the model as a guide, the doctor will locate the exact spot in the mouth to place the implant and the crown on top, all in one, it’s really a minimal invasive surgery.
(Photo Source:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050922014623.htm)