Even though general health around the world is improving rapidly, as is dental health specifically, tooth loss is still common. This is partially because as life expectancy increases, tooth loss among the elderly is also increasing.

However, if you have experienced the loss of a tooth, titanium implants are an excellent choice for maintaining your smile. Dental implants have a 95% success rate, so they are considered one of the best tooth replacement options among patients.

Here you will find a guide to titanium implants, one of the most common forms of dental implant.

Why is titanium used in implants?

Titanium is used so frequently as part of a dental implant because of its biocompatibility, meaning it integrates with bone extremely well. Bone can grow on the surface of a titanium implant, making it immovable once this process occurs.

Usually, a titanium alloy is used for titanium implants, because experts have determined that pure titanium is too soft for a dental implant.

Titanium dental implants are also a good choice because they are very versatile. Titanium implants can be made as a one-piece or two-piece system, giving greater flexibility to dentists during the implant procedure in planning surgical placement as well as treatment.

Titanium implants can also be used to support overdentures in addition to fixed restoration.

How long do titanium teeth implants last?

Other forms of tooth replacement like dental bridges, or partial or full dentures, might not last long enough to be a permanent solution.

However, with the proper maintenance and care, as well as proper attention from a dental professional, titanium implants can last for several decades.

This permanence is because a titanium dental implant is affixed directly to the jaw, meaning that it doesn’t rely on any other teeth for assistance with support.

This is not the case with other methods of missing teeth replacement like dentures or dental bridges.

How safe are titanium dental implants?

Titanium dental implants have a high success rate, so you should feel entirely comfortable having one implanted into your mouth in place of a missing tooth.

Titanium implants have three main parts. The first part is the implant itself. This looks similar to a small screw and is inserted directly into the jawbone.

The second part of a titanium implant is often called the abutment. This small piece functions as a connector between the implant screw and the third part of the implant, which is called the crown. The crown is the artificial tooth that will be placed on top of the implant and secured through the abutment.

If you’re still worried about safety during the titanium implant procedure, it’s a great idea to talk to a dental professional about your fears. In this procedure, local anaesthesia is administered to minimise the pain felt by the patient.

However, if necessary, your dental professional might recommend further sedation to make the process less intimidating for you.

How long is the recovery period?

After receiving a titanium implant, recovery times can vary depending on the number of procedures necessary, as well as the general oral health of the patient.

If a patient requires a slightly more invasive bone graft procedure as an initial step of the implantation surgery, they will have to wait two to three months before proceeding with the rest of the implantation process. This is an important healing process and is necessary so the bone graft can heal and adhere in its new location before implantation occurs.

Post-implantation symptoms can include bruising, light bleeding, swelling, and some discomfort. However, some patients return to work the day after their procedure.

In most cases, over-the-counter pain medicine is sufficient to help patients deal with any residual discomfort or pain.

Final thoughts

If you’re looking to replace a missing tooth, please call Dental Spot on (02) 9158 6115 for more details about getting a titanium implant.