Different Dental Implant Systems

Dental Implants have risen in popularity since the 1960’s, establishing themselves as the premier option for premium tooth replacement. The benefits are numerous; stability, durability, and jaw stimulation. However, there are multiple kinds of implants and Dental Systems that allow Implants to function in the ways Doctors and patients desire. There are all on ones, all on fours, mini dental implants, implant supported dentures. Any number of ways to integrate implant support with tooth replacement.

 

The Tooth Loss dilemma

 

It is all too common for patients to experience tooth loss and dental decay. Patients tend to live longer lives, with multiple stages and lifestyles throughout. Diets change, people gravitate towards sugary or high carb foods for comfort, then pivot to high protein during health focused times. All this to say, an implant has never been more important for the patient. A tooth replacement option that can last 60-70 years is at an all time premium. There are businesses out there competing with the dental market, offering nearly free teeth, or cost saving implant options and alternatives. No matter the system or alternative that people choose, the basic need is not going anywhere.

 

Patients may have more data accessible than ever before about the importance of hygiene, the dangers of smoking and sugars, and the necessity to prioritize whole health and dental health; however tooth loss continues. Whether it is due to population growth, food choices, or disease and infection is unclear. The fact remains, Dental Implants are a crucial and necessary part of the future of Dentistry. The potential for new technologies to make Implants more accessible, easier to perform, more cost effective, and less complicated for the general public is there.

 

The Top Dental Implants in the Market

 

Many companies make and offer Implants, however, most Dentists prefer one of the top 6 brands. This is mainly do to quality, experience, and confidence in the product. Although, it would be impossible to discount that companies like these incentivize Doctors to use and market their products.

 

Patients are also becoming savvy with the development of knowledge bases surrounding the industry. Like any other market, some will develop brand loyalty. Some will do research and make decision on their health in conjunction with the Doctor’s recommendation; and some will seek Doctors who are willing to use the brands they associate with strong success rates and research. This creates two markets; one where the Doctor is the prime product, and one where the implant itself is. There is a third consideration for the Doctors themselves, wherein they consider the availability of the brands and products they choose based on their availability worldwide and availability of product in order to do repairs or alterations. This will matter less as the Laboratory technology advances within the practice itself. If the market continues to dictate though, the proficiency of the Doctor in the use of any or all of these top brands will create a demand for the Doctor’s services over others.

 

Research

 

The demand for documentation and research within Dental Implants continues to grow as demand for the implants themselves experiences a boom. As newer variations and developments within Dentistry develop, there is a near-immediate demand for up to date research on the viability and production results of these developments. This being said, Doctors are further incentivized to utilize products created by the larger and most well-known companies because of their existing research and development infrastructure.

 

When it comes to the incipient placement of the implant, the biomechanics of the implant will need to be backed with said research. For instance, if a particular anchor is placed with a lower success rate for integration, research will need to be provided to demonstrate why this anchor would still be a viable option, and what percentage of patients experienced rejection of the implant. In creating and maintaining this research, top companies are creating a transparency and dependability with the patient and Dental community in a way that larger generalized companies simply are not.

 

How to Decide between Top Companies

 

It is best to begin with research and understanding of each particular system available. Many doctors will experience some systems throughout residency and training, and will continue to be incentivized to learn more through study clubs and continuing education services. Doctors will want to know which systems are more apt for low bone density, which systems have a higher success rate with smokers or diabetics, and so forth. The literature and research is available, it simply takes time invested into each to learn about different applications of different systems. Doctors will also gain from meeting with sales representatives to hear the pitch, the story, and a few top selling pieces of information i.e. best performing, highest selling, lowest cost in market. Many practices will look to leverage 1-2 systems, in order to accomplish the largest net of service provided, with the least amount of time invested in tertiary services.

 

Implant Types

 

As practices move forward with Implant systems and distributors, they will then want to investigate the minutiae within the implant system itself. When to choose one crown material over another–where, when, and how to adhere the anchor into the jaw depending on the situation in front of them. Most of this is left to experience, or the experience of colleagues whom they trust. The systems that practices use will help advise them on when to use a cement adherent for the anchor as opposed to ones that are retained using screw threads. These recommendations will be based on the retrievability of the implant, in the event that it needs to be altered. The doctor may learn to make different decision in the implant system based on the angle that the crown or abutment need to sit, for example.

 

Custom and Stock Abutments

 

Stock Abutments are a viable and useful tool to aid in the healing and implantation process. However due to cost effectiveness and usability, they are often considered best used at the tissue or bone level, and should not enter the esthetic zone. Stock Abutments allow for easier impressions to be taken, but are difficult to work with crowns designed for precise emergence profiles, or those in especially constricted esthetic areas, due to the stock nature of the piece. They will also force the tissue around them to conform to the stock shape.

 

Custom Abutments

 

Custom abutments may be milled into the perfect size and shape for applications, particularly those in high esthetic zones with prominent emergence dependent on strong impressions. The size and shape is malleable prior to placement, allowing the tissue around it to develop in a preferred way.

 

Crown Usage with Custom Abutments

 

The type of crowns used when placing a custom abutment will depend on the adhering principle used in the placement, the material’s desired by the patient, and the esthetic design of the crown itself. High success rates are attributed to porcelain fused to metal (PFM) crowns, full zirconia, and full gold. However, due to the relatively recent development of Zirconia as a popular crown material, the least research is available on this type of crown.

 

Zirconia Crown vs Titanium Crowns

 

For years Titanium was the standard for dental implants. As a strong and durable metal, it made sense as an anchoring piece. It also showed very high integration with patients and a relatively low rejection rate. In the modern era as implants developed and patients became more informed, they became less interested in hard metal screws, and concerned about potential metal leeching. Then entered the Zirconia crown. Zirconia is incredibly durable and resilient, and has been shown to osseointegrate to similar results as Titanium.

 

Model Less Restoration Systems

 

The Dental Impression is the traditional backbone of the dental implant. However it has limiting factors based on technological availability and the skill of the doctor who takes the impression. Errors in Dental impressions can often lead to implant failure, bleeding, and profound pain for the patient. Due to these factors, much has been invested in systems that rely on computer modeling, AI, and data analysis as opposed to the human dependent impression system. Much is being invested into system with oral scanners that collect data point in order to conceive modeling for digitally based impressions. The proliferance of this technology will affect laboratory work, and require cloud based servers to handle larger files, conversions, and transfers from different formats.

 

Growing with your Practice

 

Many systems are available for any given Doctor, in any given practice. The choice to use on over the other may depend on the demographics of the patients you serve, the production that you typically enjoy doing, and the comfort you have with new technology. As the world of Dental Implants continues to boom, the practice which grows with technology, and allows themselves to grow as practitioner, is the one which succeeds. Within years, it is not unimaginable to see dental impressions based solely on data collection, or implants made entirely of ceramic, come to prominence. It may be rarer, to see Implant specialists who are proficient in enough of these technologies to remain relevant.

 

Dental Implants for Seniors