Are normal dental implants also suitable for patients who are at increased risk of periodontitis?
Conventional titanium dental implants usually offer a safe treatment option with a 95 percent success rate. However, “normal” dental implants have some problem areas that make them unsuitable for periodontitis and high-risk patients.
What are the problem areas here?
In order to ensure a successful supply of dental implants, the dental implant must grow together with the jawbone. To this end, dental implants have been optimized with regard to their surface structure over the years. Today’s dental implants have a roughened surface. This not only promotes bone growth, but also the connection between the dental implants and the bone.
Since titanium dental implants are contaminated by small amounts of nickel and tin and there is direct contact between the metal surface and the bone cells, diffusion of metal ions cannot be ruled out. For example, there may be an allergic reaction to dental implants.
In order to make the provision of dental implants possible for periodontitis and risk patients, it is necessary that the metal surface of the dental implants is covered with a sufficiently thick titanium oxide layer.
Are there other problems that periodontitis and high-risk patients need to know about dental implant care?
Two other problems with normal dental implants can be mentioned. If you consider the connection piece between the implant part inserted in the bone and the build-up part, which serves as the basis for a tooth crown or prosthesis, there is a great risk that harmful bacteria will penetrate into the interior of the implant and cause inflammation, so-called peri-implantitis. If such an inflammation occurs, the loss of the dental implant is possible.
Dental implants specially designed for periodontitis and high-risk patients are equipped with a “Swiss pocket watch seal”. This prevents the micro movements between the dental implant and the abutment and thus the penetration of inflammatory bacteria.
What exactly is peri-implantitis?
Peri-implantitis is the, usually irreversible, inflammation of the tissue surrounding the implant. If peri-implantitis is not treated, bone is broken down and ultimately the tooth implant is lost. A lot of patients underestimate the large number of so-called “late implant losses”, which are often due to peri-implantitis.
Of course, there are other factors that can lead to implant loss, including:
- Wrong prosthetic load
- General diseases such as B. Diabetes
Lack of aftercare
With the help of special dental implants for periodontitis and high-risk patients, the risk of peri-implantitis can be significantly reduced.