Dental implants are already a great success. More than 90% of people who get dental implants have success in the procedure, but there are still some difficulties we have to overcome in order to achieve a 100% success rate. (Probably never happen, but a dentist can dream, can’t he?)
Now Finnish researchers at Aalto University have come up with a solution that may help address one of the big threats to your dental implant success: bacterial infection.
A Coating Like Bone
Dental implants use many strategies to improve integration with your jawbone. One strategy that is commonly used is coating the dental implant with a bone-like material called hydroxyapatite. This material is a ceramic that is often used in bone grafting treatments, and it encourages the bone to recognize the dental implant as belonging in your jawbone and grow around it.
The problem with this coating is that it can become cracked and chipped during production. These coatings then are not as effective at encouraging bone growth, and, worse, the cracks can become harborages for bacteria that can then emerge to attack your tissue, which may increase the risk of implant failure.
But the researchers at Aalto University discovered that adding beta-tricalcium phosphate to the coating reduced the cracks in the coating. This means that the coating would adhere to the implant better and have fewer harborages for bacteria.
Since about 10-15% of dental implant complications are related to bacterial infection–and most of the implant failures–this seems like a good step.
Other Ways to Reduce Risk of Infection
Infection is the biggest threat to the success of your dental implants. We make sure that your risk of infection is minimized and your dental implants are most likely to be successful.
First, the main risk to your dental implants is periodontal disease, which we make sure to treat before you receive your dental implants. Next, we will make sure that your dental implant procedure is performed according to the best practices in dentistry. Finally, if necessary, we may prescribe antibiotics to help prevent infection.
And you can help, too. By practicing normal oral hygiene–brushing, flossing, and making your regular checkups–you can protect your dental implants from bacteria.
To learn more about dental implants and how we work to make them as successful as possible, please call Dental Excellence of Blue Bell in Philadelphia at (610) 272-0828.
