Benefits of Pterygoid Implants
In the past the loss of a tooth meant losing some degree of both your perceived appearance and the ability to chew normally. Losing several teeth might mean losing some self-confidence, self-esteem, and some of your normal speech. Dental technologies have advanced and improved today that tooth loss no longer has such negative implications. Your dentist can now help you reclaim your healthy smile with a dental implant treatment.
There is now extensive research, successful results, and specific training in the use of dental implants for tooth replacement. Your dentist can offer pterygoid implants if you are diagnosed with unusual circumstances.
What are Pterygoid Implants?
Pterygoid implants are innovative special dental implants that are ideal if you have suffered significant atrophy and shrinkage of your upper jawbone. When you lose a tooth or teeth, the jawbone in the immediate area loses the pressure vibration from chewing that stimulates natural jawbone regeneration. As a result, the jawbone will gradually shrink, decreasing in density and mass. This loss of jawbone integrity can make it extremely difficult for a standard dental implant to properly fuse and integrate into your jawbone. There just is not enough strong bone tissue to successfully support the implant post, which functions as an artificial root.
The pterygoid implant is a creative alternative to the traditional implant. This tiny post is now inserted at a 45-degree angle into your medial pterygoid plate, which is a bone situated above your upper mandible. This type of surgical placement offers a number of advantages if you lack adequate bone structure in this area.
What are the Benefits of Pterygoid Implants?
Pterygoid dental implants offer a variety of significant benefits in the instance of inadequate bone density in the upper jaw. These include:
- Eliminating the need for sinus augmentation- Previously when the only option was to use standard dental implant techniques and if you had insufficient upper jawbone density you would have needed sinus augmentation as a preparatory step for your dental implant treatment. Because the pterygoid implant is now inserted into a different bone, this step is no longer necessary.
- Avoiding bone grafting- Bone grafting is also a frequent and common procedure that is performed to augment jawbone structure when there is shrinkage. This process can require months for healthy integration before the dental implant can be placed. This step can also be avoided because the pterygoid implant is not inserted into your jawbone.
- Can be combined with other types of dental implants- Being a viable candidate for one or more pterygoid implants does not mean that is all you qualify for. If your case involves more significant tooth replacement, your dentist may recommend combining pterygoid implants with traditional implants in the areas of your jaw where sufficient density is available.
- Success- Pterygoid implants have a success rate higher than 95 percent.
Are Pterygoid Implants Permanent?
All dental implants are intended to become permanent restorations. The pterygoid implant is no different. The key to being permanent is that the implant becomes integrated in the bone where it is placed. Whether that is the jawbone, or the pterygoid plate, is irrelevant. If you continue to practice good daily hygiene to take proper of your oral health, you can expect your dental implants to last forever.