The primary use of<unk> s is to support dental prosthetics (i.e. false teeth). Modern<unk> s make use of osseointegration, the biologic process where bone fuses tightly to the surface of specific materials such as titanium and some ceramics. The integration of<unk>  and bone can support physical loads for decades without failure. The US has seen an increasing use of<unk> s, with usage increasing from 0.7% of patients missing at least one tooth (1999 - 2000), to 5.7% (2015 - 2016), and was projected to potentially reach 26% in 2026.<unk> s are used to replace missing individual teeth (single tooth restorations), multiple teeth, or to restore edentulous dental arches<unk>  retained fixed bridge,<unk> -supported overdenture). Do note that alternative treatments to tooth loss are available (see Missing tooth replacement, Tooth Loss).<unk> s are also used in orthodontics to provide anchorage (orthodontic mini<unk> s). An evolving field is the use of<unk> s to retain obturators (removable prosthesis used to fill a communication between the oral and maxillary or nasal cavities). Facial prosthetics, used to correct facial deformities (e.g. from cancer treatment or injuries) can use connections to<unk> s placed in the facial bones. Depending on the situation the<unk>  may be used to retain either a fixed or removable prosthetic that replaces part of the face. Single tooth<unk>  restoration Single tooth restorations are individual freestanding units not connected to other teeth or<unk> s, used to replace missing individual teeth. For individual tooth replacement, an<unk>  abutment is first secured to the<unk>  with an abutment screw. A crown (the dental prosthesis) is then connected to the abutment with dental cement, a small screw, or fused with the abutment as one piece during fabrication.<unk> s, in the same way, can also be used to retain a multiple tooth dental prosthesis either in the form of a fixed bridge or removable dentures. There is limited evidence that<unk> -supported single crowns perform better than tooth-supported fixed partial dentures (FPDs) on a long-term basis. However, taking into account the favorable cost-benefit ratio and the high<unk>  survival rate,<unk>  therapy is the first-line strategy for single-tooth replacement.<unk> s preserve the integrity of the teeth adjacent to the edentulous area, and it has been shown that<unk>  therapy is less costly and more efficient over time than tooth-supported FPDs for the replacement of one missing tooth. The major disadvantage of<unk>  surgery is the need for a surgical procedure.<unk>  retained fixed bridge or<unk>  supported bridge An<unk>  supported bridge (or fixed denture) is a group of teeth secured to<unk> s so the prosthetic cannot be removed by the user. They are similar to conventional bridges, except that the prosthesis is supported and retained by one or more<unk> s instead of natural teeth. Bridges typically connect to more than one<unk>  and may also connect to teeth as anchor points. Typically the number of teeth will outnumber the anchor points with the teeth that are directly over the<unk> s referred to as abutments and those between abutments referred to as pontics.<unk>  supported bridges attach to<unk>  abutments in the same way as a single tooth<unk>  replacement. A fixed bridge may replace as few as two teeth (also known as a fixed partial denture) and may extend to replace an entire arch of teeth (also known as a fixed full denture). In both cases, the prosthesis is said to be fixed because it cannot be removed by the denture wearer.<unk> -supported overdenture A removable<unk>  supported denture (also an<unk>  supported overdenture) is a removable prosthesis which replaces teeth, using<unk> s to improve support, retention and stability. They are most commonly complete dentures (as opposed to partial), used to restore edentulous dental arches. The dental prosthesis can be disconnected from the<unk>  abutments with finger pressure by the wearer. To enable this, the abutment is shaped as a small connector (a button, ball, bar or magnet) which can be connected to analogous adapters in the underside of the dental prosthesis. Orthodontic mini-implants (TAD)<unk> s are used in orthodontic patients to replace missing teeth (as above) or as a temporary anchorage device (TAD) to facilitate orthodontic movement by providing an additional anchorage point. For teeth to move, a force must be applied to them in the direction of the desired movement. The force stimulates cells in the periodontal ligament to cause bone remodeling, removing bone in the direction of travel of the tooth and adding it to the space created. In order to generate a force on a tooth, an anchor point (something that will not move) is needed. Since<unk> s do not have a periodontal ligament, and bone remodelling will not be stimulated when tension is applied, they are ideal anchor points in orthodontics. Typically,<unk> s designed for orthodontic movement are small and do not fully osseointegrate, allowing easy removal following treatment. They are indicated when needing to shorten treatment time, or as an alternative to extra-oral anchorage. Mini-implants are frequently placed between the roots of teeth, but may also be sited in the roof of the mouth. They are then connected to a fixed brace to help move the teeth. Small Diameter<unk> s (Mini<unk> s) The introduction of small-diameter<unk> s has provided dentists the means of providing edentulous and partially edentulous patients with immediate functioning transitional prostheses while definitive restorations are being fabricated. Many clinical studies have been done on the success of long term usage of these<unk> s. Based on the findings of many studies, mini<unk> s exhibit excellent survival rates in the short to medium term (3-5 years). They appear to be a reasonable alternative treatment modality to retain mandibular complete overdentures from the available evidence.
Dental implant
Root analogue dental implant
Dental vibration appliance
Brain implant
Facial implant
Surgery for temporomandibular joint dysfunction
Shoulder surgery
Facial prosthetic