Both in America and the UK dental implants have seen a huge surge in popularity as an effective means of replacing missing teeth or those that have been badly damaged by disease or decay. When it comes to dental implants in Richmond and elsewhere in the country, the success rate of dental implants is pretty impressive standing at around 90-95%. When dental implants do fail the cause is often infection which has an impact on the healing process, weakening the surrounding bone tissue and causing the implant to become loose and to fall out. This infection can be due to the recipient failing to follow after care procedures and not maintaining a high level of oral hygiene.
The exciting news for dentists and their patients is that scientists in the US have discovered that by coating the implants in nanotubes, infection is greatly reduced and the healing process is speeded up.
Ti02Nanotubes
Titanium is used in dental implants because it has the ability to fuse with bone and regenerate new cells in a process called osseointegration, thus forming a sturdy platform in which to anchor the implant and the replacement tooth. Tests carried out by scientists have shown that titanium coated with titanium dioxide (Ti02) nanotubes not only adheres to bone better than conventional titanium surfaces, but also encourages the bone cells to regenerate faster.
In addition they have shown that the titanium dioxide nanotubes could be infused with an anti-inflammatory drug such as sodium naproxen as well as anti-bacterial silver nanoparticles which would kill germs, releasing the drugs gradually to aid mouth recovery following surgery.
An assistant professor of mechanical engineering from Mitchigan Technological University, Tolu Shokuhfar, said in a recent news article that toxicity tests had been carried out on the nanotubes, and not only were no cells killed but growth of the bone cells were accelerated. She went on to say that Ti02 nanotube covered implants would easily slot into today’s implant market. She also explained that nanotubes are in essence just a thicker version of native oxide which is similar to the white pigment used in so many different products including multi vitamins, toothpaste, cosmetics, and paint.
If and when nanotube covered implants become available it could raise the success rate of dental implants even higher and help patients fight infection in the critical post surgery weeks.
Meanwhile if you’d like more information regarding a dental implant in Richmond or would like to book a free consultation appointment, then give Sheen Dental a call on 020 8876 5277 or visit the website at www.sheendental.co.uk. Dr Harmit Kalsi and his friendly team look forward to meeting you.