Dental Implants: A Review

Dental caries and periodontal disease have historically been considered the most important global oral health burdens. More recent epidemiological data seem to show an increasing trend of tooth loss due to periodontal reasons rather than caries; the presence of initial attachment loss, bone height and the habit of smoking significantly increase the risk of tooth mortality. A dental implant is a titanium screw which is placed into bone to replace missing teeth. The implant mimics the root of a tooth in function. A key advance in dentistry has been the flourishing replacement of lost natural teeth by osseointegrated implants and the current and future application of implants to support intraand extra-oral prostheses is a great implication in restoring dental health.