Dental implant success may be achieved by the Bone-Creating Proteins
Dental implants are only applicable in cases where the jaw bone is strong enough to anchor the implant. One of the major causes of loss of teeth is bone-thinning and if this is the case it might be difficult to replace the teeth with prosthetic ones using dental implants. The current solution to a weak jaw structure is bone grafting; a method that entails strengthening of the jaw bone to create a firm base to support the implant.
The technique is however challenging because it involves extra surgeries to graft the bone, and the patient has to wait for some for the graft to heal before the implant is fixed.
Dr. Ulf M.E. Wikesjo, who is the Dean for the department of Enterpriese and Research in GHSU Dental Medicine College, gathered a team and conducted a research that revealed that implanting bone structure morphogenetic protein will help in faster regeneration of new bone within a period of four weeks as opposed to the use of conventional means of bone grafting.
The team established that BMP method of bone stimulated the development of a more superior quality of bone structure. The method has also considerably increased the probability of successful implants, therefore making a breakthrough in implant dentistry. Dr Wikesjo describes the method as being exceptional and easy to use since it is an off-the-shelf invention that is expected to achieve greater success levels of implant dentistry procedure.
In the statistics provided by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, about 69% of people between the ages of 35-44 have missing teeth due to tooth decay, trauma or other related diseases, and 26% of the population loose all their permanent teeth by the age of 74. Dentures and bridges were the methods commonly used prior to the invention of dental implants, which were not only uncomfortable but also caused further tooth loss. Dental implants come with an array of benefits including; durability, enhanced appearance, better dental health and hygiene and convenience.