Dental implants: The future of dental medicine

MANILA, Philippines - Dental implants are becoming a more popular and preferred procedure among patients who want more durable, permanent-looking teeth. From 1983 to 2008, dental implant procedures performed in the United States increased tenfold, putting at $150 million the dental implants produced in 2008 compared to only $10 million in 1988. To date, about three million Americans have availed themselves of dental implants and that number is growing by 500,000 per year, according to data from the American Academy of Implant Dentistry website.

In the Philippines, implant dentistry is yet to attain such popularity, but the possibility is imminent with the growing number of Filipinos demanding a better quality of life. Studies also show that as the life span of humans increases, the need for some type of permanent dental replacement system becomes very important to overall health.

Oral or dental implants are replacement tooth roots that provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth, which are made to match natural teeth. They provide a cutting-edge treatment for people with missing teeth, complementing standard treatment options like bridges and dentures.

“Our teeth are more important than we think they are. They provide better chewing function as well as help maintain an aesthetically pleasing facial profile. With dental implants, you can achieve a whole set of teeth that can function as optimally as they should,” explains Dr. Hermogenes Villareal, oral surgeon/ implantologist and chairman of the Department of Dentistry of the Asian Hospital and Medical Center.

With a dental implant, a person can lead a normal life, as though he/she never suffered from a missing tooth or teeth. The implant crown lasts longer and requires fewer follow-up visits to the dentist. It also reduces the amount of bone loss in the area of the missing tooth which, when left untreated, can deform facial contours. More importantly, the implant looks and feels and even functions like natural teeth, so the person would be able to chew food well, speak naturally, and socialize confidently.

Asian Hospital and Medical Center recently conducted a multiple live surgery on intraosseus dental implants attended by dental practitioners, dental specialists, and oral implantologists as well as dental students.

Organized by the Asian Hospital Department of Dental Medicine and the Philippine Academy of Implant Dentistry, the event featured three live surgeries: immediate implant placement, multiple implant placement, and sinus lift with bone grafting procedure and implant placement, conducted by Asian Hospital’s top dental implantologists using only state-of-the-art dental apparatus, implant systems, and medical facilities. 

To know more about dental implants, call the Asian Hospital and Medical Center at 771-9000 to 02 or visit www.asianhospital.com.