TY - JOUR
AU - Ritter, André V.
AB -  AndrC V. Ritter, DDS, M S W H A T ARE T H E Y ? Dental implants are devices designed to replace missing teeth. The term dental implant usually refers to the component that is placed in the upper or lower jawbone to substitute for the missing root or roots. The implant is typically a cylindrical unit that, once placed, integrates with the surrounding bone. When the implant is securely integrated in the bone, crowns or bridges can be attached to it to replace the missing tooth or teeth. Implant-supported crowns and bridges can be placed in areas where teeth are missing, thanks to the excellent biocompatibility and bone-integration capacity of available implant materials. Currently, most implants are made from titanium alloys. The same materials used to make implants in dentistry are used in orthopedics to make artificial joints and for the treatment of bone fractures. Most of the currently available implant techniques involve a twostep procedure. First, the gum tissue is surgically reflected, the implant is placed in the bone, and the gum tissue is stitched closed. Sometimes, the implant can be placed immediately after the extraction of a compromised tooth or root, in the same 
TI - Talking with Patients
JF - Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry
DO - 10.1111/j.1708-8240.2001.tb00273.x
DA - 2001-07-01
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/wiley/talking-with-patients-GYg003PiPZ
SP - 269
VL - 13
IS - 4
DP - DeepDyve
ER -