People who have lost their teeth and want a more permanent replacement can have a dental implant, where a titanium-based metal is screwed into the jaw bone and a crown is placed on top. The advantage of a dental implant is that the gums do not recede due to the absence of the teeth’s root. The jaw bone also regenerates around the implant, making it permanent.
Bone lost or damaged due to accidents can also be reconstructed using titanium screws and plates.
New developments led to the use of porous materials such as ceramic instead of pure metal. This is to replace heavy implant material to lighter ones, and replicate the surface structure of natural bone.
