Glossary

One of the primary concerns in implant dentistry is ensuring that there is enough bone at the implant site to support the implant. Without adequate bone support, it’s unlikely that proper osseointegration will occur. Periodontists can augment the size of the bone crest with bone grafting, guided bone regeneration, a ridge split technique for placement, and distraction osteogenesis. However, newer technology has been developed to help facilitate dental implant success for patients who have a narrow ridge, which is a ridge smaller than six millimeters. A narrow ridge implant, such as Hoissen SS implants, are specifically designed for patients with narrow ridges. The implant itself is shorter and has a smaller diameter, allowing it to fit better in a narrow ridge. Narrow ridge implants are often more affordable and don’t require as much of a time commitment for the patient versus complex procedures like bone grafting or guided bone regeneration.

The nasopalatine nerve is a part of the parasympathetic nervous system. It is a branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion which passes through the sphenopalatine foramen, across the roof of the nasal cavity to the nasal septum, and obliquely downward to and through the incisive canal. The nasopalatine nerve innervates the anterior part of the hard palate and the mucosa of the nasal septum. A nasopalatine nerve block may be used as local anesthesia for some dental procedures, though it is often painful for the patient. This is due to the resistance of the dense tissue of the palate which requires greater pressure to overcome. It causes significant pain and may lead to tissue trauma. Nasopalatine nerve damage may occur following some types of dental work or after surgery on the nasal septum. This damage often causes a reduction in the sensitivity of the front teeth or the hard palate. Nasopalatine nerve numbness may also be a side effect of the above procedures or of a nasopalatine canal cyst.

In some patients needing a dental implant, the periodontist will need to connect the natural teeth to the bone-supported dental implant using a periodontal ligament that allows for partial movement. This is often the case in partially edentulous patients who have a mixed bite, where natural teeth alternate between spaces that need to be restored with an implant. Some dentists are more reserved about the long-term efficacy of connecting implants and natural teeth, primarily because of the mobility difference between the two. Sometimes, complications can result from the use of a rigid or non-rigid connection between a dental implant and a natural tooth, one of which being the intrusion of the natural tooth, where the natural tooth “intrudes” on the dental implant, potentially causing failure. It’s important that periodontists evaluate the risk of natural tooth intrusion when using the existing dentition of patients to anchor the dental implant hardware.

Navigation surgery, or surgical navigation systems, play an important role in accurate and effective surgical procedures. Imaging is often integrated into these systems using CAS (computer-assisted surgery) technology, making surgery significantly safer in most cases. CAS was first developed in the 1980s by neurosurgeons and ENTs, but the technology has a substantially wide variety of applications in the medical field today. One of the most notable applications is within the field of dental health, or more specifically, during periodontal surgery. Dental implants, for example, are reported to have a lower failure rate when done with CAS technology versus traditional placement techniques. Surgical navigation systems help make surgical procedures less invasive and therefore reduces the risk of potential complications. In implant dentistry, surgeries that once required a flap to be made to expose the alveolar ridge for implantation of the screw can now be done with a small or even no incision.