IMPLANTOLOGY
A missing tooth, decay or fracture due to the natural process of aging, can cause an impact on the aesthetic, and function of teeth. In the long term, it can become a health problem, affecting our quality of life. In the absence of teeth, the best option to recover the full functionality of the mouth and achieve a great aesthetic result is a dental implant.
Dental implants are artificial substitutes of the roots of natural teeth and allow us to restore from the loss of a tooth to rehabilitation of the entire mouth.
They are implanted in the maxillary or mandibular bone and aesthetically and functionally replace
our teeth.
They allow us to create a solid piece to be able to place over them partial or total dental
prostheses, with the aim of restoring lost or deteriorated function and aesthetic. Implants are the
best substitute for the natural loss of teeth because once the prosthesis is placed, the aesthetics
and functionality are restored.
Patients who have lost one or more teeth are candidates for implant treatment. Having a good general oral health is one of the most important requirements for patients. All present infections, including periodontal disease and caries, should be controlled before the placement of the implants. In addition, a thorough radiological and clinical study is necessary to ensure correct bone availability. The implants need a minimum of height and bone width to be able to be placed.
We observed three-dimensional bone through an intraoral computerized tomography (CT) guided by the ideal reconstruction of the teeth made by the specialist. In case there is not enough bone, bone regeneration techniques can be performed prior to the placement of the implants.
Implants can be placed immediately or later when we extract a tooth once the bone crest is healed. Immediate implants can only be placed in specific clinical situations and help us reduce the total time of treatment.
An osteotomy is performed until the desired diameter and length is achieved and the implant is inserted. Implants can be restored on the same day of their placement. This allows an immediate aesthetic recovery. This restoration will be temporary since the implants need a period of osseointegration (approximately 2 months) before the placement of a definitive prosthesis.
Implant placement is currently performed under local anesthesia and is an absolutely painless procedure. If a patient has anxiety, they can be placed under conscious sedation. After the insertion, and once the effect of the anesthesia has ended, the patient may feel a slight discomfort. A correct medication is prescribed to counteract the discomfort and prevent infections and, as long as the patient follows the post-operative instructions exhaustively, recovery will be prompt and painless.
Most patients mention that the procedure of placing an implant is much more comfortable than they had anticipated. The specialist will prescribe medication to relieve any discomfort that may occur after treatment.
By means of a three-dimensional scanner, previous planning allows us to place the implants virtually in the computer. With this planning, an individualized splint or template is used as a surgical guide without opening the gum in the previously planned position.
In order to prevent complications, it is important to have exhaustive care of dental implants. In this way, they will be better preserved and complications from poor oral hygiene will be avoided.
We must brush with delicacy and constancy and always remember to clean teeth with tooth brush or dental floss.
The oral water irrigator or Waterpik will help you at improving the care of dental implants. It has several heads that you can use for different purposes, and among them, there are some specific dental implants health care.
It is necessary to program visit and radiographic controls since dental implants will always be controlled to detect and treat any possible complications on time. In addition, in this way you will always have your oral health well controlled, avoiding possible complications.
The patient should always see a specialist to evaluate if the implants are the optimal solution.
Implant treatment is highly predictable, with 98% of success. Even in the most complicated cases such as patients with not enough bone, the acceptance rate is very high.
The risks associated with the placement of a dental implant can occur due to poor oral hygiene, an unfavorable bone pattern or the presence of pre-existing conditions (diabetes and osteoporosis). These factors depend on the medical and individual conditions of each patient. Although they do exist, complications are rare, and when they occur they are usually mild and easy to treat. After a recovery period, the implant can be placed again with success.
We speak of implant rejection when it is not well fixed to the bone within 6-8 weeks after the surgery. The reason for the rejection of dental implants is due to the formation of a tissue between the bone and the implant that prevents it from being firmly fixed. This tissue does not appear when the implant is osseo-integrated.
We do not take any risks when we talk about security and reliability . Our dental implants and regenerative materials are scientifically supported by continuous research that ensures the highest success rates.Not all of the materials have the same quality or the same features. We can notice that in the price of the treatment.
You should inform yourself before hiring any service, especially if the price is too cheap.
A professional will always use the best technology, the appropriate treatment and will have no doubts when answering any patient’s doubts.
Dental checkups are very important for implants to last a lifetime. Inadequate dental care or lack of treatment when necessary, are the most common reasons of dental problems. It happens the same for implants. Nobody can guarantee how long will implants last because the health of a person depends on many factors that are beyond the control of the dentist. For example, basic nutritional needs, proper hygiene, genetics and disease processes that could occur.
It is recommended not to smoke anything during the first week of implant placement, since tobacco, being a vasoconstrictor, interferes in bone recovery and healing. After a week, smoking is allowed up to a maximum of 10 cigarettes a day.
Now it is possible for the patient to have a dental implant and a crown on the same day. With this new technique, you recover your teeth in the same dentist appointment, without waiting for 6 weeks that you had to wait with traditional techniques. It is the best alternative to place dental implants.
If possible, the specialist will be in charge of assessing the possible bone regeneration. The bone regeneration procedure consists of filling the area of bone loss with artificial bone. In this way, natural bone is formed around the dental implant.
1. Bone Graft or Guided Bone Regeneration
The bone graft procedure is performed when the patient does not have enough remaining bone, usually in width.
The most common and simple way to perform this procedure is to apply a synthetic powder bone graft, around the implant done in the same surgical procedure. Thus the implant and the bone are placed in a single step.
2. Elevation of Sinus
The sinus lift procedure is performed when the patient does not have sufficient maxillary bone.
In this case, a synthetic bone graft is also used, which is placed a few months before introducing the implant. It is done through the gum where the future implant will go, increasing the amount of bone in the area. When this bone graft is already integrated with the patient's bone and reaches the necessary bone maturity, then the implant is introduced in the area previously prepared for it.