Dental Implants
What is dental implant treatment?
Dental implants are tissue-friendly titanium screws placed in the jawbone to replace teeth lost because of unrestorable decay, fractures, advanced gum problems, trauma or systemic disease. These screws take on the role of the tooth root and restore lost appearance and chewing function. In our clinic, as well as treating single missing teeth, the “All on Four”, “All on Six” and “All on Eight” concepts are used so that patients with no remaining teeth receive fixed crowns instead of removable (take-in-and-out) dentures, bringing quality of life to the highest level.
Who is it suitable for?
- All adult patients whose jaw and facial growth is complete and who have no general health problem,
- Those with one or more missing teeth who want to fill those spaces without cutting neighbouring healthy teeth (without a bridge),
- Fully edentulous patients who complain that the removable complete (full denture) prostheses they use in the lower or upper jaw move, come out of the mouth and make chewing difficult. (Patients with systemic conditions may receive implant treatment with their medical doctor’s approval and special precautions.)
How does treatment proceed?
- Examination and radiological planning: Clinical intra-oral examination and dental tomography (3D radiograph) are used to assess the density, height and thickness of the jawbone in millimetres and a treatment plan is drawn up.
- Surgical procedure: Under local anaesthesia, titanium implants are placed in the jawbone without pain. When all conditions are suitable, placing one implant is completed in as little as 3-5 minutes. In suitable cases, implant placement in the same session immediately after extraction (immediate implant) can also be performed.
- Healing (integration) period: Depending on the implant brand used, bone quality and the patient’s health, a waiting period of 0 to 6 months may be expected for the implant to fully integrate with the jawbone (osseointegration). Temporary prostheses are prepared during this period so that the patient is not left without teeth.
- Prosthetic stage: After healing is complete, porcelain or zirconium teeth made to the impression are fitted on the implants and treatment is finished.
Points to consider before treatment
- The patient’s general health and the medicines they use (especially blood-pressure, diabetes or osteoporosis medicines and blood thinners) must be reported to the dentist in full before the operation.
- Severe gum disease adversely affects implant success; oral hygiene must therefore be brought to an optimum level before the operation and existing gum inflammation treated.
- Smoking is one of the greatest risk factors delaying wound healing and making it harder for the implant to attach to bone. Smoking should be limited or stopped completely before and after treatment.
- Where bone volume is insufficient, it should be understood that bone graft (powder) applications together with or before the implant may be needed to make the site suitable.
Points to consider after treatment
- Healing period: Mild swelling (oedema) and pain may occur for a few days after the operation. To keep this to a minimum, intermittent ice packs should be applied for the first 24 hours and painkillers or antibiotics prescribed by the dentist must be taken without interruption.
- Diet: In the first days after the operation, very hot, cold, hard and grainy foods should be avoided; lukewarm, soft foods should be eaten.
- Oral care: Careful oral hygiene, as with natural teeth, is essential if the implant is to stay healthy in the mouth for many years. As well as toothbrushing, an interdental brush and dental floss must be used.
- Protective measures: Patients who clench or grind their teeth (bruxism) must use the night guards recommended by the dentist to prevent excessive load on implant-supported porcelain.
Absolutely not. Implant procedures are carried out under local anaesthesia. Bone tissue becomes numb much more readily than tooth tissue. Patients therefore feel no pain during the procedure. Any mild aching that may occur after the operation is easily relieved with routine painkillers.
The greatest advantage of implant treatment is that the healthy teeth next to the space are not touched at all. For a bridge, neighbouring healthy teeth have to be cut and reduced. In addition, the jawbone resorbs over time when it is not used (when it remains toothless). The implant transmits chewing force to the bone in that area again, stopping and protecting against bone loss.
This depends on bone density, the type of procedure and the implant’s primary stability (initial hold). If conditions allow, permanent or temporary teeth can be fitted on the day the implant is placed (immediate loading). If a healing period is needed because of bone quality, temporary prostheses are provided to address the aesthetic gap and permanent teeth are placed a few months later.
After a detailed intra-oral examination in the clinic, three-dimensional dental tomography (CBCT), the most definitive diagnostic method, is used to examine the thickness and density of the jawbone and its distance from the nerves in millimetres. In the light of these radiological findings, the bone’s suitability for an implant is established clearly.