The best option for replacing missing teeth!
Dental Implants
Implantology
Dental implants have, without a doubt, revolutionized oral medicine. They currently are the best solution for replacing missing teeth. Loss of teeth represents a common dental problem that affects quality of life, self-confidence and, sometimes, can even affect overall health.
Dental implants are inserted in the place of tooth roots and bind to the jaw bone where they are placed, thus creating a solid and long-lasting structure. Any dentures that might be anchored on the implants look, feel and work like natural teeth.
What is a dental implant?
COMPONENTS OF DENTAL IMPLANTS
A dental implant is a titanium device in the shape of a small screw that serves as a replacement for the roots of a lost tooth. Titanium is used due to its resistance and biocompatibility. It can also be found in orthopedic prosthetics.
The amazing feature of the dental implants is the fact that they bind with the jaw bone, forming a unique structure. This process is called osteointegration. Osteointegration is basically a biochemical “bond” between living bone cells and an oxidative layer that forms on the surface of the titanium. The result is a perfect “anchor” for supporting a future prosthetic restoration.
Teeth on dental implants are resistant, fixed, stable, painless, long lasting and do not allow the formation of cavities.
Dental implants are the best solution for replacing missing teeth!
What are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
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Dental implants maintain the integrity of the jaw bone and of the facial structure. In the absence of the dental root, the jaw bone reduces in volume, allowing the facial tissues to enter the mouth, which in turn gives the face an old aspect
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Dental implants exclude the need to work on the remaining natural teeth. They can support any dentures by themselves.
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Dental implants are long term solutions. They are fixed, stable, confortable and can last you a lifetime.
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Dental implants give back your self-confidence. They allow for dental restorations to be made, restorations that look, feel and work like natural teeth.
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Dental implants are easy to maintain. Maintenance of dental implants and of the dentures they support is the same as in the case of natural teeth. You need only follow the same rules of oral hygiene (brushing, flossing, mouth wash etc.) and check with your dentist for regular controls and professional cleaning.
Dental implant procedure step by step
SURGICAL STEPS
The dental implants can be inserted in a toothless area or in place of a recently lost/extracted tooth, or even in the same session as the tooth extraction. Everything depends on the quantity and the quality of the existing bone, as well as the health of the gums. If there is not enough bone, we can opt for the placement of a bone graft. The implant is inserted after its integration (after 3-6 months).
If there is plenty of bone, the implant can be inserted immediately. It will completely bind to the bone after a period of 3-4 month after its insertion. The denser the bone, the faster the integration.
The implant placement surgery is a relatively simple and comfortable procedure. It is done with local anaesthesia and sometimes sedatives need to be given to anxious patients.
Step 1
An incision is made in the gum and it is pulled apart in order to expose the underlying bone.
Step 2
A minor vibration is felt when preparing the implant area. This is when small hole is made in the bone, where the implant will be placed.
Step 3
The dental implant is placed in the jawbone.
Step 4
After inserting the implants, the gum is repositioned and held tight with the help of suture wires.
Since there are no open wounds after the intervention, post-surgery discomfort is minor. The sutures will be removed after 7-14 days. For a longer lifespan of the dental implant, thorough hygiene and PERIODIC checkups with the dentist are compulsory.
IMPORTANT! The gum and the bone MUST be healthy. This is why it is often better to postpone the implant insertion and first treat and heal the implant area.
Although immediate implanting might be an attractive idea, especially for time saving reasons, it can lead to a failed implant integration.
Dental implant vs dental bridge
CHOOSE THE BEST OPTION
Most patients who choose to replace their missing teeth are often faced with a big dilemma: implant or dental bridge? It is very important for the patient to be informed about the pros and cons of each treatment and decide accordingly.
Implant pros
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maintain the integrity of the teeth surrounding the toothless space
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the crown on the implant is hardly recognizable as different from a natural tooth
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any person, regardless of age, who is healthy, can benefit from an implant treatment
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stops the degradation of the bone tissue that starts with the loss of teeth
Implant cons
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relatively high costs
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difficult psychological acceptance due to surgical intervention
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the prosthetic work takes some time to finalize
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require a thorough hygiene
Bridge pros
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esthetic and functional restoration in a shorter time
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smaller costs than in the case of dental implants
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psychological acceptance, since it does not require a surgical intervention
Bridge cons
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”sacrifices” the healthy teeth in the vicinity of the toothless area that will be grinded down and used as support for the dental bridge
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devitalizes the teeth used for support in most situations; this might lead to periodontal complications, however good the root canal treatment is
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the appearance of periodontal complications in the support teeth and of some bone resorbtions in the absence of a correct and thorough cleaning
Regardless of the chosen treatment, the space left empty after the extraction must be filled as soon as possible. When an empty space appears on the arch, the teeth have the natural tendency to migrate, both horizontally and vertically.
Types of dental implants
WHICH IMPLANT BRANDS DO WE USE?
When choosing to replace missing teeth with dental implants it is very important to know the features and advantages of using different brands in order to make an informed decision.
Our clinic uses some of the best implants recognized worldwide.
Straumann is currently at the top of the pack, covering all branches of oral implantology. The Straumann factory was set up over half a century ago in the heart of the small Swiss village of Waldenburg.
Continuous research and permanent development have followed ever since, so that by 1970-1990 Straumann became world leader in osteosynthesis implants.
Years of research where scientists have combined and experimented with various metals such as steel, aluminum and titanium have brought the widest experience in the field. So that nowadays they offer us a large variety of dental implants suited for each clinical case. The surgeon can therefore choose the optimal implantological solution and can personalize each component of the treatment.
All Straumann implants have an SLA surface: moderately coarse, which increases the contact surface between the bone and the implant, assuring a better integration. The post-surgery healing period is thus greatly reduced, from 3-6 months to 1 and a half months. After this period, the implant can support the definitive crown. It is currently the quickest and safest integration period for a dental implant.
Bredent Medical dental implants are part of a superior category of dental implants made of titanium and zirconium. They are the result of over 40 years of studies and experience that the company has in Germany. Innovative fabrication technologies used for these implants, as well as the insertion methods and techniques used, offer superior resistance, a good osteointegration and a longer lifespan. Bredent implant systems cover a wide variety of situations, from mini-implants to classic dental implants to immediate restoration systems, such as the Fast&Fixed system, which allows the insertion of implants as well as the fitting of the prosthetic in one sitting!
A successful dental implant means that every component, together with the treatment plan
and technique used by the dentist, fits perfectly. For many years, Bredent has therefore offered innovative solution systems that can be practically and successfully implemented in dental labs. The company’s current technology has oriented especially towards obtaining a higher accuracy and a final result where all components fit perfectly.
Megagen implants first appeared in 2002 in Korea. The company has ever since perfected itself year after year and has now become one of the most complex and innovative brands in the field of dental implantology.
Out of all the implants that Megagen has to offer, Any-Ridge is the implant of the 21st century. It is without a doubt the best performing model and is recommended in most clinical situations.
Any-Ridge is the first implant to ever introduce the conceptual design with progressive threads, later adopted by other brands. The diameter of the threads differs throughout its length, which offers it a better stability in the bone.
The AnyOne implant from MegaGen stands out through an innovative design. It helps simplify the surgical insertion phase for the dentist and favors the patient’s fast recovery.
After long studies and research, MegaGen experts have created a unique design for the threads that allows a progressive condensation of the bone and a controlled dilation of the crest, thus obtaining an excellent primary stability and an optimal integration of the implant. A benefit of the AnyOne implant system is stress reduction on the bone around the implant, therefore lowering the risk of post-implantation bone resorbtion. Results are predictable.
MegaGen has also developed an advanced technology for treating the surface of the implant, called Xpeed. It activates the bone cells in order to create a durable bond between the implant and the surrounding tissue.
For years, MegaGen has worked on advanced medical research and cellular studies, which led to the development of an extremely high-performing variety of implants. It is currently in the top five producers worldwide.
What are the advantages of laser in implantology?
Omnia Dental clinic offers its patients the option to do the intervention using the LASER. This eliminates the need to cut the gum using the scalpel, to pull back the gum and to use suture wires. The laser also sterilizes the working area. The healing time is therefore significantly reduced, there is no bleeding and there are no suture wires. The patient often does not even realize he or she underwent surgery and can go back to his or her normal activities after a short period of time (a few hours).
