IMPLANTOLOGY
WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Dental implants are titanium screws which substitute the root. They serve as the base of the dental crowns or bridges along with the suprastructure.
Accurate diagnostics precedes the insertion of dental implants. The height and the width of the bone and its quality is determined after a detailed examination of the CBCT scan. The implant is inserted into the bone surgically and the very procedure takes about a half an hour.
“Implants are titanium replacements which substitute the root. They serve as anchors for dental replacements.”
The first phase is local anaesthesia at the place of insertion which ensures that the procedure is painless. The period of osseointegration (the period during which the implant fuses with the bone) takes the upper jaw 3 months, and the lower jaw 2 months. After this period, the suprastructure and the final fixed replacements such as crowns or bridges are placed.
SUPRASTRUCTURE
Suprastructure is a titanium replacement which is individually made in the dental laboratory.
After the process of osseointegration, the suprastructure is put into the implant and it serves as the abutment of the prosthetic replacement.
“Suprastructure serves as the abutment of the prosthetic replacement.”
Suprastructure is made of titanium and is connected to the implant with a screw. After that, the crowns or the dental replacements are cemented or screwed to the suprastructure or the implant.
Can an implant be inserted right after tooth extraction?
The answer is YES. We do this procedure in our office every day.
The advantages of the so-called immediate placement are: giving one anaesthesia during which the tooth is extracted, the prints are taken and a temporary tooth is made. Therefore, the patient does not spend a day without a tooth. This procedure saves time, and we have a predictable aesthetic result because the gums around the implant and the future prosthetic replacement remains as with a natural tooth.
WHY DO WE USE STRAUMANN IMPLANTS?
Straumann is a leading Swiss company in the production of dental implants. It offers a large variety of shapes and sizes of the dental implants. Along with accurate diagnostics and the selection of the implant, this enables our surgeon to work safely and to offer the highest success rate in comparison to other companies.
“Straumann is the only leading company in the field of implantology.”
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF DENTAL IMPLANTS?
The first advantage is that the further bone loss is stopped at the place of the implant because the transmission of the masticatory force over the crown to the implant stimulates the production of the surrounding bone.
“Natural teeth are not sacrificed thanks to the implants.”
The second advantage is the preservation of the surrounding teeth because teeth are not grinded for the insertion of the dental bridge.
The third advantage is the aesthetics because the implant and the making of the prosthetics ensures that the gum and the tooth look completely natural.
THE COURSE OF THE PROCEDURE
After detailed diagnostics based on the CBCT scan, we determine the place of the dental implant insertion considering the future prosthetic replacement.
If you are missing one tooth, only one implant is necessary. If you are missing 3 teeth, you can insert two implants. And if you are missing all teeth, then a bridge is designed with 4 or 6 implants. These methods of designing a fixed bridge are called All on 4 and All on 6.
“The procedure is always preceded by an RTG or CT scan and a check-up.”
The implant insertion is a painless procedure with the local anaesthesia and it takes only half an hour on average. If we achieve a satisfactory stability of the implant upon the insertion of the dental implant, we can place a temporary replacement immediately which shortens the making of the prosthetic replacement for a whole phase, the phase of opening the implant.
The opening of the implant follows the period of osseointegration, the period of the bone fusing with the implant. The period of osseointegration lasts about 3 months in the upper jaw and 2 months in the lower jaw.
What follows opening the implant is taking the digital prints. Then, the making of the dental crown or the bridge begins.
It takes us 3-5 working days to cement the replacement from the moment we take the print for your future crown or bridge.
BONE GRAFT
It is important that the bone is of good quality and that it has enough width and height in order to insert the implant at the desired place. If these conditions are not met, it is necessary to do bone grafting which is either artificial or natural bone.
“A healthy strong bone, which has a certain height and width, is necessary for the implant placement.”
This process is called augmentation. We always do the PRGF procedure along with the augmentation: we shorten the postoperative recovery with minimal postoperative complications by using your blood’s processed plasma and placing it directly at the position of the implant.
