What is an Implant?
A dental implant is a screw-like artificial tooth root that serves as the root structure of a missing tooth, aiming to improve a person's chewing ability and appearance. It is used to complete a missing tooth. This structure, which will serve as a tooth root, is placed under the mucosa and/or periosteum or into the bone.
What is Implant Treatment?
An implant is an artificial tooth root placed in the jawbone to support prostheses. These artificial roots, which replace missing teeth and are long-lasting and can be used for a lifetime, allow fixed or removable prostheses placed on them to restore the patient's chewing function and aesthetics.
In Which Cases is Implant Treatment Applied?
In completely toothless lower and upper jaws, in cases where the patient cannot use their full denture due to excessive bone loss, retention is increased by placing the prosthesis on implants.
If the posterior region ends toothlessly with the loss of large molars, a fixed bridge can be made on a few implants instead of a removable partial denture for patients.
In long edentulous gaps, the long bodies of the bridges made are problematic. The support and durability of long bridges can be increased with one or more implants to be applied to the edentulous area.
In the case of the loss of a single tooth, a single implant can be placed in place of the missing tooth without the need to reduce the teeth on either side of the lost tooth, and a single crown can be made on it.
What Should Be Considered Before Getting a Dental Implant?
An implant is an artificial tooth root placed in the jawbone to restore the function and aesthetics of missing teeth. Implant screws are structures with a certain thickness and width. Therefore, in the area where the implant is planned to be placed, the jawbone must have the height and width to accommodate this implant screw.
The quality of the bone is also one of the factors affecting implant success. In addition, the gums must be completely healthy before treatment and for as long as the implant remains in the mouth.
One of the most important factors in implant application that affects success is bone structure. The person must have a suitable bone tissue for the implant. Bone tissue should be identified and then implant planning should be done. Clinical and radiological examination must be performed before implant application.
If the person's bone structure and general health are suitable for the implant, there is no upper age limit. Health is a much more important factor than age. Implant application is only not preferred in very young patients whose bone development has not been completed yet.
The duration of the implant may vary depending on the number of teeth to be made. With the developing technology, treatments are completed in a very short time. The pain after the placement of the implant is no different from the pain felt after a normal tooth extraction.
In cases where the treatment is completed without problems, patients are so comfortable that they do not even feel the presence of implants. General or local anesthesia can be used during implant application depending on the patient's preference.
The gums must be healthy before and for as long as the implant remains in the mouth during implant treatment. In order to ensure the complete fusion of the implants with the bone (osseointegration), the loads on the implant should be minimized during the healing period, which is the first 3-6 months.
In particular, smoking during early healing can increase the risk of infection. For this reason, smoking is not recommended.
The lifespan of implants depends on many factors. Implants can be used for a lifetime by ensuring the patient's general oral and dental care and protecting their health. In terms of the lifespan of the implant, it is necessary to brush teeth twice a day, floss and use mouthwash regularly.
Implants are made of materials that do not have any side effects for the organism and have been subjected to intensive research for many years. These are usually metals such as titanium and other similar substances that are never part of a living organism. Therefore, it is not possible for the body to produce antigens against them and reject the implant as in heart and kidney transplants.
The experience of the physician who will perform the implant application is very important. Attention should be paid to the dentist being trained and experienced in their field. If an implant decision has been made, good research should be done on this subject and the right physician should be found.
How is an Implant Applied?
The implant procedure is applied in 5 steps. These steps are as follows:
Examination
This stage consists of the patient's general health and dental examinations. If the patient's general health condition is suitable for implant placement, the dentist decides on the type and length of the implant to be used, depending on a special X-ray to be taken and the condition of the teeth in the mouth. At this stage, it is very important that the physician who will decide on the implant and the prosthesis to be made on the implant later is experienced.
Operation
The placement of the implant is done with local anesthesia. The procedure may take between 30-90 minutes depending on the number of implants to be applied.
Healing stage
After the implant is placed, a certain amount of time must pass for it to integrate with the bone. This period is between 3-6 months. If necessary, a temporary prosthesis is made for the patient during the healing phase. Patients continue their normal nutrition without putting too much load on the applied implants. During the healing period, the physician who applied the implant calls the patient for check-ups at certain intervals and may request another X-ray if necessary.
Placement of the implant superstructure
Implants generally consist of two parts. The first part is the cylindrical part placed in the jawbone. There is a second part called the abutment, which is compatible with the first part in the bone for the construction of the prosthesis. After the healing period is completed and the first part is completely surrounded by healthy bone, the superstructure is placed.
Making the prosthesis
The measurement of the superstructure is taken. The prosthesis is finished by known methods.