Overview
The surgery of dental implant is a procedure in which the roots of the tooth are replaced with metal, screw-in tips and with this procedure, damaged or missing teeth are replaced with artificial teeth that look and function much like real ones. Dental implant surgery may offer a pleasant alternative that is not well suited to dentures or bridging and it may offer an option when the lack of natural tooth roots doesn’t allow replacement of dentures or bridge teeth. The procedure of dental implant surgery depends on the type of implant and the condition of the jaw bone. Dental implant surgery may have several procedures. The main benefit of implants is a solid support for your new teeth – a process in which the bone heals tightly around the implant. Since this requires time to heal the bone, the procedure may take several months.
It is Done For:
Dental implants are surgically placed on your jawbone, where they work like the roots of missing teeth. Since the titanium in the implants merges with your jawbone, the implants do not slip, make noise or cause damage to the bone as fixed bridges or prostheses can do. And the materials do not decay like your own teeth supporting ordinary bridge work.
Dental implants may be suitable for you if you are in the following situations:
- One or more missing teeth
- Having a jaw bone in full growth
- To have enough bone to secure the implants or to receive bone grafts.
- Having healthy oral tissues
- Lack of health conditions that affect bone healing
- Not being able to or unwilling to use dentures.
- The desire to improve speech.
- Willingness to commit as long as several months
- No smoking
Risks
As with other surgeries, dental implant surgery may have some health risks. Nevertheless, problems are rare and when they occur they are usually small and easily treated. These Risks can be as follows:
- There may be infection at the site of the implant.
- There may be injury or damage to other structures, such as other teeth or blood vessels.
- There may be nerve damage to your natural teeth, gums, lips or jaws that can result in pain, numbness or tingling.
- Sinus problems may occur when dental implants placed in the upper jaw enter one of the sinus cavities.
How Is It Prepared?
The planning process for dental implants consists of a variety of experts. These are a physician specializing in the areas of the mouth, jaw and face, a periodontist specializing in the treatment of structures supporting teeth such as gums and bones, a prosthodontist specialist designing and wearing artificial teeth or sometimes an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.
Because dental implants require one or more surgical procedures, you need a thorough assessment to prepare for this procedure, including the following:
- A Comprehensive dental examination. They may have taken dental x-rays and 3D images, and may have models made of your teeth and jaw.
- The revision of medical history. You must tell your doctor about any medical conditions and medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements. If you have some heart disease or orthopedic implants, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics before surgery to prevent the infection.
- The plan for treatment. This plan, tailored to your situation, takes into account how many teeth you need to change, the condition of your jawbone and remaining teeth.
Local anesthesia, sedation or general anesthesia are the options of anesthesia during surgery to control pain. You should talk to your dentist for the best option. Depending on what type of anesthesia you have, you will be informed by your dental care team about the eating and drinking before the operation. If you are using sedation or general anesthesia, someone should take you home after surgery and you should hope to rest for the rest of the day.
What to expect?
Dental implant surgery is usually an outpatient operation which is performed gradually with healing time between procedures. A dental implant placement process involves multiple steps including the following:
- The removaling of the damaged tooth
- Jaw preparation if necessary (grafting)
- The placement of dental implant
- Bone growth and healing
- The placement of abutment
- The placement of artificial teeth
It can take months from beginning to the end the whole process. Most of this time is dedicated to healing and improving the growth of the new bone in your jaw. According to your situation, specific procedures or materials used, some steps may sometimes be combined.
Bone Graft Requirement.
In case of your jaw bone is not thick enough or too soft, you may need a bone graft before undergoing dental implant surgery. This is because the strong chewing effect of your mouth puts great pressure on your bone, and If it fails to support the implant, the surgery will probably fail. A bone graft may form a stronger base for the implant. There are several bone graft materials used to build a jawbone again. It is possible that options include a natural bone graft, such as another location in your body, or a synthetic bone graft, such as bone substitute materials, which can provide support structures for new bone growth. It is better to talk to your doctor about the options that are best for you. There is a possibility that the transplanted bone will continue to grow for a few months until the bone grows to support a dental implant. In some cases, you may need only a small bone graft that can be performed simultaneously with implant surgery. You will see how to proceed according to the condition of your jawbone.
Dental implant placement
To place a dental implant, a cut is made by your oral surgeon during surgery to open your gum and expose the bone. Holes are drilled into the bone where the dental implant is placed directly on the metal. It is placed directly into the deep bone, as it acts directly as a tooth root. At this point, there will still be a gap where your tooth is missing. If necessary, a kind of partial, temporary denture can be placed for appearance. This denture is for cleaning and can be removed while sleeping.
Waiting of Bone growth
Osseointegration (oss-ee-oh-in-tuh-GRAY-shun) begins when the metal implant post is placed on your jawbone. During this process, the jawbone grows and joins the tooth implant surface. This may take several months, and provides a solid base for your new artificial tooth – just as the roots do for your natural teeth.
Abutment placement
After completing the osseointegration you may need an additional surgery to place the abutment – the piece where the crown will attach at the end. This small operation is typically performed with local anesthesia in the outpatient setting.
Here are the steps to place the abutment:
- Your gum is reopened by your oral surgeon to expose your dental implant.
- Abutment is attached to dental implant
- Then the gum tissue is closed around the abutment, but does not end.
There are some cases where the abutment is attached to the dental implant metal post when the post is placed. It means that you don’t need an extra surgical step. Since the abutment crosses the gumline line, it can only be seen when you open your mouth and this will be like that until your dentist completes the dental prosthesis. Some people prefer the abutment to be placed in a separate procedure because they do not like this appearance. Once the abutment has been placed, it takes approximately two weeks for your gums to heal before the artificial tooth is attached.
Choosing of New Artificial Teeth
When your gums heal, you get more impressions from your mouth and your remaining teeth. In order to make the crown, these impressions are used – your artificial tooth that looks realistic. It is not possible to place the crown until your jawbone is strong enough to support the use of new teeth. With your dentist, you can choose removable, fixed, or a combination of both:
- Removable. This kind is similar to conventional removable dentures and can be both partial and full dentures. This includes artificial white teeth covered with pink plastic gum. The implant is mounted on a metal frame attached to the abutment and snaps securely. Easily removable for repair or daily cleaning.
- Fixed. In kind , an artificial tooth is permanently screwed or cemented to a separate implant abutment. It cannot be removed for cleaning or sleeping. Each crown usually is attached to its own dental implant. However, since the implants are extraordinarily strong, several teeth can be bridged together and replaced with an implant.
After Processing
You may experience some typical discomfort associated with any type of dental surgery, whether at one stage or multiple stages of dental implant surgery, such as the following:
- The Swelling of the gums and face.
- The Bruising of skin and gums.
- The Pain in the implant site.
- The Small bleeding
You can need to take painkillers or antibiotics after dental implant surgery. In case of the swelling, discomfort or other problems getting worse on the days after surgery, you should consult your oral surgeon.
After each stage of surgery, you should eat soft foods until the surgical site is completely healed. Typically, self- dissolving stitches are used. In case your stitches are not self- dissolving, your doctor will remove them.
Results
Usually most of the dental implants are successful. However, the bone sometimes doesn’t fuse sufficiently with the metal implant. For instance, smoking can cause implant failure and complications. When the bone is not fused sufficiently, the implant is removed, the bone is cleaned, and the procedure can be retried in about three months. If you follow the instructions below, you can help your dental work – and the remaining natural teeth – longer.
- You should apply excellent oral hygiene.
- Just like your natural teeth, you should keep implants, artificial teeth, and gum tissue clean. Specially designed brushes, like an interdental brush that slides between the teeth, can help clean the corners and cranks around the teeth, gums and metal posts.
- You should consult your dentist regularly. To ensure the health and proper functioning of your implants, you should plan dental checkups and follow professional cleaning recommendations.
- You should avoid harmful habits. You should not chew hard objects such as ice and hard candy that can damage your crowns – or your natural teeth. You should avoid tobacco and caffeine products that stain teeth. If you’re grinding your teeth, you’d better get treatment.