Nowadays, when the choice of dental treatment is so varied and confusing, it is important that our patients know in advance what they are facing, that they see the proposed treatment as reasonable and that they are involved in something that makes sense to them.
In our practice, we believe that an implant treatment should be carried out in four sessions, of varying lengths and at different time intervals:
First diagnostic appointment, with graphic study, personalized treatment plan, study and laboratory models, periodontal evaluation, budget and appointment plan.
The patient has to know what the state of his dentition is, what the future holds, how long it will take to recover dental health, what the cost will be and what maintenance he will need, not only for this treatment, but for his entire mouth.
Second surgery appointment, implant placement, periodontal accessory surgery, and placement of provisional prosthesis if necessary.
The patient knows that the first anesthesia may be uncomfortable at the dentist, but then he should not feel any discomfort, neither during the surgery nor in the postoperative period. The patient will be on medication for ten days, but should be able to lead a normal life and be able to chew and speak comfortably.
Third appointment to check the integration of the implants, placement of definitive intermediate pieces, gingival remodeling if necessary, and taking of final impressions.
The moment of truth has arrived, the implants have spent an average time of three months to integrate into the bone, and it is time to put them to the test. The upper parts of the implant, called intermediate pieces, are placed and the necessary changes are made to them so that the prosthesis is as esthetic as possible. From there, we move on to the work of the laboratory technicians.
Immediate implants are very rarely performed in our clinic, since we can place a temporary prosthesis that allows us to lead a normal life.
Fourth appointment for presentation and testing of the prosthesis, occlusal and esthetic adjustment, laboratory finishing and cementing.
It is received in the absence of finishing, the shape is checked, how the patient bites, if it is aesthetically pleasing to him, comfortable, and if this is correct for him, it is finished in the laboratory and returned to the clinic for cementing. The process does not have to be long: in about an hour and without anesthesia the patient should be ready to enjoy a smile and a pleasant meal.
Patients with implant prostheses, after all the work and expense, must understand that in order to enjoy a long life, they must undergo a maintenance program: quarterly in the first year, every four months in the second year, and every six months in the third year.