Dental implants represent an effective and minimally invasive way to replace missing teeth.
For a correct treatment plan with dental implants it is necessary to perform:
- A complete medical history of the patient
- A detailed radiological diagnosis
- An adequate evaluation of the case
It is important to take into account multiple aspects such as systemic diseases, psychological aspect and age, as well as an exhaustive examination of the oral cavity assessing the morphological changes, alveolar residues, bony ridges… In short, all the hard and soft tissues of the patient’s mouth.
In general, if the general condition of the patient is good and there is a good quantity and/or quality of bone, the placement of dental implants would be indicated. In patients with little height or width of bone, there are currently several possibilities, such as the placement of bone grafts, either from the patient himself or from biological or synthetic materials.
Before performing this dental procedure it is essential to talk to the patient about the different situations that may arise, being recorded in the informed consent, which must be reflected, as well as data of the patient, the professional and signature of both.
Dental implants: rejection
Dental implants are mainly made of titanium, one of its properties is the excellent biocompatibility with any tissue of the body, so it is unlikely to cause allergy or rejection. Recent studies show that the rejection rate is below 0.6%.
One situation that can occur is the lack of osseointegration, which is necessary to keep the implant in the mouth. This can occur for different reasons such as technical problems in surgery or depending on the patient, bone quality, gum disease or existence of risk factors (diseases, smoking and inadequate hygiene).
Maintenance of dental implants
A high percentage of the success of a dental treatment depends on the patient, so it is essential to maintain an exhaustive oral hygiene, eliminate or reduce smoking and go to the periodic control visits to detect early any possible alteration in both hard and soft tissues and thus avoid any complication and the possible loss of the dental implant.
During the visit with the dental specialist, the implant and implant-supported prosthesis are evaluated in terms of function, esthetics, comfort and patient satisfaction, as well as the health of the supporting tissues.
Is it possible to place dental implants if there is no space?
If too much time is allowed to pass after tooth extraction, the bone will be resorbed and the space between teeth will be narrowed, therefore the bone and the space should be evaluated.
If the patient has an insufficient amount of bone tissue, bone regeneration, bone grafting and even maxillary sinus elevation can be used to provide the implant with the necessary surface to support it. In this case it would mean an extra surgery, an increase of budget and also of waiting time. Dental implants provide a great solution and benefit, offering dental health and esthetics to the patient with a success rate greater than 98%.