Dental implants are a procedure that restores the function of a damaged tooth, and their success depends on the patient’s oral condition and health. Care before and after the procedure is important, and as the technology improves, it is expected to become a more trusted treatment.
As we enter an aging population, bone health is becoming increasingly important. Dental health, in particular, is directly related to essential dietary needs and has become a major concern not only for older adults but also for younger people. As a result, techniques to restore the function of old or failing teeth have become important, and one of them is dental implants, which are often referred to as the “third tooth”.
Placing an implant is similar to constructing a building. Just as in construction, the skeleton of a building is built and then cement is used to fill in the steel structure, implantation involves placing a fixture made of a material that bonds well with bone into the jawbone and covering it with gum. Once the fixture is anchored to the jawbone, it becomes solid. Then, after about an hour of surgery, the crown, an artificial prosthesis, can be used as a new tooth. The bridging technique used before dental implants requires the teeth on both sides of the affected area to be treated together, whereas dental implants are able to treat only the damaged area.
Just as it’s essential to have a plan when building a house, it’s also important to thoroughly assess the condition of a patient’s teeth before dental implants are placed. Not everyone is a candidate just because their teeth are damaged. The condition of the jawbone, jawbone, and gums will determine the direction of the procedure. If you have insufficient gum bone, bone grafting will be necessary before the procedure, and if your existing teeth are in poor condition, you may need to have them extracted. X-rays will be taken to confirm this, and if the patient is suffering from a medical condition, the implant procedure can be difficult. If the condition is particularly severe, the procedure may not be possible.
Before the implant procedure, the jawbone needs to be increased in volume to accommodate the material. If this doesn”t happen, the fixture can be difficult to place. Therefore, preoperative drilling is done to increase the volume of the jawbone before starting the procedure. The materials for the fixture include metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites, all of which bond well with the jawbone. Titanium is commonly used because it doesn’t cause inflammation of the gums.
There are two main types of implant procedures. The first is the one-surgery method, in which the gums are covered with visible support posts. The second is the two-operation method, in which the implant is placed in two surgeries. In the two-surgery method, the gums are covered so that the fixture is not visible, followed by a two- to three-month recovery period. Afterward, the fixture and bone are checked for integration, a support is inserted, and the gums are sutured again. In both methods, the procedure is finalized by placing a crown, which is an artificial prosthesis. The crown is made of a tooth-shaped porcelain material and is bolted in place.
Implants can be divided into endosseous and bone-penetrating implants, depending on where they are placed. Intraosseous implants are the most commonly used, and unlike penetrating implants, they are placed without penetrating the jawbone. They are also divided into braided, cylindrical, and screw types depending on the shape of the fixture, with screws being the most common. In general, the implant procedure takes about an hour, but it can take longer depending on the patient’s oral condition.
Just as the pre-procedure condition determines the initiation and progress of the procedure, the post-procedure health status also plays an important role in how long the implants last. Several conditions, including cardiovascular disease, adversely affect the post-procedure recovery process, and osteoporosis, in particular, prevents the fixture and bone from forming a strong bond. Just as a building needs regular maintenance and upkeep even after it’s completed, patients who have dental implants need ongoing care. Smoking and alcohol should be avoided as they can slow down or prevent recovery after the procedure. Of course, this is also true before the implant procedure.
If a patient needs to undergo a second surgery, it”s usually due to an infection. If the surgical site is not kept clean, recovery is delayed and complications are more likely to occur. Therefore, it”s important to take care of yourself, in addition to the correct diagnosis and treatment by your doctor. In particular, the oral cavity is a humid environment where bacteria can easily multiply, so thorough oral care is necessary. In addition, hard foods should be avoided as they can damage the prosthesis.
Regardless of the post-procedure care, sometimes redness, swelling, and skin discoloration may occur at the treatment site. This usually resolves spontaneously, but in severe cases, it can lead to permanent disability. A typical example is nerve damage. In the lower jaw, there’s a lower jaw nerve canal that’s responsible for chewing, and if it’s damaged during surgery, you can lose feeling around the jaw. To avoid this, the length of the material must be chosen correctly and the drilling process must not damage the nerve canal. Another example is damage to the maxillary sinus. This is when a hole is created in the maxillary sinus during an upper jaw molar procedure, which, like nerve canal damage, requires precise calculations before the procedure. In rare cases, the prosthesis may become loose or the screws may come loose after the procedure, which means that the implant is oriented or shaped incorrectly and may require reoperation.
The purpose of a dental implant procedure is not just to replace a damaged tooth. It’s a process that involves implanting new teeth to fully restore the function of existing teeth. A successful procedure requires a combination of ongoing care from the patient and cooperation from the doctor. A well-cared-for dental implant can last close to 20 years and is the result of a combination of dentist and patient care.
Implant procedures are still expensive, and the technology is not fully understood and trusted by the general public. However, implant technology is improving, and more treatments will be developed in the future. As a result, the accuracy of the procedure and patient confidence will only increase.
