Implantology

What is a Dental Implant?

Dental implants are tooth roots made of titanium designed to correct missing teeth. It consists of 3 parts as implant, titanium screw, abutment and prosthesis. The side of the implant, which is made of titanium and acts as a tooth root, is the part inside the bone. The prosthesis abutment (Abutment) forms a support for the prosthesis, which is screwed to the titanium root in the bone and will be attached to it.

Today, dental implants are made of titanium. Titanium is a material that has the ability to fuse with the bone without causing any allergic reaction in the body and has the durability to resist chewing forces.

Who can be implanted?

Treatment options for single tooth deficiency are implant or bridge treatment. In case of implant application, treatment can be provided without any procedure to the teeth next to the cavity.
Treatment options for multiple missing teeth include implants, bridges or removable dentures. If implant treatment is preferred, the number of implants to be used may vary depending on the size of the gap to be closed. With the use of implants, multiple tooth deficiencies are eliminated without any action on adjacent healthy teeth and without using prostheses.
Total edentulism is the condition in which there are no teeth in the mouth. Treatment options include implant treatment or total prosthesis (palate). In patients with total edentulism, a fixed prosthesis can be applied by placing 4 or more implants at the points determined after imaging. In some cases, a removable total prosthesis can be applied with support from 2 or 4 implants. Although these implant supported prostheses are mobile, they are more comfortable than the use of a total prosthesis (palate).
Implant application in tooth deficiencies provides a more comfortable, aesthetic and functional treatment compared to other alternative methods.

Implant Application

Implant application is mostly a procedure performed under local anesthesia. You will not feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure. If you follow your doctor’s recommendations, you will not experience any pain that will bother you after the procedure.
According to the patient’s request, implant procedures can also be performed under sedation or general anesthesia.
Initial examination: In the first examination, your general health, general oral condition, the position and number of missing teeth and your gum health are determined. Afterwards, various imaging tests are performed to learn the amount and quality of bone. In this way, it is decided which points of the jaw, how many implants will be made and what kind of prosthesis will be applied.
Implant operation is performed under local anesthesia, sedation or general anesthesia. In this operation, implants are placed in your jawbone and usually the implants are covered with the gums and the waiting (ossification) process called osseointegration is started. Although this waiting period differs depending on the processing and your bone structure, it varies between 2 and 6 months. If bone insertion or sinus lift (sinus lift) procedures have been performed, this period may be longer. At the end of the osseointegration period, parts called healing caps are attached to the implants that are fused with the bone to shape your gingiva. In this way, after waiting for about 1 week for your gingiva to take shape, the construction phase of your prosthesis begins.

Success of implant treatment

The success rate of implant treatment is as high as 98%. This rate is around 90% during the 15-year follow-up period. In order to achieve this high success rate, the patient should not neglect the care of the implants and regular doctor control. Another point that should not be forgotten is that this high success rate decreases to 70% in smokers.
If the implants do not fuse with the bone, the implant is removed and the area is cleaned and a new implant is applied in its place. During this application, sometimes additional surgical procedures may be required and the waiting period may be longer.

What is an implant tooth?

The implant is called an artificial tooth root made of titanium. These gaps can be closed by applying it to the missing tooth or areas where the teeth are located. Although implants made of titanium in root form were found in the 1960s, their widespread use in the world was in the 1980s. Implants, which have proven their success and reliability today, are widely used in the world and in our country. In response to the question of when to perform implant treatment, it is a form of treatment that can be applied to all people who are over the age of 18 and have missing teeth. Whether there is a single missing tooth, multiple tooth deficiencies or none in the mouth, dental implant applications are a reliable and healthy treatment method to compensate for these tooth deficiencies.

Implant care and controls

As with your natural teeth, you should take care of your implants and maintain good oral hygiene. Although cavities do not occur on the implants and the prosthetic structures built on them, an infection may develop in the gingiva around the implant and this infection can spread to the bone around the implant, causing bone loss and, if not treated, the loss of the implant. This infectious condition around the implant is called peri-implantitis. Although there are various treatments according to the stages of periimplantitis, the implant may need to be removed in advanced cases. In order to avoid such negative situations, it is very important that you take care of your implant and come to the controls at the intervals recommended by your doctor.

Who is implant dental treatment for?

Implant treatment is a form of treatment that can be applied to all people who are over the age of 18 and have missing teeth. Whether there is a single missing tooth, multiple tooth deficiencies or none in the mouth, dental implant applications are a reliable and healthy treatment method to compensate for these tooth deficiencies. Dental implant applications, with its high success rate, have taken a place among the treatments applied not only in dentistry but also in modern medicine.
People with one or more missing teeth are candidates for implant treatment. If there are missing teeth or one’s own teeth in front of and behind the teeth, a bridge could be applied as an alternative. However, in order to make a bridge, the teeth in front and behind the gap need to be reduced. Of course, in this case, we need to perform an operation on healthy teeth.
The fact that the gap is too long or there is no tooth behind it is a more disadvantageous situation for both us and our patient. If implant application is not preferred, removable prostheses must be made to cover the deficiencies, which is a very easy and uncomfortable treatment method.
In patients who have no teeth in their mouths or who need to have all their teeth removed, non-implant treatment is only a total prosthesis that can be inserted and removed and popularly known as the palate. With the implant application, we can apply treatment that patients can use much more comfortably, even in patients who do not have any teeth in their mouths. Implant treatment is a more comfortable and reliable form of treatment, especially for patients with a single missing tooth and no teeth in their mouths.

Can the implant be applied to everyone?

Today, the implant can be applied to almost everyone. It is not appropriate to perform surgical procedures such as implants in patients with uncontrolled systemic diseases (diabetes, heart, blood pressure, etc.) until the discomfort is brought under control and the relevant doctor gives permission for the procedure. Those who use drugs by suppressing the immune system and cancer patients (treated or seen) implant application without the necessary examinations and permission of the doctor under control is inconvenient.

What should we pay attention to before getting an implant?

First of all, the experience and competence of the physician who applies the implant is very important. The clinical conditions where the implant will be applied must also comply with the hygienic and sterilization rules. Another factor is the implant brand. It is important that you learn the implant brand that will be applied to you and that you request and keep the certificate of the implant given by the company and the clinic. Thus, you both know what has been applied to you and it will be easier to find a solution by contacting the relevant company in case of future problems.

Is implant a painful and difficult procedure?

The implant is a procedure that is usually performed under local anesthesia. However, it can also be applied under general anesthesia or sedation when necessary. You will not feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure, and if you follow the recommendations of your doctor after the procedure, you can spend this process comfortably.
It is possible that you will have some swelling and bleeding after multiple implant applications or after bone addition. In these cases, it is important to rest for a few days and follow your doctor’s recommendations.

How is implant treatment done?

One week after the implant is applied, your first control is done and the stitches are removed. After that, the process of connecting the bone and the titanium implant, called “osseointegration”, begins. This process takes approximately 3 months. At the end of 3 months, gum shapers are attached and prosthesis can be started. This process may take longer if sinus lifting or bone insertion procedures have been performed.
Today, with the development of implant materials and new techniques, this process can be shortened even more in some cases, a temporary fixed prosthesis can be attached to the implants on the day of the implant or a few days later. This is called “immediate upload”.

What are the risks of implant treatment?

Like all medical treatments, implant applications have risks. At the beginning of these risks are the discomfort that may occur after the procedure and damage to the anatomical structures during the procedure.
Pain, swelling and bleeding can be counted as discomforts that may occur after the procedure. As a result, implant application is a surgical application and such complaints may occur in the first few days after the procedure. If the post-procedure instructions of the physician are followed and the prescribed drugs are used correctly, this process can be easily overcome without any problems.
Damage to the anatomical structures of the implant is a serious complication. In this case, permanent or temporary damage may occur. In order to prevent such situations from occurring, a detailed examination and accurate planning are essential. If necessary, 3D imaging methods can be used in risky areas.
Today, thanks to the surgical templates prepared using the data obtained from 3D imaging methods (implant with navigation, surgical stent), implants can be applied safely and quickly. In this way, the risk of post-procedure discomfort and damage to anatomical structures is reduced to zero.

What should I pay attention to when getting an implant?

The most important points to be considered are the knowledge and experience of the physician who will administer the treatment, and compliance with the hygiene and sterilization rules in the clinic where the implant will be applied. It is the most natural right of the patients to receive information about the implants to be applied to them, and keeping the implant certificates that will be given to them after the procedure will facilitate the solution of the problems that may occur in the future.

What are the points we should pay attention to in oral hygiene after implant treatment?

It is very important to pay attention to oral hygiene after implant treatment. Apart from routine tooth brushing, cleaning of the implanted area should be ensured by using special threads, interface brushes and mouthwashes recommended by the physician.
Another important point is to go to check-ups regularly. The recommended control process is to go to the controls every 6 months for the first two years and then annually. Thus, the problems that may occur in the region may not be noticed by the patient at the initial stage, but they can be detected during the examination made by the physician, and thus greater problems that may occur can be prevented by taking precautions.

Is implant dental treatment long-lasting?

A properly applied implant can remain in the mouth for many years, provided that proper care and regular controls are made.