What is an implant?
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root made of titanium and placed in the jawbone to restore the function and aesthetics of missing teeth. It is much safer than traditional veneers, bridges and palate prostheses.
The loss of teeth, which is a part of facial aesthetics, causes psychological and social problems, as well as nutritional, digestive problems and speech disorders. Tooth deficiencies can be completed with conventional methods such as bridge prostheses attached to natural teeth or removable dentures, as well as with implant-supported prostheses. Implant treatment can be applied for every situation, whether there is a single tooth or more than one missing tooth, if there is enough bone for implant placement. In Which Situations Can Implants Be Applied? Single or more missing teeth: Treating single tooth deficiencies with an implant is a more conservative treatment than restoring it with a bridge. For the construction of bridge prostheses used in the absence of one or more teeth, there was no other form of treatment other than cutting and shaping the healthy natural teeth adjacent to the missing teeth in order to make prosthesis. In cases where tooth deficiency was high, especially in patients who ended up without teeth, that is, in patients who had no teeth in the posterior region, the chance of fixed prosthesis disappeared, and this deficiency was tried to be eliminated with removable removable prostheses. The implant acted as a savior in this sense. Complete edentulism: If there are no teeth left in the mouth, if the removable prosthesis cannot be used due to the nausea reflex and insufficient retention of the prosthesis, implant-supported prostheses return the patient’s comfort. What is the Structure of the Implant? Dental implants have been made since 1965. Thanks to the advances in technology in the last 20 years, success rates close to 100% have been achieved. The material used in the construction of the implant is made of titanium, which is considered tissue-friendly by the body and is an extremely durable, advanced technology product. Since titanium is one of the most biocompatible materials with the body, it is the least allergenic and minimizes the body’s response to foreign substances. What are the Implant Application Stages? Dentist; After clinical and radiographic examination of the patient for the implant, he examines whether there are jaw structures with suitable width and depth for placing implants of certain lengths and diameters. Anatomical formations called sinus cavities in the upper jaw and mandibular canal in the lower jaw may be limiting in terms of depth for placing the implant, or the horizontal width of the jaws may not be sufficient for the diameter of the implant. In such cases, it is tried to gain bone with advanced surgical techniques, but in such cases, the risk factors are slightly higher than the others. In this case, the application of advanced surgical technique can be considered according to the physician-patient dialogue. The operation is performed with a surgical procedure under local anesthesia. In this process, the gingiva is lifted from the bone, a socket is opened with special burs in the bone with a width suitable for the diameter of the implant to be placed, and then the implant is placed in this socket. Then, the gingiva is closed with stitches and no pain is felt during this procedure. After the operation, there may be a slight pain and swelling that can be heard after a normal tooth extraction. Such effects can be relieved with ice compresses and painkillers. After the surgery, a period of time is waited for the implant to attach to the bone surface. After this period is completed, the superstructure is made. After the operation, temporary prostheses are made until the prostheses are made. After the healing period, the dentist attaches the prosthesis to the implant, so that a structure that is attached to a fixed structure placed in the bone and imitating the natural tooth is obtained. Necessary procedures for fixed or removable prosthesis are performed on this structure and the prosthesis stage is completed. Oral Care After Operation: The most important condition for the success and long-lasting use of implants is very good oral care and regular check-ups. Reasons such as not paying attention to oral hygiene after the operation, excessive alcohol and cigarette consumption adversely affect the success of the implant application. In order to prevent this, the recommendations of the dentist should be followed and regular doctor checks should not be interrupted. Can the implant be applied to everyone? For implant application, bone development must be completed in young individuals. There is no upper age limit for adults. Individuals of all ages with good general health can be treated with implant application if they have sufficient bone structure. |