Dental Implant Treatment History

Even in ancient times, people understood the benefits of tooth replacement.

Archaeologists have found skulls of ancient people whose missing teeth were replaced with items made from various materials, such as iron and seashells. Despite all the primitiveness of the materials and methods available then, the bone successfully fused with some of these implants. This fusion is called osseointegration and is a prerequisite for the reliable functioning of the implant.

Titanium dental implants began to be widely used in the 1970s. Titanium has a number of advantages: it is lightweight, durable and is not perceived by the body as a foreign material, that is, it is biocompatible. It is currently the most widely used metal for artificial joints and dental implants.

The goal of modern dentistry is to restore oral health to patients. An implant-supported prosthesis often means a more predictable course of treatment than traditional restorations. Doctors and the public are learning more and more about this area of ​​dentistry. Implant dentistry has finally become an established field.

Dental implants are metal posts or frames that are implanted into the bone of the upper or lower jaw. Once the implants are in place, the dentist can attach the dentures to them. Implantation is an operation during which an implant is implanted into the gum. It mimics the root of a tooth and can be created from a variety of materials.

The type of material determines:

• strength and long service life of the implant;
• how the gum reacts to it - i.e. its ability to easily be implanted into living tissue;
• its cosmetic side.

Most often used for the implant:

1. Titanium and its alloys - with aluminum, vanadium, niobium, molybdenum, etc. Such implants are durable, lightweight, not rejected by the body and are affordable. The term that they can serve is from 25 years and for life, since titanium grows together with bone tissue. This is the most common type of implant.
2. Zirconium dioxide. Used when the patient is allergic to metal. Another significant advantage is that such a "root" is not visible through the gum. However, the zirconium implant is the most expensive of the existing ones.

Visually, the shape of the implant can be:

• screw, or pin;
• rod, or cylinder;
• plate - used when the jaw has too narrow bone.

The implant design levels:

Level 1 - the lower, or root - the one that is in the gum.
Level 2 - the so-called abutment - an adapter head onto which the crown is screwed.
Level 3 - upper, or tooth crown.

Dental implantation surgery stages:

Stage 1 - implantation of the implant under local anesthesia, takes about 10 minutes. 10-14 days after this, the patient will have a suture removal procedure.
Stage 2, after 3 months for the lower jaw / 4 months for the upper jaw - installation of the so-called. a gingiva former for 7-14 days. This is a small cylinder with a screw - which is screwed into the implant so that a hole for the future crown is formed in the gum.
Stage 3 - installation of the abutment and, in fact, the denture. The shelf life of the crown is from 5-7 to 15-20 years, depending on the material. When replacing a crown, the implant does not need to be replaced.

Restoration of several teeth:

• All-On-4 Dental Implants:
  The all-on-4 implantation technique includes a complete dental arch rehabilitation in which all teeth are supported by four implants. It involves the placement of four implants (which will support 10 to 14 custom crowns) in either the upper or lower jaw, or both.
• All-On-6 Dental Implants:
  Like the all-in-4 method, the all-in-6 method involves placing six dental implants in the upper or lower jaw to support 10-14 custom crowns.
  All-on-4 and all-on-6 implants are recommended for patients with severe caries or tooth loss, or for those whose jaw bone density does not allow them to place separate dental implants.

Dental Implants for:

• For those who need one tooth replacement.
• For those who need to replace multiple teeth.
• For those who need to replace a prosthesis with a bridge supported by multiple implants.
• Those with sufficient density and volume of the jaw bone (otherwise, bone grafting may be required).

Dental Implants Duration:

• Dental implant placement usually takes 1 to 2 hours.
• It then takes about six months for the gums to heal.
• It can take 3-7 days to make crowns. When everything is ready, it will take about 1-2 hours to install them.

Dental Implants Recovery Timeline:

• The healing of the implantation site and the gums usually takes about a week.
• The healing time after the implantation session is usually 4-6 months.

Possible Riscs for Dental Implants:

• Implant failure (5-10%).
• Infection at the site of implantation.
• Injury or damage to surrounding structures (teeth or blood vessels).
• Damage to nerves during implant placement, causing pain or numbness.
• Violation of the integration of the implant into the bone.

Of course, we will also take care of you after your treatment!

Our medical consultants will take care of you during 1 year after the surgery.
If you need any assistance, if you have questions, you can contact our staff at any time.

Dental Implant Healing Process

In total, the healing process will take several months.

The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia, therefore you will not feel any pain. You may experience some slight swelling in the mouth area for the first few days after the implant is placed. However, this can be easily handled with conventional painkillers.

Please do not eat anything until the local anaesthesia has completely worn off. Otherwise, you run the risk of biting yourself. After that, the place where the implant was placed should not be stressed for a while so that it can heal into the jaw.

You can eat, bite, talk and laugh with an implant-supported denture just like with your natural teeth. Since the denture is firmly attached to the implant, you can feel totally relaxed.

A dental implant can last a lifetime. However, good oral hygiene and care are important for maintaining the functionality of the implant and implant-supported dentures. If possible, you should use dental floss to remove all food particles.

• The Dental Implant Maintenance

• Dental Implants in the Elderly Population: A Long-Term Follow-up

• Timing of implant placement after traumatic dental injury

• Dental implants and single implant-supported restorations

• A new functional graded dental implant design with biocompatible and antibacterial properties

• Immediate implant-prosthetic dental rehabilitation of patients with diabetes using four immediately loaded dental implants: a pilot study