Read Everything You Need to Know About Dental Implants

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are components surgically placed into the jawbone to replace one or more missing teeth. They serve as artificial substitutes for tooth roots and function just like natural teeth. With implants, you can restore the sensation you had before losing your teeth, regain proper articulation while speaking, achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance, and enjoy a long-lasting, reliable solution.

What Happens If I Lose a Tooth?

The problems arising from tooth loss include reduced chewing ability, shifting of neighboring teeth, pain, and various aesthetic issues. An immediate consequence of tooth loss is the deterioration of the supporting bone, leading to gradual atrophy of the jawbones and aesthetic changes in the face.

Read below everything you need to know about dental implants.

Advantages of Implants

There are many significant reasons to choose dental implant procedures:

• They feel and look like natural teeth.
• They replace lost teeth in edentulous areas.
• There is no need to grind adjacent teeth for prosthetic work (bridges).
• There is no long-term shrinkage of jawbone mass.
• The prosthetic work feels completely stable in your mouth.
• You regain excellent chewing ability.
• You achieve proper articulation while speaking.
• You experience increased self-confidence.

Aftercare for Implants

After the placement of the implants, the responsibility for their maintenance lies with the patient. Good oral hygiene is essential, as implants can be threatened by dental plaque. Regular brushing after meals, flossing, and biannual visits to the dentist for thorough cleaning will help maintain them for life.

How to Proceed with Treatment

Dental implants are placed in patients with good bone mass. However, because bone mass can be affected by tooth loss, a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan is necessary to find the best treatment plan. The success rate for implants reaches up to 98%.

Preoperative and Postoperative Evaluation for Implant Placement

• Identifying the location of impacted/partially impacted teeth and their relationship with neighboring anatomical structures.
• Checking for fractures in teeth and jaws.
• Examining any jawbone lesions.
• Assessing specific periodontal and endodontic conditions.

How Many Implants Will I Need?

Every treatment plan is unique. It is not necessary to place an implant for every missing tooth. In both the upper and lower jaw, it is possible to replace all teeth with a fixed full denture supported by six implants per jaw.

Surgical Procedure

The procedure is painless and performed in stages using local anesthesia, similar to other dental procedures. The typical implant process includes:

Stage 1:

• Extraction of damaged or decayed teeth.
• Bone regeneration if deemed necessary by the surgeon.
• Surgical placement of the dental implant.

Stage 2:

• Uncovering the implants.
• Placement of the abutment on the implant, which will support the prosthetic.

Stage 3:

• Laboratory fabrication and placement of the prosthetic (artificial tooth) made of zirconia or porcelain.

The entire treatment process usually takes three to four months. The patient’s cooperation and adherence to the visit schedule are crucial.

What Is the Success Rate of Implants?

The advancement in materials and implant technology, along with new implant techniques, allows many specialized implantologists to achieve success rates exceeding 98%. High success rates are associated with detailed planning of both the surgical procedure and the prosthetic restoration.

At the ATHENS DENTAL CENTER, we implement innovative technologies alongside safe, certified dental implants from companies like Mis and Straumann. Schedule a diagnostic appointment at 210 6813330 & 350 or fill out the contact form below. Get detailed information about financing programs and payment options.