Description

What are implants and under which circumstances should they be done?

When a tooth is lost, one way of replacing it is through implant
treatment.  An implant is a screw made from titanium which is surgically
rooted into the jaw bone of the toothless area, replacing the tooth root. 
Once it biologically fuses with the bone, it is capped with a porcelain
tooth.  In terms of appearance and chewing sensations, it is the most
natural prosthesis option.  Because of the advantages it provides the
patient, implants have become the most popular form of treatment in recent
years.  Ranging from single tooth absence to multiple teeth absences,
implants can be used as a fixed prosthesis without touching neighboring teeth,
as well as in the form of fixed or implant supported moveable prosthesis for
patients who use removable prosthesis.

What are the advantages of implant treatment?
  
Implant treatment is very user-friendly, comfortable, reliable, aesthetic, and
in terms of the patient a very acceptable treatment method.  Porcelain
prosthesis made on top of implants provide a natural and aesthetic look while
replacing actual teeth.  As missing teeth are filled in, the fact that the
other healthy teeth remain untouched is an advantage.  When compared to all
other prosthesis, they have a much longer lifespan.  To date, there have
been cases where a patient has undergone implant treatment and an implant has
remained successfully mounted for 41 years.  Furthermore as the patient’s
self-confidence is increased, the negative psychological effects brought on by
absent teeth are also eliminated.

Is implant treatment long-lasting?

The history of dental implants dates back to the early
1800’s.  Today, 35-40 year old near-perfect implants with clinic track
records still exist.  If appropriately chosen implants are correctly
mounted in a suitable situation, and the patient has shown the necessary care
to their oral hygiene, the implants will stay mounted in the mouth for a very
long time without causing any problems.

Can implants be used on all patients? 
 
Implants may be used on all patients with a good general state of health. 
As long as the patient’s general state of health is good, there is no upper age
limit to prevent implant treatment.  Only in patients whose bone
development has not been completed may implant treatment be unsuitable. 

Implant screws have a specific thickness and wideness. 
Therefore, the jaw bone where the implant will be mounted must have a height
and width suitable for the implants.  The quality of the bone is also a
determining factor; very tough or very soft bones may negatively affect the
success of the implant.  Aside from these, gums and neighboring anatomical
structures are also important factors in implant treatments. 

In which cases can implants be used?

Whether with a single tooth, or with multiple missing teeth, an
implant can be performed so long as there is sufficient bone on which to mount
the implant.  The important issue at this point is the width and height of
the bone, as well as its distance to neighboring teeth and anatomical
structures.  For this purpose, radiography or computed tomography can
accurately identify the condition of the bone. 

Is an implant procedure painful?

As is the case with all dental procedures, the patient will feel
no pain if the proper anaesthetic method has been applied prior to the implant
treatment.  In cases where patients may have a fear of local anaesthetics
or those who have extreme gag reflexes, implant treatment may also be performed
under general anaesthesia.  Following the procedure, slight aches may be
felt similar to that of having a tooth extracted.  This mild discomfort,
generally felt on the evening of the implant treatment, can be treated with
standard pain killers.

How long does the total treatment take?

Implant treatment is performed in two stages.  The mounting
of the implants stage, which varies depending on the number of implants to be
mounted, takes approximately ten minutes for each implant.  This may vary
depending on the tooth and bone structure of the patient.  The second
stage, the prosthesis stage, takes place approximately 2-3 months after the
implants have been mounted.  This time frame is also the total duration of
the treatment.  Temporary prosthesis utilized during this period will not
pose any problems in terms of aesthetics and functionality. 

How long after the implants have been mounted can the prosthesis be fitted? 
The time needed for the implants to completely fuse with the bone
(osseointegration) is approximately 2-3 months.  During this time, the
amount of pressure placed on the implants should be kept at a minimum.  A
temporary prosthesis may be used for the duration of the recovery period,
provided excessive pressure is not placed on the implants.  Permanent
prosthesis may be introduced once the implants have completely fused with the
jaw bone. 

Does each missing tooth require an individual implant?

No, generally not.  In cases where more than 2 teeth are
absent, planning may be done accordingly to accommodate bridge prosthesis in
the toothless area by leaving gaps between implants. 

What happens if the implant doesn’t fuse with the bone?

Provided the implants are properly mounted, the chances of this
happening are slim to none.  The odds of failure are approximately
1-2%.  These types of failures generally present themselves within the
first 3 months following the mounting of the implant.  In such cases, the
implant is extracted by a procedure as simple as extracting a tooth, and
provided that the bone has not been damaged too severely, a slightly thicker
implant can be mounted.  If the bone has been too deteriorated, a new
implant may be mounted once the bone has healed, or as an alternative, classic
prosthesis options may also be considered. 

Where and how are implant treatments performed?

Implant treatments
are carried out through multidisciplinary work.  This consists of the
maxillofacial surgeon who will mount the implants to the jaw bone, the
prosthesis specialist who will make the prosthesis which will be placed on top
of the implants and the periodontist who will monitor the adaptability and
health of the gums once the treatment has been completed.  Having such a
procedure performed in a complex medical centre is especially important for the
health of the patient.  Throughout this treatment, a thorough examination
of the patient’s general health situation and/or inspection of the area
receiving the implant, along with certain findings may be required.  Aside
from this, panoramic film or dental cone beam computed tomography may be used
to analyse the condition of the bone.   
      
What are the advantages of implant treatment?

Patients who have no teeth on the lower jaw and use a removable
prosthesis often complain of aching and chewing difficulty caused by constant
movement of the prosthesis.  This complaint only gets worse with time, as
the bone tissue supporting the prosthesis is worn down.  In these
circumstances, implant treatment not only ends complaints but also ceases
wearing down of the bone. 

In patients who have lost portions of their teeth on the lower
or upper jaw, the absent teeth can be covered by use of a hooked and moveable
prosthesis or, if applicable, with a bridge prosthesis.  Ultimately, the
difficulty of use of removable prosthesis and the need to cut healthy teeth
when mounting bridge prosthesis are unfavourable circumstances for
patients.  In such situations, as the implant treatment will be done with
a fixed prosthesis, the aforementioned negative drawbacks are all
eliminated. 

In patients who
have lost only one tooth, the classic treatment method is having to cut at
least two neighboring teeth for the sole purpose of restoring one tooth. 
In such situations, a single implant will prevent the need to cut neighboring
teeth.  As such, a more aesthetic and functional prosthesis will have been
applied.  
  
Is there a possibility that the implant will be unsuccessful?

The odds of failure in implants are approximately 1-2%.  It
is important to learn the patient’s general state of health prior to implant
treatment.  With certain diseases (such as diabetes), it is best to
refrain from implant treatment.  Moreover, with patients who smoke or
those who do not take the necessary care in oral hygiene, the chances of
success for implants are lower. Notwithstanding, the area in which the implant
will be applied should be very carefully assessed.  Several circumstances
such as the amount of bone, the quality, its adjacency to anatomic structures,
all need to be taken into consideration.  If careful work is done in the
implant treatment and the patient has taken the necessary care, the implants
will stay mounted in the mouth for a very long time without causing any
problems. 

Do implants cause cancer?

Unfortunately there is a
common such misconception amongst the general public.  However, no
scientific research to date has suggested any evidence that implants may lead
to cancer.