Dental Implants

What is a dental implant?

A dental implant is a prosthesis that interfaces with the bone of the jaw to support a dental prosthesis such as a crown, bridge and denture. The basis for modern dental implants is a biologic process called osseointegration, in which materials such as titanium or zirconia form an intimate bond to bone. The implant fixture is first placed so that it is likely to osseointegrate, then a dental prosthesis is added. A variable amount of healing time is required for osseointegration before either the dental prosthetic (a tooth, bridge or denture) is attached to the implant or an abutment is placed which will hold a dental prosthesis/crown

Success rate of a dental implant

Unlike dentures or a bridge, dental implants are permanent fixtures in your mouth and are designed to last your lifetime. Because they're so durable, the success rate of dental implants is as high as 98%.

Εμφυτεύματα Δοντιών Γλυφάδα Οδοντίατρος Μαρία Λαλούση Γλυφάδα

How many implants do I need?

If you’ve only lost one tooth, then you’ll only need one implant to replace your missing tooth. If, on the other hand, you have a few missing teeth, you won’t necessarily need an implant for each one. Dental bridges can be used to bridge the gap between implants.

However, you’ll need to consult your implant dentist to find out what option is best for you. Your dentist will need to find out if you have enough bone structure in your jaw to support any implants you require. If you don’t have enough bone density, that doesn’t make the procedure impossible, but it does make it more complicated. You may be offered bone grafting as a preliminary procedure to replace and regenerate the lost bone.

Do you need Dental Implants?

What if I Need to Replace All My Teeth?

If you’re missing a full arch of teeth, you are probably pretty self-conscious about your smile. And, if you’ve got dentures, you may worry whenever you eat, laugh or talk in case they slip out, and they may be far from comfortable. Fortunately, dental implants can be used to replace a whole arch of teeth.

The number of implants you’ll need will depend on the amount of bone density in your jaw and its overall quality. On average, you’ll need up to ten implants to support a full arch of teeth using traditional dental implants. If you don’t have the bone density needed to support that volume of implants, you may be looking at additional procedures before you can have implants placed. However, it doesn’t have to be that way.

The All on 4 technique has revolutionised dental implants for all teeth, so it’s possible to replace a full arch with only four implants.

Εμφυτεύματα Δοντιών Γλυφάδα Οδοντίατρος Μαρία Λαλούση Γλυφάδα

Advantages of Dental Implants

  • Dental implants can last a lifetime if taken proper care of. Unlike dentures, they generally do not need to be replaced after a certain amount of time.
  • Dental bridges rely on neighbouring teeth for support, whereas dental implants are fused into your jawbone. This protects your remaining teeth from damage or strain.
  • Caring for dental implants is generally quite easy as you would practice the same oral care as you would for your normal teeth. This entails brushing, flossing and regular dental visits.
  • Implants look and function like real teeth, with no clicking noises or speaking and chewing difficulties that can occur with dentures.

How long does a dental implant last?

With regular brushing and flossing, the implant itself can last a lifetime, assuming the patient receives regular dental check-ups and hygiene clean every 6 months. The crown, however, usually only lasts about 10 to 15 years before it may need a replacement due to wear and tear.

A dental implant is a permanent solution for missing teeth and is now the preferred tooth-replacement option among patients and dentists. A dental implant completely replaces a natural tooth and can be used to bite and chew without slipping as can occur with dentures. And unlike dentures, implants are permanently placed, meaning that all cleaning — brushing twice daily and flossing — is done alongside your natural teeth. Because they are attached to the interior jawbone, implants don’t put strain on neighbouring teeth as dental bridges tend to do and don’t require any special steps to clean.

Because they are attached to the interior jawbone, implants don’t put strain on neighbouring teeth as dental bridges tend to do and don’t require any special steps to clean.

εμφυτευματα δοντιων

Types of dental implants

  • Root form implants: the most common type of implant indicated for all uses. Within the root form type of implant, there are roughly 18 variants, all made of titanium but with different shapes and surface textures. There is limited evidence showing that implants with relatively smooth surfaces are less prone to peri-implantitis than implants with rougher surfaces and no evidence showing that any particular type of dental implant has superior long-term success.
  • Zygomatic implant: a long implant that can anchor to the cheek bone by passing through the maxillary sinus to retain a complete upper denture when bone is absent. While zygomatic implants offer a novel approach to severe bone loss in the upper jaw, it has not been shown to offer any advantage over bone grafting functionally although it may offer a less invasive option, depending on the size of the reconstruction required
  • Small diameter implants: are implants of low diameter with one-piece construction (implant and abutment) that are sometimes used for denture retention or orthodontic anchorage

Εμφυτεύματα Δοντιών Γλυφάδα Οδοντίατρος Μαρία Λαλούση Γλυφάδα

What to know before getting dental implants?

• Consider the Costs.
• Learn the Procedure.
• Check the Doctor's Qualifications
• Know the Pros and Cons.
• Pick the Right Type.
• Have Enough Bone.
• Improve Dental Health.

Who can get a dental implant?

Γενικά, τα οδοντικά εμφυτεύματα μπορεί να είναι κατάλληλα  εάν:

  • Have one or more missing teeth.
  • Have a jawbone that's reached full growth.
  • Have adequate bone to secure the implants or are able to have a bone graft.
  • Have healthy oral tissues.
  • Don't have health conditions that will affect bone healing.

Do you need Dental Implants?

The process of placing a dental implant

The process of placing a dental implant involves multiple steps, including:
• Damaged tooth removal.
• Jawbone preparation (grafting), when needed.
• Dental implant placement.
• Bone growth and healing.
• Abutment placement.
• Artificial tooth placement.

How long does it take to get an implant put in?

The procedure itself takes 1 to 2 hours and the healing time is 3 to 6 months. During this time the titanium alloy (the same material used in joint replacement) implant will heal around and merge with the surrounding bone tissue

How painful is it to have dental implants?

A straightforward dental implant, for a patient with good bones and who does not need a lot of soft tissue surgery, has a pain level between two and three in the first 24 to 48 hours, which means that prescribed medication such antibiotics and ant inflammatory tablets will take care of any discomfort they are feeling

Risks and complications

Placement of dental implants is a surgical procedure and carries the normal risks of surgery including infection, excessive bleeding and necrosis of the flap of tissue around the implant. Nearby anatomic structures, such as the inferior alveolar nerve, the maxillary sinus and blood vessels, can also be injured when the osteotomy is created or the implant placed. Even when the lining of the maxillary sinus is perforated by an implant, long term sinusitis is rare. An inability to place the implant in bone to provide stability of the implant (referred to as primary stability of the implant) increases the risk of failure to osseointegration.

Conditions and factors contributing to implant health

Factors Implant related

  • Previous history of failure
  • Surface roughness
  • Surface purity and sterility
  • Fitness discrepancies
  • Exposure of implant into oral environment

Mechanical factors

  • Premature loading
  • Occlusion trauma
  • Dense hypovascular traumatized bone

Patient (local factors)

  • Oral hygiene status
  • Gingivitis/periodontitis
  • Quantity and quality of adjacent bone
  • Natural teeth proximity
  • Periodontal status of natural teeth

Patient (systemic factors)

  • Habits such as smoking, alcoholism
  • Prone to infection such as old age,
  • Diabetes
  • Steroid therapy
  • Chemotherapy/radiotherapy
  • Hypersensitivity
  • Surgical technique/environment
  • Traumatic surgical procedure
  • Overheating of surrounding bone due to handpiece

Contact Us

Your dentist in Glyfada, Maria Lalousi is here to treat all your dental needs with an appointment. You can find us by calling us in +30 211 416 7676. Find more by clicking the button below.

Εμφυτεύματα Δοντιών Γλυφάδα Οδοντίατρος Μαρία Λαλούση Γλυφάδα

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