Before one or several implants are placed, the oral cavity/mouth has to be in a healthy state. Possible dental or periodontal (gum) diseases have to be treated prior to any measures of dental implantology.
About dental implant surgery
Basic examination prior to dental implant surgery
At the beginning, the whole dental medical history is discussed, enabling us to avoid any complications based on previous or current dental diseases. Then we carefully examine your mouth and teeth, X-ray your teeth and jaw bone, measure the thickness of your mucous membrane and create planning models giving us a three-dimensional image of your bone material at the location where implants are to be placed. If necessary, we will also carry out a cone beam computed tomography to ensure optimal results. The findings of these examinations determine whether dental implant surgery is possible or not.
It is crucial to treat all dental, periodontal (gum) diseases prior to any dental implant surgery.
Placement of implants
If dental implant surgery is possible, it takes place under local anesthesia. Firstly we have to create sufficient space for the artificial dental root in the jaw bone. This space must precisely match the measurements of the implant to guarantee stability.
Due to different degrees of bone density of lower and upper jaw, lower jaw implants need 3 months to heal, upper jaw implants 4-6 months.
During this recovery period, there should be no pressure on the implant, which is ensured by a provisional solution. This way, a nice look and the ability to chew remain.
Implants and dentures
An implant is no dental prosthesis on its own. The so-called abutment is on top of the implant screw and represents the scaffold serving as a connection to a denture. If this dental prosthesis is a dental crown as a substitute for one tooth, a dental bridge as a substitute for multiple teeth or another kind of prosthetic solution depends on your individual needs and your financial background. For this reason, we make several dental impressions. As soon as your recovery period is over, we can place the dental prosthesis.
Dental implant surgery has the same general risks every other operation has why it is important to take care of several things after surgery: thorough oral hygiene and periodic follow-up examinations. These make it possible to detect and treat any signs of inflammation and inappropriate stress. Consequently, it makes sense to develop an individual preventive program for the perfect oral hygiene in order to maximize the durability of the dental implants.