Dental Implant Treatment

The goal should be to preserve the natural teeth, but if dental diseases or other reasons cause tooth loss, the natural structure should be recreated.

Implants are the ideal treatment method if the natural structure is destroyed.

Dental implants are a modern medical treatment used for missing teeth and allow screws to be inserted into the jawbone. Tooth loss causes discomfort in terms of aesthetics and reduces the quality of life. Other teeth are not damaged during dental implant treatment. It provides the opportunity to eat, talk, and laugh naturally, safely, and comfortably.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Implants

What is an Implant?

It is a metal used to treat missing teeth and placed in the jawbone. It is usually made of titanium material and acts as a root.

What are the Advantages of Dental Implants? What are the Health Benefits of the Implant?

• Dental implants look like your own teeth and give you a natural tooth feeling.
• Provides a real tooth appearance and a perfect look
• Allows for fluent speech and the joy of laughter
• Ease of eating (prosthesis slides and chewing function is not good)
• Self-confidence
• Durability (can be used for a long time or even a lifetime)
• Appropriateness

What is implant treatment?

The dental implant, implant tooth, and implant treatment are called screw-in teeth. Many people lose their teeth due to dental caries resulting from different reasons, and diseases or accidents. In previous years, the only treatment method for tooth loss was generally bridge and denture applications. Still nowadays, implants are placed in the jawbone with a simple operation when the bone is sufficient and appropriate to make Fixed Dentures or Removable Dentures.

It can be defined as spare tooth roots formed on the jaw. Dentures are placed on the screws acting as roots. Implants can be placed in the cavities formed by previously lost teeth or in the socket immediately after extraction if there is no serious infection.

A dental implant prepares a strong ground for permanent or removable teeth compatible with natural tooth roots.

How is Dental Implant Applied? How long does the procedure take?

It is a very simple and painless application in today’s conditions. In treating dental implants, the process begins with a detailed scanning of the inside of the mouth and various radiological examinations such as panoramic X-rays and tomography. The point or points where the implants will be placed are determined. Then, intraoral cleaning is provided and the area is anesthetized with local anesthesia; a nest is prepared in the bone where the implant will be placed, and the implant is placed. After the implant is placed, the screws that will remain on the implant during the healing period are placed and the healing period starts.
The healing period varies according to the type of operation, region, age, and health status of the patient. After the operation, at least five weeks and at most three months are required to construct permanent prostheses. This period may extend the waiting time in the implants applied to the newly formed areas in the cases of bone insufficiency. During this process, the implants placed in the tooth root are expected to fuse with the bone and the body to accept the implants. At the end of the period, followed by the doctor at regular intervals, people continue their daily lives with health and safety.

Who Can Have an Implant Treatment? Can this method be applied to every patient?

The jaw and bone structure is one of the most important factors in treatment planning. Before the treatment, the suitability of the jaw structure for the implant is investigated with X-rays or various imaging devices. The screws to be placed are at a certain length, width and have a certain effect on the jawbone. Therefore, for dental implant treatment to be applied, the jawbone development of the individuals must be completed. Dental implant treatment is not preferred for people under 18 due to incomplete face and jaw development. For diabetic patients, the disease should be regulated before treatment. Drugs are discontinued before treatment in patients using blood thinners. People with osteoporosis can receive implant treatment after receiving appropriate treatment.

Can Implants Be Applied Immediately After Tooth Extraction?

Implant application after a tooth extraction is called ‘immediate implant application.’ Immediately after tooth extraction, implant application is possible and can be performed under certain conditions. Immediate implantation after a tooth extraction is inappropriate if the tissues in the tooth extraction socket are infected.

If the implant application is not deemed appropriate by our doctors as soon as the tooth is extracted, it is necessary to wait three months for the extraction cavity to heal by filling with bone. Then, the healed bone should be radiologically re-evaluated and implant planning should be performed.

Is Implant Always Required for Lost Teeth? What is the Advantage of Implant Procedure Compared to Bridge Construction?

Dentists always prefer to place implants to replace the lost tooth. This is because the implant imitates the natural tooth structure very well. Imitating the natural tooth structure very well prevents melting in the jawbone and deterioration of the surrounding tooth structure. When we prefer to make a classical bridge with a single tooth loss, the teeth in front of and behind the lost space are cut, reduced, and caused to lose substance. When the implant is preferred, the implant mimicking the tooth’s root structure is placed, and then the toothlessness is eliminated by making the upper dentures (tooth).

Can Implant Treatment Be Applied to Patients Using Removable (Palate) Dentures?

Even patients with edentulous mouths can get rid of removable prostheses directly if they have enough bones. If there is not enough bones, then implants made after the bone formation procedure can replace removable prostheses. Using a removable prosthesis, especially in the lower jaw, is very difficult for the patient because a constantly moving tongue inside and out causes considerable distress in the cheek and lip, and during talking and eating. Problems related to the tongue, lips, cheeks, and chewing movements in the lower jaw and the dentures, which cannot stand still, can be eliminated by implantation.
In addition, problems such as nausea caused by the design that closes the palate to ensure the retention of upper total dentures are eliminated. In this case, fixed or removable implant-supported dentures can be made. Moving and nausea complaints disappear in both types of dentures.

Is it Possible that the Body Rejects the Implants? Is there a side effect of having an implant? What is the Success Rate in Implant Treatment?

Specialist dentists should perform these treatments in a hygienic environment. The success rates of dental implants vary depending on the area they are placed in the jaw, but generally, dental implants have a success rate of up to 98%. Dental implants are made of titanium material. There are no known side effects and no risk of allergic reactions.

Who is at Risk in the Implant Application?

• Diabetes and chronic cardiovascular diseases affecting healing
• Patients under the age of 18 with incomplete bone development
• Pregnant women
• People who smoke a lot (smoking suppresses healing in the mouth and may cause a decrease in the implant success)
• Radiation treatments to the head and neck region
• People with connective tissue diseases, hemophilia(bleeding disease) and significant immune system deficiencies
• Individuals using corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs

Implant application in these patients is risky and may fail. However, implant placement may be possible depending on the degree and severity of the disease. The final decision on this matter belongs to the dentist, after obtaining the physician’s opinion who monitors the diseases.

Is Tomography (3D Jaw and Tooth Tomography) Required Before Implant?

Pre-treatment imaging is very important. As three-dimensional dental tomography clearly shows the condition of the jaw bones, it is used to determine whether the implant can be performed or not and it increases the success of the surgery.

What is Suture-Free (Flapless) Implant Treatment?

Implantation without cutting the gingiva and without stitching is called flapless implant surgery. In this procedure, healing is faster and more comfortable as the procedure is minimal in the gingiva and surrounding tissue. However, not every patient may be suitable for this technique. Your doctor will decide at the end of your first examination.

Do I Feel Pain During the Implant Procedure? Does the implant cause pain after the procedure?

Before the procedure, the patient receives local anesthesia and in some cases, general anesthesia.  Due to the effect of anesthesia, the patient does not feel any pain or discomfort during the surgical procedure. Patients undergoing local anesthesia may experience mild pain after the numbing effect has worn off during the day. This pain is considered normal. After the procedure, this condition will disappear by taking the pain medication recommended by your dentist. Mild pain during the healing phase of the implant is no different from the pain that occurs during a tooth extraction.

Can I go to work after having an implant procedure? Can I continue my daily life after an implant procedure?

If no procedures were performed on the entire jaw, you can often go to work the next day and resume your daily routine.

What should I be aware of during the recovery period after implant placement?

It is normal to see blood in the mouth for 24 hours after the procedure. Applying ice to the treated area on the first day (apply ice for 10 minutes, wait 10 minutes, continue for a few hours) and sleeping with your head elevated for the first two nights will speed up the treatment. On the first day, do not spit or rinse your mouth. It is normal to experience swelling and bruising at the implanted or adjacent sites for 2-3 days. They will go away within ten days of recovery. You should not smoke or consume alcohol for the first 24 hours. Not smoking until the surgical area is completely healed is extremely  important. Be sure to take any medications prescribed by your doctor as recommended. Depending on the patient’s condition and the wound, the sutures placed in the mouth will be removed after approximately one week.

How should I eat after the implant? When should I eat after the implant?

You can start eating as soon as the effect of the local anesthesia wears off. You should avoid hot foods and drinks for the first few days after the procedure. Soft foods such as room temperature yogurt, cheese, soups, fruit juices, soft boiled eggs, soft meat, milk, ice cream, pudding, and the inside of bread can be consumed.

How do you take care of the implants after they are placed?

It is very important to pay attention to oral hygiene after implant placement. In addition to regular tooth brushing, cleaning the implanted area should be done with special threads, surface brushes, and mouth rinses recommended by your doctor. The use of mouth rinses contributes to oral hygiene. Check-ups are also very important. You will need to go for check-ups every six months for the first two years, then annually. You can get the most accurate advice from your doctor.

What can be done if there is not enough bone tissue in the area of the implant? How can it be determined whether there is sufficient supporting bone for implant treatment?

Whether the patient has sufficient bone thickness for implant placement can be determined by a clinical examination and a 3D jaw and tooth tomography. This problem can be solved by bone grafting in patients who do not have enough bone tissue. This procedure can involve a sinus lift in the upper posterior region, a block graft, and horizontal and vertical bone grafting in the mandible.

How many years will the implant last?

It has been shown that many patients who have undergone implant treatment use them for many years without any problems. However, the most important factor in this long process is the patient’s diligence in the daily care of the implant. Like anyone with natural teeth, implant patients should visit a dentist every six months to have their teeth cleaned.

Can I have a tomography (CT) or MRI of the head and neck shadow after placing the implant?

Having an MR or tomography after the implant is placed does not create problems.

Does having osteoporosis in the body mean also having osteoporosis in the jawbone?

Even if there is a high rate of osteoporosis in the body, there may be very good bone in the mouth, or the bone volume in the mouth may be insufficient even though there is a very good bone in the body.

Will I be toothless after implant placement until my dentures are made?

Being toothless after implant placement is one of the biggest fears of patients. The goal of us dentists is that our patients are not left without teeth during this time. During this time, temporary dentures come to our rescue. Depending on the method, you can use a removable or fixed denture during recovery.

What is the All On Four implant technique?

For edentulous patients, a full-arch fixed prosthesis on 4-6 implants can be placed on the same day with the All-on-four treatment. It ensures patient satisfaction by addressing function, aesthetics, taste, speech, and self-confidence.

Does insurance cover the cost of dental implants? Is implant treatment an expensive application? What are the prices for implants?

The cost of this treatment is very important for patients. How high or low the cost of implant treatment is depends on the brand of implant used and the surgical support materials used during the procedure. Although the cost may seem high at first glance, it can be determined that it is not too high considering that they are used for many years and provide comfort. Only if you take good care of your implant treatment, you can get teeth that you can use for a lifetime.

Unfortunately, the government does not cover the cost of implant treatment and the price of implant teeth in health care facilities. Some private health insurance companies may cover some or all of the cost of implant treatment at a private health care facility. You can only find this out by calling the private health insurance company you are insured with.

Is the brand of the implant important?

Today there are many implant brands and designs. The quality of these many brands is not the same. The quality of the material is one of the most important factors that directly affect the success of the implant. However, it is important to remember that the success of the implant application is also related to the patient’s healing potential, smoking, oral hygiene status, the presence of systemic diseases that may affect healing, such as diabetes, and the surgical skill of the clinician. Considering all these factors, it is up to your doctor to decide which is the ideal implant for your jaw and disease status. For this reason, the main criterion for your dentist’s decision is which implant is suitable for your structure, not the brand model.