Dental implants: what they are, when recommended and care
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In what criteria the best choice for dental implants will be chosen?
The type of implant, implant number and design of the implant supported prosthesis will be made depending on the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan. All this is based on a comprehensive study pre-operative. Radiographic first carry out a study to determine the quantity and quality of bone in the area that we are going to implement. If you not enough may be needed bone grafts or additional bone regeneration techniques. We also need to know the overall health of the patient, and the existence of certain habits such as, smoking or bruxism. And then a study of occlusion is performed with mounting models in the articulator to make a correct design of the prosthesis that will be anchored on the implants.
What is the application of implants?
It involves placing a piece of titanium into the jawbone that acts as an artificial root. Such artificial root has to be accepted by the surrounding bone in a process known as osseointegration that. This artificial root is the basis on which we will place the prosthesis or fixed crown that will mimic the shape of natural tooth and its function.
What may involve risks or complications?
The implant placement procedure is not without complications and risks that may make it fail. Keep in mind that there are some risk factors such as habits of patients; for example smoking, bruxism. Also the general condition of the patient, the presence of some systemic diseases or intake of certain drugs. Also bone loss around the implant over time. There are complications that occur during surgery, for example, incorrect placement of the implant or bacterial contamination. But most complications after surgery produce long term. One is perimplantitis. Perimplantitis is bacterial infection of the implant, which is due to a deficit oral hygiene by the patient presents with pain, bleeding and swelling.
What care should have the patient after application?
It is very important proper oral hygiene by the patient using manual or rotating brushes, interdental brushes, dental floss and oral irrigators. Then it is essential to come to the inquiry to carry out periodic reviews where clinical and radiological controls implants will be performed, as well as the removal of plaque and tartar present. Then there are some patients who have parafunctions, what we know as bruxism. These patients have to be very well controlled by using splints to prevent discharge, thus overloading the implants.
