Studies aiming to create a safe implant procedure have been going on since the early 1800s. Today, there are implants with 35-40 years of clinical follow-up, which are very close to perfection in the market. You will find more detailed information on this topic in the following sections.

Implant screws are structures that have a specific thickness and width. For this reason, the jawbone must have the height and width in the area where the implant is to be placed to accept this implant screw. The quality of the existing bone is one of the factors affecting the success of the implant procedure. In addition, gums must be completely healthy before the treatment and during the time the implant remains in the mouth. As long as the general health condition of the patient is good, there are no age limits preventing implant applications. Anyone with good health can have implants. However, it is not strongly advised to very young patients whose bone development is incomplete.

Implants are made of materials that do not have any side effects for the organism and have been subjected to intense research for years. These substances never become part of a living organism. It is not possible for the body to produce antigens against them or reject them as in heart and kidney transplants.

Do implants have a difficult application procedure?

This question is better answered with the following explanation to give a more enlightening answer: the aim of the procedure is to place the implant in the jawbone in a healthy way. Some important factors come to the fore here; in particular, the extraction time of the tooth in the area where the implant will be placed and the bone quality in that area. If the tooth was extracted many years ago, naturally, bone resorption will occur in that area; hence the healthy placement of the implants will be difficult. Especially in the posterior regions of the upper and lower jaw, this procedure may require advanced surgery.

The most ideal implant placement period is at the end of the 3rd month after tooth extraction but in order not to lose bone resorption and soft tissue adaptation in the anterior region, there are situations where the implant is applied as soon as the tooth is extracted.

Implants are available in different sizes and diameters designed for each bone. The bone in the area to be applied is analyzed by careful planning before the procedure and the implants and prostheses to be placed are determined.

The implantation procedure is performed with the same anesthetic methods used in tooth extraction. Unlike tooth extraction, the patient is prepared very carefully for the operation. Sterilization is especially important and this preparation takes 15 to 20 minutes. After the patient preparation is completed, the number of implants to be applied and the time varies depending on the region, but placing a single implant can sometimes take as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Of course, not every operation takes such a short time, but the patient does not feel any pain during the procedure. After the procedure, the patient returns home on the same day after being kept under observation for periods varying according to the complexity of the operation.

What do patients encounter after the procedure?

Implant placement is not a more difficult application than tooth extraction. The important point here is the implementer and the planning made before the application. The patient experiences minimal pain and swelling in accordance to the experience of the dentist applying the procedure. Most of the patients do not have any complaints regarding pain, but especially in cases requiring multiple implant applications and advanced surgery, the patient may experience swelling for a few days. The pain is not unbearable and can be controlled with painkillers. Advanced bone surgery is required in 15 to 20% of the patients, in other cases, the patient can continue to work the next day. If there have been stitches during the procedure, the patient visits the dentist for the removal of the stitches a week later, and after a 10-minute visit, he waits for the 2 to 6 months required for the implants to fuse. Temporary prostheses are prepared within this period, if necessary, depending on the patient’s mouth structure, and the patient passes the fusion process with temporary teeth.

Can anyone get an implant?

In previous years, implants had a very limited application area. To better paint a picture of today’s situation shortly: An implant can be applied to anyone who can have a tooth extracted. Surely, the success rate decreases in people with diseases such as leukemia, severe osteoporosis, uncontrolled diabetes, patients who received radiotherapy from the head and neck region. The question that should be asked here is how the application will provide comfort to the patient. If the patient encounters trouble in comfort, this means that the implant application has not achieved its purpose. For this reason, the patient should be informed in detail before the procedure. Whether the implementation will realize its expectations should be thoroughly analyzed.

Can any dentist apply implants?

Implant application requires a certain surgical notion. Any dentist with the notion of surgery can perform these applications in cases with low complexity. The success of implant applications is increasing in direct proportion to experience. Pre-operational planning and surgical experience are the most important criteria.

Can implants be placed with laser applications?

Laser application is used in implantation as in every field of medicine. Thanks to the laser, soft and bone tissue provides an ideal healing. This increases the comfort of the patient. Especially, when patients planned with computed tomography are handled in combination with laser, seamless and painless applications can be performed.

In which stage is Computed Tomography (CT) is used?

Computed Tomography (CT) provides a great advantage in pre-operational planning. Before the implant application, the tomography of the jaws of the patient is taken and the areas where the implants will be placed are determined in three dimensions. With the help of the computer program, the implants to be used are determined and the angles and positions required are determined precisely. After this procedure, individually prepared structures called Guides (Stents) are prepared. This way, the whole procedure leaves little margin for error to the practitioners. In a sense, they do computer surgery. The practitioner is just a control mechanism and performs the laser application. The procedure is very simple and the patient does not even get stitched most of the time. This is currently the most advanced application in the world. Unfortunately, very little of this clinical procedure implemented in Turkey as it is not largely preferred because of its cost. Thanks to Computerized Tomography, maximum comfort of the patient and maximum efficiency from the operation can be obtained.

How long do the implants last?

It would be very misleading to say the life of each implant. The factors that affect the life of the implant vary according to the experience of the practitioner, the quality of the implant, the application procedure and the dimensions of the implant. We have a fundamental principle that “the implant is applied once and must be for life”. For this reason, as a Maxillofacial Surgeon, I try to approach our patients in the most efficient way. In order for the implant to have a long life, sometimes we need to use advanced surgical techniques. After these applications, the life of the implant can increase significantly.

What are the differences between implants?

In fact, the material from which implants are made is basically similar. It is necessary to examine the quality of products and services of the manufacturers and distributors of quality Turkey. As in every field, implants of various qualities are produced in various countries.

Especially American and Swiss products differ slightly from the others in terms of quality. This does not mean that the products of other countries are of poor quality, but the products of these two countries can be considered to be of a slightly higher standard in terms of pricing. In my opinion, it will not be considered a luxury to have the best quality in an application made only once. The differences between implants can directly affect their life. Obviously, as a dentist, I want to operate the patient once. For this reason, using implants without problems is a great advantage for me.

How are implants priced?

Despite the implants used here and abroad are the same, the pricing is very different in Turkey. The determining factors are the infrastructure and the practitioner. Standards are slightly higher in big cities and pricing is determined in line with the investment you have made. While a good practitioner can obtain good results with only a two-dimensional examination, excellent results can be obtained with three-dimensional examination and laser support. Therefore, there may be differences in pricing. The applications of maxillofacial surgeons or gum specialists may remain slightly higher than dentists but our self-trained physicians can achieve very successful applications. The prices of these physicians are also slightly above the average. I think the most important issue here is that the patient can feel safe. Reading about an application to be done once in their lives and making it in an environment where they can feel safest will keep the patient’s comfort at a maximum.

DENTAL IMPLANT APPLICATION STAGES

Examination and treatment planning

Dental implants are planned specific to each individual. The teeth, soft tissues and jaw bones in the mouth are firstly examined. X-rays (panoramic, tomography) of the jawbone are taken and the amount of existing bone is determined. Implant application procedure is planned by evaluating the general health of the individual.

Placing the Dental Implant:

All implants are placed under local anesthesia; you can go home alone after the operation is completed. No pain is felt during this procedure. After the procedure, painkillers and ice are applied. There is no pain after the procedure as well but mild swelling can be seen for two or three days. The process takes 30 to 90 minutes depending on the type and number of implants placed, and it is often as easy as a tooth extraction.

Depending on the condition of the bone to be implanted, placement can be made in one or two stages. In the one-step application, a healing piece is attached to the implant that will remain in the mouth and the soft tissue is sewn around it. In the two-stage application, no part is attached to the implant, and the tissue is sewn to cover the implant completely. In these cases, the tissues on the implant are removed under local anesthesia after the recovery period and prosthesis preparations start.

Waiting Period-Prosthesis Preparation:

After the dental implant is placed in the jawbone, there is a waiting period of 2 to 6 months depending on the condition of the bone. During this period, a connection (osseointegration) occurs between the bone tissue and the implant. Permanent dentures are prepared at the end of this waiting period. Prosthesis preparation is then completed in about 2 to 4 weeks.

The loads on the implant should be minimized during the first 2 to 3 months in order to ensure the full integration of implants with the bone (osseointegration). Your dentist will make a temporary prosthesis suitable for you during this recovery period so that you are not left toothless. Then the permanent teeth will be mounted on your implants and the treatment will be terminated.

Implant prostheses can differ according to the case in hand. These can be planned in a way that they can be removed by the patient for easy cleaning or by the dentist. Both plans have advantages and disadvantages, and your dentist will explain the design that is suitable for you before your treatment begins.

Implant treatment is a treatment method that increases the quality of life of the patients and makes them happy, if it is done properly and in the right cases. The complexity of the implant placement process varies depending on the patient’s oral condition and needs. In a survey conducted after implant placement in 350 patients, it was revealed that the patients were satisfied with the investment they made and would gladly do it again, if necessary.

Since we believe that such a successful treatment method should benefit patients in our country as well as in the whole world, no fee will be charged for your admission to get information about the implant treatment procedure. During this examination, the optimal method is the specialist practitioners that will place the implants to examine you, make the prosthesis and then undertake the periodic gingival care to find out whether you are a suitable patient for treatment. During this examination, you will be informed about your general health status and you may be asked to take some tests if deemed necessary. At this stage, it may also be necessary to obtain various X-ray examinations and models of your mouth.

Advantages of Implants

1- The teeth next to the lost teeth do not need to be cut.

2- The use of removable prosthesis is eliminated.

3- They are fixed, do not move during eating, talking and laughing.

4- Due to the lack of sufficient bone support, the necessary retention can be provided in movable prostheses.

5- Due to the design of the upper total prostheses covering the palate, problems such as decreased sense of taste and nausea are eliminated.

6- They are comfortable and long-lasting.

7- They have a natural appearance and aesthetics.

8- A happier social life with the recovery of self-confidence is achieved.

Factors to be Considered in Implant Treatment

1- Because implant materials are produced with high technology and are imported, the cost is higher than traditional prostheses.

2- In order for the prosthesis to be applied, there will be a waiting period for the osseointegration of the implant.

3- After the implant is placed, attention should be paid to oral care and cleaning.

4- The patient should not have a serious illness that affects their general health. (Such as the presence of uncontrolled diabetes)

5- Implants should be carefully implemented and looked after by the dentist, as well as the patient who must pay special attention. Complications may arise if the patient does not care well for the implant. In addition, the success of implants is negatively affected in patients who smoke and use excessive alcohol.

The longevity of the implant depends on many factors. Patient’s health and care of the implants are two of these. Implants can be used for a lifetime if necessary care is taken. Health is a much more important factor than age. Surgical risks of many patients in their 70’s or 80’s are less than younger patients with health problems. In addition, older people are more likely to need implants than younger people because the elderly have more tooth loss. For young people, it is only necessary to complete bone development. This happens until the age of 16 or 17 for girls and 18 for boys. There is no upper age limit for adults.

Implantation may not be advised in the presence of specific conditions or diseases.These are:

• Some heart conditions
• Blood clotting problems
• Rheumatic diseases
• Being overly unhealthy in a general sense
• Being on cortisone-derived drugs for a long time
• In patients with diabetes; in situations that are not under control and diabetes is not progressing regularly
• Where the bone structure in the jaw is not suitable, insufficient or anatomically risky.
• If the patient is not prone to surgical procedures (excessive fear, anxiety)
• If the patient’s financial circumstances are not fit (it is an expensive procedure)
• Situations where the patient cannot fully provide oral hygiene after implantation