Dental implants are titanium screws placed in the jawbones to simulate the roots of missing teeth. In dentistry, implants can be used in the absence of a single tooth, as well as in the absence of many teeth and support fixed or removable prostheses placed on them. The number of implants to be placed is determined by the width of the toothless area.
Stages of Implant Treatment
1.Surgical Procedure and Healing Process
Provided that there is no problem that poses an obstacle to the general health of the patient, 2- dimensional panoramic X-ray examination and, if necessary, 3D CT (computed tomography) assessment is performed and implant placement is carried out under local anesthesia. Depending on the number of implants to be placed and the thickness and density of the bone site, the placement of a single implant takes approximately 15-20 minutes, and the overall procedure takes about 2 hours. Following the surgical procedure, the patient is advised and given instructions for an ideal healing process.
It may be necessary to perform specialized surgical procedures involving bone grafts, such as sinus lifting or bone augmentation if the location where the implant will be placed lacks sufficient bone volume.
After the surgical procedure, it is waited for an average of 3 months for the implant to integrate with the bone (osseointegration) before proceeding to the prosthesis stage. During this period, it is critical that the patient maintains oral hygiene at the highest level.
2.Prosthesis Stage
After the healing process, prosthesis construction is started on the implant integrated with the bone. Implant prostheses can be in the form of a single crown, crown-bridge or restorative structures including the entire jaw, depending on the need.
3.Control Phase
In the clinical and radiographic examination performed once a year after prosthetic restoration, the stability of the implant and the function of the implant-prosthesis complex are controlled by our prosthodontist (dental specialist of prosthetic treatments). It should be kept in mind that the long- term success of dental implant treatments is directly related to excellent oral hygiene. At Meric Dental Clinic, we place a high value on thorough diagnosis, prosthetic planning, and ideal implant placement surgery to ensure that our patients have the best treatment experience.