About Dental Implants: Everything You Need To Know

Are there any painful or dangerous dental implants?

In general, dental implant surgery is a minor alveolar surgery, similar to tooth extraction, with local anesthesia, minimal trauma, minimally invasive surgery, and minimal pain to eat afterward.

The implant is usually placed in a few minutes to an hour.

Due to the use of biomaterials with excellent compatibility with the human body, dental implants do not cause any adverse reactions to the human body.

Even if the osseointegration of the implant fails, the implant can be removed and reimplanted after the wound has healed, or replaced with a regular denture.

Therefore, even if the implant denture fails, the consequences are not terrible.

What are the common materials used for dental implants?

The commonly used implant material is mainly titanium, and the coating is also based on titanium or titanium alloy.

The physical and chemical properties of titanium are known for its lightweight, resistance to oxidation, high strength, and good processing properties.

Titanium is a biological material that is used in a wide range of medical applications such as artificial bones and joints, heart stents, cardiac pacemakers, dental implants, and other bone implants.

How long does the implantation process take?

The treatment and restoration of artificial dental implants are divided into three stages.

✅ First, preoperative examination and preoperative treatment are performed. For example, extraction of particularly loose teeth, root remnants, tooth decay, treatment of periodontal disease and removal of bad dentures, adjustment and correction of bad occlusal relationship, etc. The time required for this stage varies from one or two days to two or three months, depending on the treatment situation of each individual.

✅ Implant surgery stage. Your surgeon surgically places the implant in the bone according to the preoperative design. It takes about 30 minutes to one hour to place an implant.

✅ Four to six months after surgery, a permanent crown or denture is replaced or fitted. Permanent crowns are usually made of porcelain, a good quality, realistic color, comfortable and aesthetic, with the satisfactory restoration of function and durability.

What is uncomfortable about implant surgery?

Modern anesthesia techniques and good postoperative care measures can minimize patient discomfort. The intra-oral wound heals in about 7 to 10 days.

During the healing period, care must be taken to clean the wound area promptly and avoid chewing complex objects. Many patients feel that the discomfort of the implant placement procedure is a little less than that of tooth extraction.

Can I have a temporary restoration after surgery?

It takes about 3 to 6 months for the implant to reach complete osseointegration with the surrounding bone tissue after implant placement.

During this period, it is essential to avoid the presence of any weight-bearing bodies in the implant area that interfere with the repair of the bone tissue, so that the implant passes quietly through this period of osseointegration, which is beneficial for the future stability of the implant. Therefore, it is generally considered best to leave temporary restorations alone.

Will dental implants be the same as real teeth?

Studies have shown that many dental implants are more stable than real teeth.

Studies have shown that dental implants achieve 100% restoration of chewing efficiency compared to removable dentures.

With the advent of dental implants, patients with missing teeth can finally go to the foods they were afraid to eat and enjoy the pleasures of culinary life.

However, it is worth mentioning that the implant lacks rich nerve endings receptors like natural teeth, which makes it more vulnerable to abnormal chewing forces, thus affecting the longevity of the implant in some way.

How long do dental implants last?

How long the dental implant can last is the first concern of the patient and the concern of the implant doctor.

Generally speaking, dental implants can last for a long time if used with care.

Who is suitable for implant restoration?

Usually, a healthy person who can undergo conventional dental extractions and oral surgery can consider implant restorations.

Patients with specific chronic diseases such as diabetes, uncontrolled heart disease and hypertension, blood disorders, osteoporosis, and patients who need radiotherapy after oral cancer surgery are not suitable for immediate implant restorations.

In addition, patients who cannot maintain good oral hygiene conditions such as smoking and alcohol abuse are also not suitable.

It should be noted that implant dentures are not limited by age, so many elderly patients who suffer from missing teeth can also share the benefits of this successful technology.

In conclusion, your dentist will have to evaluate your physical condition thoroughly before developing a treatment plan that is right for you.

Do I need to be hospitalized for dental implants?

Most parts of the surgical treatment for dental implants can be performed in the general dental treatment chair in an outpatient setting with local anesthesia.

If necessary, preoperative oral or intravenous sedation medication can be used to control nervousness and eliminate the fear of the procedure for a smoother outpatient procedure.

Of course, some cases require hospitalization, such as patients who need more bone grafting or implants and are in poor physical condition.

They can receive better care under inpatient conditions, and changes in their condition can be detected and treated promptly.

What should I pay attention to after implant surgery?

Although oral implant surgery is not a major surgery, post-operative care is very important, otherwise, the wound will become infected and will lead to the failure of the implant surgery.

The following issues should be noted after the implant surgery.

✅ On the day after the operation, the patient was given a semi-liquid or full-liquid diet.

✅ Do not brush your teeth for 24 hours after surgery to avoid stimulating the wound.

✅ To achieve the expected effect of surgery, it is necessary to quit smoking and alcohol within one month before and after surgery.

✅ Good oral hygiene is an important guarantee for the success of artificial dental implants, so patients should do effective oral cleaning on time. Rinse with mouthwash several times a day to avoid infection.

✅ Observe the situation of the implant and the trauma surface at any time, and solve the problems in Eating eating too hard food within 3 months after not advisable surgery to prevent excessive stress on the implant.