Beyond the aesthetic issue, maintaining a healthy mouth contributes to good health. Missing teeth will cause resorption of the dental bone and may lead to complications in chewing or normal speech.

Nowadays, this problem can be solved with dental implants, the permanent solution to replace teeth damaged or knocked out by trauma or extraction.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are titanium fixtures designed to anchor crowns. porcelain veneers that will replace the missing teeth. Once Integrated into the bone, just below the gum tissue, the implants act as a support for the new artificial teeth (crowns or fixed bridges) and coexist in a healthy and natural way with the rest of the tissues and teeth in the mouth.

What parts does an implant consist of?

  • The body, better known as the screw, is inserted into the bone, acting as the root of the tooth and anchor for the prosthetic components.
  • The abutment, which connects the implant body to the crown.
  • The crown is the visible part of the implant and is what gives it its functionality and esthetics. It is the imitation of the natural tooth from the esthetic point of view.

dental implant model

Types of dental implantsBody

Endo-osseous (osseointegrated) dental implants.

This type of implant (the most commonly used today) is surgically placed in the jawbone or mandible.. Its biocompatible material allows the implant to integrate with the bone in a process called osseointegration. After this process, the artificial tooth or crown is placed, thus obtaining the natural appearance of the tooth.

They are currently the type of dental implant used. This type of implant is surgically placed in the maxillary bones or in the jaw. When the implant is ready and osseointegration is complete, the prosthesis or crown is placed to give it the appearance of a tooth..

There are different types of endo-osseous dental implants:

  • Screw (threaded) is the type of implants most commonly used today due to its rapidity in the process of osseointegration and ease of placement.
  • Cylindrical, cylindrical in shape and with two perforations at its base, which allow the bone to develop inside.The implant is very firm, giving a great firmness to the complete implant. They are rarely used today.
  • Blades. It is indicated for patients with little alveolar bone.. They are currently in disuse.

Subperiosteal (juxta-osseous) dental implants.

These implants are based on metal structures that are placed in the jaw bone. They have posts that protrude through the gums, to which the artificial teeth are anchored. This type of implant is used in those cases in which there is insufficient bone height. They are gradually falling into disuse

  • Pterygoid implants. In cases where there is little bone, and as an alternative to bone grafting or sinus elevation, there are pterygoid implants, placed in the pterygoid processes of the upper jaw.
  • Implantes Cigomáticos. Son implantes roscados de entre 30 y 52,5 milímetros de longitud, que se fijan sobre el hueso del pómulo (cigomático) en aquellos casos en los que no existe suficiente hueso alveolar en el maxilar.

According to the way they are installed, we can find

  • Immediate load dental implants

The advantage of immediate load dental implants is that we do not have to open the gum to insert the implant. The dental implant is placed and the crown is fixed at the same time. It is necessary that there is a good amount of bone and there is no infection in order to place them.

There are 2 techniques for the restoration of complete dentures

All on Four and All on Six techniques

Techniques All on 4 and All on 6 The aim is to offer people who suffer a total or partial loss of their teeth a dental prosthesis fixed full-arch over 4 dental implantsin the case of the All on Four, or 6 , in All on Six the same day of the intervention.

See Immediate load implants. What they are and their advantages

  • Dental implants in two stages

The first phase of dental implant placement is to insert the implant and integrate it into the bone. After 3 to 6 months, depending on the area, we will place the abutment and the crown.

Advantages of All on Four and All on Six Dental Implants

  • On the same day of the dental implant surgery, the specialist places a fixed full-arch prosthesis over four to six teeth.
  • The number of interventions is considerably reduced.
  • Stability is achieved even if the quality and quantity of bone is deficient. These implants are longer than the conventional ones in order to take maximum advantage of the contact with the bone.
  • The costs are lower than in other dental implant treatments that require a greater number of implants, bone grafts or more complex surgeries.

According to the material in which they are manufactured, we find:

  • Zirconium Dental Implants

Zirconium implants allow lip-to-bone integration, a faster and more intense union than the osseointegration of titanium implants.

In addition, zirconium prevents the formation of bacterial plaque around it.It resists acid corrosion very well and does not cause problems due to temperature changes. It has an extraordinary durability as long as optimal hygiene conditions are maintained, to the point that many dentists offer a lifetime guarantee.

  • Titanium implants

Titanium is the material most traditionally used for dental implants. Its high biocompatibility makes it difficult for the organism to reject it. The osseointegration is a mechanical bond through which the bone cells adhere to the surface of the implant, thus progressively consolidating its fixation to the jawbone.

Dental implant brands

As with most things, not all dental implants are the same. In Spain there are more than 200 brands of dental implants with their own systems and characteristics. Although there is no significant difference in the success of dental implants between them. The price of the implants does vary a lot among the different brands.

This is because some brands devote more resources to development and research, so the cost of implanting these brands is higher.

In our dental clinic in Barcelona, we only use Straumann implants, possibly the best manufacturer of solutions for dental implantology in the world for the quality of its implants and the development of solutions for professionals with its 2 implant systems:

  • Straumann Tissue Level Implants: used mainly in posterior sectors
  • Implantes Straumann Bone Level :employed in the previous sector.

Advantages of dental implants

Implants have many advantages over other dental prostheses such as bridges or dentures:

  • They are permanent. With good care and hygiene, they can last a lifetime, making them very profitable in the long run.
  • They are comfortable. As they integrate with the bone, they do not move and are more stable than dentures and dental bridges.
  • Aesthetic. The crown is similar in color, size and shape to your natural teeth, so no one will notice that you are wearing them.
  • They are safe. The treatment is performed routinely, has a 98% success rate and techniques are advancing every day.
  • Natural. They require the same care as the original teeth and allow you to smile, speak and chew normally.
  • They do not require the grinding of other healthy teeth, as is the case with dental bridges.

dental implant and crown

Getting dental implants is painless

Many people think that placing a screw must be painful and that it is a long and complicated process, which has a painful postoperative period, but nothing could be further from the truth.

In the surgery to place a dental implant, local anesthesia is always used, the same anesthesia used to perform a filling or extract a tooth, so there is no pain during the treatment. In addition, the use of microsurgical techniques reduces discomfort and pain during surgery.

For patients who suffer from anxiety or nervousness, the option of conscious sedation allows you to be calm during the entire session, without noticing what is being done to you.

After implant placement, there may be slight postoperative discomfort for 24 hours after surgery, which is relieved with analgesics such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.

Dental implants after the postoperative period following surgery 24h or 48h later, should not hurt. If there is pain, it is because there is something wrong or there is an infection (which can lead to rejection of dental implants.

Which is better to have a bridge or a dental implant?

On many occasions patients seem to prefer to have a fixed dental bridge when they have lost a tooth, due to the “fear of dental implants” mentioned in the previous section.

Despite this, the professional recommendation in most cases to solve the absence of one or more teeth is to place dental implants.

Dental implants have been successfully used for more than 30 years in millions of patients around the world and today we have very advanced dental implantology techniques to place implants with greater precision and comfort for the patient, such as computer-guided surgery.

Dental implants are a very reliable solution, with more than 95% success rate, as long as they are placed by a qualified specialist, with quality materials and good health and cleanliness conditions to avoid rejection of dental implants or other derived problems.

The dental implant avoids having to “file” two healthy teeth as with dental bridges.

And furthermore, if your main doubt for choose between bridge or implant Nowadays, the cost of a dental implant has been greatly reduced and it can be worth less to place a single implant than a three-piece bridge, besides avoiding the need to file the adjacent teeth that are healthy.

However, bridges are still a valid option if it is not possible to place dental implants due to low bone density, health problems of the patient,…

In conclusion, dental implants are currently the best option to recover teeth or complete dentures quickly, comfortably and safely.

Placing implants is not painful nor does it have a complicated postoperative period in most cases. There can always be exceptions, after all, it is a minor surgical procedure. Today, however, advances in dental implantology and sedation make it possible to place implants in most patients almost painlessly.

At present, although there are different types of dental implants, we can say that the most commonly used are titanium threaded dental implants due to the good performance they offer over time.

If you are thinking of having dental implants in Barcelona, call us at 937 65 67 88 and we will inform you without obligation about the best options to enjoy a complete, healthy and beautiful set of teeth; that will not give you problems for many years, if you follow the advice and have regular check-ups at your trusted dentist.

You may also be interested in reading:

Flexible dental prostheses. Advantages and disadvantages

Which is better, a prosthesis or a dental implant?

How a dental implant is placed

Dental Implants 14 Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Fady Raslan
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