Studies on teeth and dental care dates back to the 6th century Maya civilization. The first implant patent was obtained in the United States in 1908. It has been widely used since 1980.
Missing teeth cause problems in terms of health and aesthetics. Developing technology has also led to new solutions in the field of dentistry. Dental implant treatment has been developed as an alternative to the bridge or prosthesis used in the past.
A dental implant is made by placing a tooth root made of titanium material for aesthetic and functional purposes and placing a fixed or removable dental prosthesis on it. Implants placed in the jawbone comfortably perform chewing and crushing functions. Titanium is the most compatible material with the human body. Tissue compatibility is at the highest level.
Dental implants are used in a wide range, from missing a single tooth to missing a whole tooth. Unlike the bridge procedure, this procedure is performed without any intervention to the neighboring teeth. Thus, no tooth will be adversely affected by this procedure.
What are Implant Teeth?
People lose their teeth over the years for various reasons. They experience problems in aesthetics and function due to their lost teeth. Implants have been developed to replace these lost teeth. Implant treatment aims to create teeth to be used on the jawbone.
If the teeth are not filled after extraction, the jawbone melts and becomes thinner. With the melting of the jawbone, the face shape and jaw structure deteriorates.
When there is enough bone tissue, implants are placed in the jawbone for fixed or removable prostheses. In cases where the bone density is insufficient, bone grafting is applied. This procedure obtains sufficient bone density for the implant to fit. It is applied to regain the bone density lost in the lower or upper jaw. With a bone graft, weak bone tissue is strengthened.
The jawbone fuses with the implant, allowing the implant to function like natural teeth. With the use of implants, the shrinkage of the adjacent teeth is prevented, and their health is preserved. The chewing and biting functions provided by the denture stimulate the bone tissue and prevent osteoporosis.
The implant is made of titanium and consists of two parts. One is the root part, and the other is the upper layer of the tooth. The diameter of the dental implant may vary depending on the jaw bone structure, jaw structure, and the width of the area to be applied. In addition, the implant's diameter, length, and size are determined by calculating the panoramic film, three-dimensional film, and examinations.
Implants are tooth roots placed in the jawbone. You can eat and talk comfortably. Implants form a strong foundation for fixed or removable teeth.
What are the advantages of Teeth Implant procedure in Turkey?
- Your self-confidence will increase.
- Provides fluent speech.
- It gives a normal chewing feeling.
- Your natural teeth are not eroded.
- Eating becomes easier.
- It improves the quality of life.
- Neighboring teeth are not interfered with during the procedures.
- Desired foods can be eaten.
- Melting of the jawbone stops.
- It has been used for many years without any problems.
- Provides an aesthetically close look at your natural teeth.
- There is no fear of the prosthesis coming off.
- Permanent, robust, and fully functional teeth are obtained.
- Tooth roots are attached to the jaw bones.
- Eliminates bad breath.
- Placing an implant in the edentulous area allows the bone to regain function.
- An aesthetically beautiful appearance is obtained.
- Creates chewing power close to your natural teeth.
- It is applied even in single tooth loss.
- Easy to maintain with brushing and flossing.
- Jaw pain caused by lost teeth is relieved.
- The necessity of moving the prosthesis is eliminated.
- It can be used for many years with oral care and hygiene.
- Eating problems in full palate dentures do not occur.
- It creates a healthy and strong chewing feeling, taking the load off the dentures like a real tooth.
- Since the titanium in the implant is compatible with the body and jawbone, a healthy and comfortable result is obtained.
To whom is the Teeth Implant applied?
The patients to whom this procedure will be made are as follows;
- Must be over 18 years old.
- You must have one or more missing teeth.
- You must have a fully developed jawbone.
- Oral tissue should be healthy.
- There should be no diseases that may affect bone healing.
- Presence of speech problems.
- General health should be good.
- Must have healthy gums.
- The jawbone's width should be the size to which the screw will be applied.
- Should not use blood thinners.
- The conditions of those who are suffering from heart, diabetes, and blood pressure and are constantly taking medication are clarified after the consultation. If necessary, implant procedure can be started after antibiotic treatment in these patients.
Young people under the age of 18 whose jaw bone development has not been completed should wait until the development of their jaw bones is completed.
To whom are the Implant Teeth not applied?
Implant procedure is not recommended in the following cases;
- For those with poor general health.
- For those whose crooked teeth are not extracted.
- For those with rheumatic problems.
- For those who have blood clotting problems.
- Those with cardiovascular diseases.
- Those who have undergone radiotherapy to cover the head and neck region.
- To those who use a lot of cigarettes and alcohol.
- For those who have the habit of clenching their teeth.
- People with advanced osteoporosis.
- For those with narrow and weak jawbones.
- Those under the age of 18 who have not completed their jawbone development.
- Implants are not applied to diabetic patients who cannot be controlled despite the applied treatment.
The situation of those with systemic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, hemophilia, and autoimmune disease will be clarified after a meeting with their doctor.
In which cases can Implant Teeth be used?
- If you have no teeth.
- If you want one-to-one dental veneers but do not have a choice other than a bridge because of your missing teeth.
- If you cannot use your dentures without gluing.
- If you have one or more missing teeth.
- If you are not satisfied with your prosthesis.
- If you do not want your healthy teeth to be touched while your missing teeth are being completed.
- If you do not want to experience osteoporosis due to missing teeth.
- If you have removable prostheses that impair your speech.
- If the foot teeth under the bridge you are using do not have a chance to be saved.
- If you think the natural appearance will deteriorate when making a bridge without a single tooth in the front.
- If you cannot eat whatever you want because of your prosthesis.
- If there is a missing tooth on the back and you do not want to use removable dentures.
- If there are untreated and very painful teeth under the bridge, you are using them.
- If your removable dentures are knocking in a different place every day.
- If you cannot taste with full palate dentures.
- If bad odor occurs due to food escaping under the dentures during meals.
What should be done before Implant Treatment?
Things to consider for a successful implant treatment are listed below.
- We should have our implant done by an experienced dentist who is an expert in his field.
- Situations that may prevent treatment should be shared with the physician.
- The type of surgical operation should be decided together with the dentist.
- All recommended examinations should be considered.
- Material selection should be demonstrated.
- Listen carefully to the dentist's explanations and get information about the treatment process.
How is the Dental Implant applied?
First, oral and radiological examinations of the patient are performed. If the patient's jawbone is insufficient, a jaw strengthening study is performed with bone grafts. Then the implant study is started. If the jawbone is strong, the bone graft can be applied together with the implant.
Implant treatment consists of several stages. If there are teeth that need to be extracted first, these teeth are extracted. Implants can be placed immediately in place of the extracted teeth. Local anesthesia is applied to place implants in place of previously extracted teeth. Holes are drilled in the appropriate places of the jawbone with a special tool called a bur. Implants are placed in these opened holes. Swelling and pain may occur in these places where the implant is placed. Pain can be relieved with painkillers recommended by your dentist. During the healing process, you should take care to consume soft and warm foods.
After the implants are placed, a waiting period of 2-6 months begins for them to fuse with the jawbone. During this time, the implants fuse with the jawbone and become one piece. Your implants are almost covered with gum tissue. This is the most important part of the procedure. The long-term problem-free operation of implant treatment is related to this stage. You can use crowns during this time. Factors that cause the implant to fail to fuse with the bone; infection at the implant site, inadequate and sloppy oral care, blows, and abscesses on the implant.
At this point, both the patient and the dentist have important duties. Duties of the patient; It is to take care of the implanted area carefully, to strictly comply with the rules of cleaning and hygiene. The duties of the dentist are; To perform implant procedure in a sterile environment with quality materials.
At the end of the 2-6 months period for the implants to fuse, the final stage of the implant treatment is started. This stage is the placement of the permanent dental prosthesis. The dentist cleans the gingival tissue and puts a gingival-shaping healing cap on it. This cap makes the tooth look natural as if it is coming from inside the gum. This cap is screwed onto the implant. Then, another 4-10 days is waited for the gums to form. At the end of the period, the headgear is removed and tooth measurements are taken. Prosthesis is produced within a week after tooth measurements. After one week, the prosthetic teeth are placed in their places and the procedure is terminated.
In practice, titanium implant can be used as well as zirconium implant. Zirconium implants are used to increase durability, especially in the jawbone. In addition to its durability, it is an aesthetically useful implant. It does not leave a metal taste in the mouth. Does not wear. Color change does not occur over time. It is perfectly compatible with the body.
Healing process after Teeth Implant procedure?
- Since the procedure is performed under local anesthesia, pain is not felt during the procedure. Painkillers prescribed by our dentists can be used for pain that may occur after the procedure.
- After the treatment, rinse your mouth with salty warm water. Post-operative infection can be prevented by mouth cleaning.
- You should use the drugs prescribed by your doctor regularly.
- Studies show that smoking increases the risk of losing the implant 2-3 times.
- You must follow the home care practices and necessary instructions given by our dentists.
- It would help if you used mouthwash in oral care.
- It would help if you had dental calculus and tartar cleaning done for six months or once a year.
- It is beneficial to shoot a panoramic film every two years. In this way, bone resorption around the implant can be detected early.
- It would help if you were very careful about oral care.
- It would help if you cared for your implants as you do for your normal teeth. You should brush twice daily, use regular dental floss, and not disrupt your general oral and dental care.
It is quite normal to have swelling after the operation. Your dentist will recommend ice compresses after treatment. This procedure is outside the mouth ice, 5 min. Eight min. Done by rest.
- Hot or very cold foods should not be consumed during the fusion of the implant to the bone. Food should be consumed at room temperature. Attention should be paid to hot and cold procedure for up to 10 days.
- Staying away from hard foods after the implant procedure is very important. The gums mustn't get hit until the healing is complete.
- The implant area should be kept clean and protected from impacts.
- The part where the implant and the gingiva meet and the gaps between the implant and the adjacent teeth should be cleaned well. For this job, you should use dental floss and an interface brush in addition to the toothbrush.
- Clean the tongue and palate as well as your teeth. Bacteria living there can damage teeth and gums.
- Avoid excessive physical activities.
- Planned follow-up appointments should not be interrupted.
- For the teeth implant's long-term health, avoiding activities that may harm your teeth and mouth is necessary.
- Temporary protectors play a protective role in the long-term health of the implanted tooth. These may include night guards, mouth sprays, and other protective devices.
How should oral care be done after implantation?
After the procedure, a buffer is placed on the implant area. This tampon is moderately bitten for one hour. If the bleeding does not continue after one hour, it is discarded. If it continues, a new tampon is bitten for half an hour. The procedure of tampons is continued until the bleeding stops.
- There may be some bleeding in the first 4-6 hours after the operation. If it lasts for a long time, you should consult your doctor.
- Do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours after the procedure.
- Avoid hot food and drinks in the first 48-72 hours. Soft and room-temperature foods are suitable.
- You should not smoke for at least 4-5 days.
- Edema is observed at the end of the surgical intervention. It's normal. Edema is alleviated with ice compresses to be applied to the area on the first day. Edema begins to decrease after 72 hours.
- To protect the stitches, you should avoid movements that will stretch your cheek.
- Do not touch the seams with your finger and tongue.
- It would help to inform your dentist about the stitches in the first five days.
- Aspirin or similar drugs that increase bleeding should not be taken.
- You can do normal brushing on non-operated areas. Brush the teeth in the operation area without touching the sutures and gums.
- Gargle twice daily, morning and evening, two days after the operation.
- Have your stitches removed at the end of the period (7-10 days) recommended by your doctor.
What are the risks of Dental Implant procedure?
- Nerves may be damaged as a result of poor radiographic examinations.
- Infection may occur at the implant site.
- Surrounding structures, such as other teeth or blood vessels, may be injured and damaged.
- You may have nerve damage that can cause pain, numbness, or tingling in your natural teeth, gums, lips, or jaw.
- Sinus problems may occur due to implants in the upper jaw.
Do's and Don'ts After Implant Treatment
- Do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours after the operation.
- Avoid hot drinks for the first 24 hours, and only consume soft and cold foods. Avoid hot foods and drinks for the first week.
- Pressure should be applied with a soft, sterile tampon to initiate clotting and stop bleeding.
- Seeing blood in the saliva for the first 24 hours is normal. Do not spit or rinse your mouth for healing to begin in the wound area.
- Do not brush your teeth on the evening of the operation, and do not use mouthwash.
- After 36 hours, it is recommended to rinse the mouth twice a day for two weeks. Gargle for 1 minute, and do not eat or drink anything for 30 minutes.
- Do not smoke or drink alcohol for the first 24 hours.
- Medicines given by the dentist should be used as recommended.
- Apply pressure with a tampon to the bleeding that will occur in the following days.
- Swelling or hematoma may be seen in the first 2-3 days. Swelling and hematoma can be seen on the cheek or under the eyes; they disappear after a week.
- For the scars to disappear, an ice compress (apply with 5 minutes of ice, wait for 5 minutes, and continue for a few hours) is applied on the first day.
- You should sleep with your head up for the first two nights.
- Non-absorbable sutures should be removed after 5-7 days.
- Do not brush the stitched area in the first week.
- Do not hesitate to consult your dentist for any problem.
How long do Dental Implants last?
Dental implants have the potential to last years or even lifetimes with proper care and maintenance, with success rates between 95%-98% over 10 years. Factors that contribute to their long-term success include practicing good oral hygiene, scheduling regular check-ups with your dentist and leading a healthy lifestyle - smoking must also be avoided and unnecessary stressors avoided in order to prolong implant longevity.
Although dental implant lifespan is quite lengthy on average, individual results may depend on factors like bone density and overall health status as well as compliance to oral care practices. Patients should work closely with their dentist to devise an individualized care plan and address potential issues promptly to increase the lifespan of their dental implants.
How much are Dental Implants in Turkey?
Cost estimates of dental implants in Turkey depend upon various factors, including where a dental clinic is located, its experience level with implant technology used and individual patient cases. On average, prices typically range between $500-1500 for each implant including placement procedure, abutment and crown costs.