What are Dental Implants?
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), 10 years of experience
What is the meaning of Dental Implants?
Dental implants are artificial screw-like structures that replace a missing tooth. The dental surgeon inserts a dental implant into the jawbone. The dental implant acts like a root portion of the tooth, which is the part of the tooth that lies below the gum level and anchors the artificial tooth seen above the gum level, known as the crown.
The dental implants look and function like natural teeth, and are a welcome alternative to bridges or dentures that do not fit well and may cause damage to the surrounding teeth and gums. Dental implants are generally made up of titanium, which is a biocompatible material with the body.
In this article, we will be discussing dental implants in detail-
- What are the different types of Dental Implants?
- What is the purpose of having Dental Implants?
- What are the advantages of Dental Implants?
- What are the indications of Dental Implants?
- What are the contraindications of Dental Implants?
- What is the diagnostic procedure for Dental Implant Surgery?
- How to prepare for Dental Implant Surgery?
- What is the procedure of a Dental Implant Surgery?
- How to care after Dental Implant Surgery?
- What are the risks of Dental Implant Surgery?
- What is the cost of Dental Implant Surgery in India?
What are the different types of Dental Implants?
There are two types of dental implants:
- Endosteal implants: These are the most common type of dental implants. The dental surgeon inserts them on the jawbone, and each implant can hold one or more artificial teeth.
- Subperiosteal implant: These types of dental implants are placed on top of the jawbone but under the gum tissue. This option is only considered for people who do not have enough healthy jawbone available to support an endosteal implant and is very rarely used.
What is the purpose of having Dental Implants?
Dental implants are done in cases of one or more missing teeth. An individual may lose a tooth due to:
- Tooth decay or cavities
- Tooth root fracture
- Habit of grinding or clenching of teeth
- Injury or trauma to the tooth ( Know more about- What is Bone Fracture? )
- Gum diseases
- Cleft lip (a split or opening between the two sides of the upper lip)
What are the advantages of Dental Implants?
The various advantages of dental implants include:
- Improved speech. (Know more about: What is Speech Therapy?)
- Improved chewing ability
- Improved appearance
- No need for denture adhesives to keep the implant in place, as in the case of dentures
- No damage to the adjacent teeth as in the case of a dental bridge, where the adjacent teeth need to be grinded
- Dental implants do not get decay or cavities
What are the indications of Dental Implants?
Dental implants can be done in the following cases:
- When one or more teeth are missing
- The jawbone has reached its full growth
- There is an adequate amount of healthy jawbone to secure a dental implant, or just enough to have a successful bone graft
- There are no underlying medical conditions that may affect the healing of the bone
- If the person is unable or unwilling to wear dentures
- If an individual is having difficulty in chewing, and/or speech
- If the person is concerned about his/her altered appearance due to missing teeth
- If the person is willing to commit a couple of months to the procedure
- If the person is a non-smoker
What are the contraindications of Dental Implants?
You may not be an ideal candidate for dental implants in the following cases:
- If you smoke ( Know more about- What is Mouth Cancer Treatment? )
- Have uncontrolled diabetes. (Know more about: What is Diabetes?)
- Have a history of radiation therapy (treatment for cancer) to the head and neck regions
- If the amount and quality of your jawbone is not good
What is the diagnostic procedure for Dental Implant Surgery?
- Clinical examination: The dental surgeon will examine the patient intra-orally. The jawbone and the tooth that requires replacement are carefully examined by the doctor. The patient’s medical history and family history are also noted.
- Dental X-rays and CT scans: The doctor may recommend dental X-rays and CT scans to see if there is sufficient bone structure available for the placement of the implant, and for determining where exactly the implant should be placed.
- Blood tests: Routine blood tests may be recommended to check for any underlying medical conditions.
How to prepare for Dental Implant Surgery?
- The doctor should be informed about any pre-existing medical condition that you may be having.
- Inform your doctor about any medications, supplements, or herbs that you may be taking.
- The doctor may advise you to stop taking any blood-thinners like aspirin and warfarin that you may be taking, a few days before the surgery. This is done because these medications increase the risk of bleeding during and after the procedure.
- The doctor will advise you to quit smoking, as smoking interferes with the healing process and increases the chances of an implant failure
- The doctor will inform you if the procedure is going to be performed under general anesthesia (patient is put to sleep during the procedure) or local anesthesia (the area of surgery is numbed).
- If the procedure is going to be performed under general anesthesia, which is rare, the doctor will advise you to stop eating or drinking anything eight hours before the surgery.
- The doctor may prescribe certain painkillers and antibiotics to be taken before the procedure, to reduce the discomfort and chances of infection during the procedure.
What is the procedure of a Dental Implant Surgery?
The procedure of dental implants takes place over several months in a staged manner.
Most dental implant placement procedures are done under local anesthesia (the surgical area is numbed) and are completed in less than an hour.
The different steps involved in a dental implant placement are:
Tooth extraction:
- In case of a tooth with a poor prognosis that requires implant replacement, the dentist will first remove the problem tooth.
- Sometimes, a bone graft, and membrane (natural or synthetic bone) may be placed at the time of extraction to ensure that there is a sufficient amount of bone available at the time of implant placement.
- The bone graft and membrane are obtained from a donor bank and are generally safe to use. They help in stimulating the body to produce its own bone in the area where the tooth was removed.
Dental implant placement:
- The dental surgeon places the dental implant in the area of the missing tooth.
- This can be done after the extraction socket (the area left behind after tooth extraction) heals. This usually takes approximately three months.
- Implant placement can also be done immediately after extraction if there is good surrounding jaw bone and no underlying tooth infection.
- The procedure is done by first making a cut (incision) in the gums to expose the bone. This step is not required in the case of an implant that is immediately placed after tooth extraction.
- Holes are then drilled into the bone where the dental implant and the metal post will be placed.
- The metal post will act as the tooth root and is implanted deep into the bone.
- A temporary cap (crown) or denture may be given to the patient if required.
Osseointegration:
- After the placement of the dental implant in the jawbone, osseointegration starts.
- This is the process of the jawbone growing into and uniting with the surface of the dental implant.
- This process may take many months and it helps in providing a solid base for your new artificial tooth, just like the roots form a strong foundation for the natural teeth.
Placement of the abutment:
- After the completion of osseointegration, additional surgery may be required to place an abutment, which is a piece over which the cap (crown) of the tooth attaches eventually.
- This is usually done three to six months after the dental implant metal post-placement.
- This procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
- The dental surgeon will reopen the gums to expose the dental implant.
- The abutment is attached to the implant placed.
- The gum tissue is then closed around the abutment using sutures (stitches).
- After the abutment placement, the gums are allowed to heal for about two weeks before an artificial tooth crown is attached.
- In a few cases, the dentist may place an implant metal post with an attached abutment during the first surgical procedure itself. This is done to prevent an additional surgical procedure.
Placement of dental crown or denture:
- After the gums heal, the dentist will make impressions of the abutment and the surrounding teeth.
- These impressions are sent to the dental laboratory, for the preparation of custom-made crowns for the patient.
- The missing tooth is now replaced by a dental implant prosthesis that resembles a natural tooth in appearance and function.
- In cases of multiple implants, the dentist may give fixed or removable dentures to be placed on the top of the implant abutments. These are known as implant-supported dentures and are used for the replacement of multiple missing teeth.
How to care after Dental Implant Surgery?
- It is normal to have some pain, swelling, and bleeding after dental implant surgery. ( Know more about- What is Wisdom Tooth Pain? )
- The doctor will prescribe some pain medications and antibiotics after the surgery to reduce the pain, discomfort, and chances of infection after the surgery.
- Contact your doctor immediately if you notice that the pain and swelling get worse with time.
- After each surgical step, the doctor will advise you to eat cold and soft foods for one day following the surgery.
- An ice pack application is recommended intermittently on the facial area, for the first 24 hours following surgery. This is done to reduce the swelling.
- In case the dentist gives non-dissolvable sutures (stitches) following surgery, you will be required to visit the dentist after one or two weeks to get the stitches removed.
- You may resume your daily activities the day after the surgery.
- It is important to practice good oral hygiene to maintain your dental implants.
- Regular brushing of teeth, rinsing with an oral mouthwash, and using specially designed interdental brushes to clean the areas between the teeth, around the gums, and metal posts are recommended.
- Half-yearly follow-up appointments with your dentist are a must.
- Avoid hard food items like candy and ice to prevent damage to your implant and other teeth.
- Avoid tobacco and caffeine.
- Get your teeth treated immediately if you notice any cavities, gum problems, grinding, or any other teeth-related issues. ( Know more about- Home remedies to strengthen gums )
What are the risks of Dental Implant Surgery?
The risks of dental implant surgery include:
- Infection at the site of implant
- Damage or injury to the surrounding structures like blood vessels or teeth
- Damage to the nerves, causing numbness, pain, or tingling in the natural teeth, lips, gum, or chin ( Know more about- Tingling Causes in Hands and Feet )
- Sinus problems, when the dental implants placed in the upper jaw protrude into one of the sinus cavities
What is the cost of Dental Implant Surgery in India?
The total cost of dental implant surgery in India can range from around INR 25,000 to INR 50,000, per dental implant. However, many prominent hospital doctors in India specialize in dental implant surgery. But the cost varies across different hospitals.
If you are coming from abroad, apart from the cost of dental implant surgery, there will be an additional cost of living in a hotel and the cost of local travel. So, the total cost of dental implant surgery in India comes to a total of INR 32,500 to INR 65,000 per dental implant.
We hope that we could answer all your questions regarding Dental Implants through this article.
If you need more information related to Dental Implants, then you can contact a Dental Surgeon.
We only aim to provide you with information through this article. We do not recommend any medicine or treatment. Only a doctor can give you the best advice and correct treatment plan.
