Learn more about dental implantation procedure

Dental implantation is the replacement of one or more missing teeth with artificial roots made of metals. This allows you to eat and chew comfortably like with real, natural teeth, minimize bone loss that may affect the jaw structure, and provide a cosmetically elegant look. Together with The East Rose Dental, let’s read on to learn more about this wonderful procedure!

Cautions before getting dental implant

In order to ensure the best possible outcome, you should be aware of the following two issues before deciding to implant at any center.

1. Pay attention to choosing a reputable clinic

To know if a dental clinic specializing in implant dental implant is prestigious or not, please check that this unit fully meets the following factors:

• The clinic has been licensed by The Ministry of Health of Vietnam to operate.
• The team of doctors has at least 10 years of experience in implant treatment to be able to control all situations well, and be able to provide timely solutions if any incidents arise.
• Modern and advanced facilities to improve the success rate of implants.
• Dental clinic has a regime of support and good customer care.

2. Choose the right implant type according to your needs

Depending on the needs of each patient, experts will recommend different types of implants. In general, they are classified into two main groups, including:

• Cost-optimized implant: This type of implant is usually affordable, suitable for those who are not economically abundant. However, the disadvantage of this group is the relatively long treatment time, which can be from 2 to 6 months or more, depending on the specific condition of each dental implant.
• Time-optimized implant: Because of the nature of work, such as frequent contact with customers, business trips, some people will need to speed up the treatment process. At this time, implant types such as the Nobel Active Implant or the ETK Active Implant will be the ideal choice.

According to the dentist, the treatment time for these implants only lasts 1 - 3 weeks. In addition, compared with the cost-optimized implant, the cost of dental implants in a short time can be much higher. In general, most current implant types have advantages and disadvantages. You should consult with a specialist to choose the right implant type that suits your needs, thereby ensuring treatment results.

Dental implantation: Step by step

Preparation for dental implantation

A dental implants implantation procedure requires the collaboration of several specialists, such as:

• A doctor specializing in conditions of the mouth, jaw and face
• A dentist specializing in treating gums and bones
• A dentist specializing in designing and fitting artificial teeth
• An ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor

Dental implantation also requires several different procedures; therefore, you must have a thorough pre-op evaluation, including:

• Comprehensive dental exam: Your dentist will order some blood tests, blood pressure reading, X-rays, 3D images of your face and jaw, and models of your teeth and jaw.
• Review of your medical history: It’s crucial that your dentist is informed of any diseases you may have as well as any medications you take at the moment, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs and even supplements. If you have heart disease or orthopedic implants, you may be administered antibiotics before surgery to lower the risk of infection.
• Treatment plan: Based on the results of previous exams, your dentist will come up with a treatment plan, taking into consideration your situation, the number of implants needed, the type of restoration, appropriate implantation techniques, among others.

For pain management during the procedure, your dentist will discuss with you about anesthesia options, including local anesthesia, sedation or general anesthesia.

Then, they will give you diet instruction and other pre-op precautions. You should ask a family member to go with you so they can take you home after the procedure.

Dental implant procedure

The entire process of dental implantation can take many months. Much of that time is devoted to healing and waiting for the growth of new bone in your jaw.

1. Jaw bone grafting (Bone restoring)

If your jaw bone isn't thick enough or is too soft, you may need bone grafting before you can have dental implant surgery. When you are missing a tooth, bone loss occurs. This reduces the thickness of your jaw bone, making it unable to sustain the implant.

Cases that may require bone grafting include:

• Periodontitis
• Jaw trauma
• Lost teeth accompanied by loss of jaw bone

The speed of bone loss differs from person to person. Not all cases of bone loss require grafting before implantation. You will only need a bone graft if your bone loss is severe, leaving not enough bone to hold an implant.

There are several bone graft materials that can be used to rebuild your jaw bone, including:

• Synthetic bone graft: This type of bone graft is transplanted into the targeted site to promote bone growth, then it will dissolve on its own.
• Natural bone graft: The bone graft will be taken from your own body. Therefore, it will integrate easily and grow quickly.

Usually, bone grafting takes a few months for the bone to grow strong enough to support the implant teeth. Consult with your dentist about the options that will work best for your condition.

2. Dental implant placement

During implant placement surgery, your oral surgeon makes an incision to open your gum and expose the bone. Then, they will drill holes into the bone to place the dental implant metal post which will serve as a tooth root. The implant should be fitted entirely inside the jawbone. This will protect it from the impact of chewing while your bone heals.

After implant placement, there’s still a gap where your missing tooth should be. Your dentist may give you a temporary denture which you can remove for cleaning and while you sleep. Osseointegration may take from 2 to 6 months.

3. Abutment placement

An abutment is a post extension that connects the implant post and the crown. Abutment placement can be carried out:

Together with implant placement in one sitting

If you choose to do this, you won’t need 2 surgeries to open your gum and expose your bone. However, dental implantation requires recovery time for osseointegration to take place. So, you need to protect the abutment from the impact of chewing, ensuring optimal osseointegration and recovery.

After complete osseointegration

After a set period of time, your dentist will check to see if osseointegration has completed by cutting into the gum above. Then, they will put the abutment on the implant. Your gum will slowly heal around this abutment.

After abutment replacement, it usually takes around 2 weeks for the gum to heal around the abutment after which the crown can be put in place.

4. Tooth restoration

After your gum has healed, your dentist will have a look at your implant and make impressions of your teeth using special materials and pick a natural ceramic color that will blend in with the rest of your teeth.

Then, all the details will be sent to a lab and a crown will be made. When it’s done, your dentist will place it over the abutment and make adjustments so you have proper bite alignments. Finally, your dentist will securely screw the crown to the abutment.

Read more: Fixed dental restoration: Dental crowns and bridges

Dental implant aftercare

During the implantation procedure, you may experience:

• Bleeding
• Facial and gum swelling
• Pain at the implantation site
• Skin and gum bruising

Your dentist may give you a prescription for painkillers or antibiotics to help relieve your discomfort. Besides, it’s recommended to have foods that are soft and easy to swallow to avoid pain at the implantation site.

If swelling, discomfort or any other problems get worse after the procedure, contact your dentist as soon as possible.

Here are some oral care tips after dental implantation:

• Avoid tobacco products
• Stick to your follow-ups
• Clean your mouth twice per day
• Avoid bad habits that may affect your oral health such as chewing ice cubes or hard candies

Potential risks after dental implant

Although experts appreciate the safety of implant procedures, sometimes a few complications still arise. They can be referred to as:

Bleeding

It is normal to bleed after the implant procedure has been completed. This condition can quickly go away without medical intervention. However, if bleeding continues for 1-2 days after that, you need to see a dentist immediately to get timely treatment.

Inflammation in the implant area

After the surgery, if you experience symptoms such as soreness or swelling of the gums in the abutment area, an infection is likely to occur. The main reason comes from the following two factors:

• Improper dental care.
• Not following the dentist's orders, such as using drugs (beer, alcohol, cigarettes, etc.) during treatment.

In this case, you need immediate medical treatment to avoid further complications.

Injury to surrounding tissues

Sometimes, an implant may accidentally cause damage to nearby parts, such as:

• Teeth: The drilling operation during an implant dental procedure can damage the crown or negatively affect the teeth around the implant area.
• Nerve damage: The drilling process also has the ability to affect nerves, resulting in pain and numbness sensations in the lips, tongue, gums, or even the chin. These symptoms tend to get worse when you chew or talk.
• Jaw fracture: mainly occurs when the implant does not have enough bone or bone is not thick enough to be implanted.

Complications due to wrong implant placement

The deviation in the implant placement is likely to cause the implant to fracture, causing a significant impact on the function of the teeth, the chewing force, and the ability to pronounce.

Implant service requires high professional skills as well as the clinic to have enough quality to meet during surgery. Therefore, you need to choose a reputable dental address with a team of good doctors, dentists, strong skills to ensure the implementation process is safe, limiting the complications of errors.