Implant Surgery

What is an implant?

Implants are metal structures made of titanium or titanium alloys, which are placed into the jawbone of patients who have lost their teeth. They are used instead of the lost teeth of the patients and the intended use of the teeth is tried to be achieved with the prostheses applied on them. In short, it is the placement of screw teeth into the jawbone.

In which cases can implants be done?

It is important to remember that our teeth affect not only our chewing but also our speech and appearance. Implants can be applied in cases of single tooth deficiency, multiple tooth deficiency or complete lack there of teeth.

Who can get implants?

• A normal wound has the capacity to heal,
• Healthy bone structure,
• Anyone who does not have systemic diseases (diabetes, advanced osteoporosis, etc.) that pose a risk for implantation.
• An implant is a comfortable, robust and reliable solution. Prostheses made on implants reveal the most natural structure while replacing real teeth. In the process of completing the missing teeth, healthy teeth are not touched. In addition, implants are much longer lasting applications compared to other prosthesis options.
• Implant treatment will be the first alternative that will come to mind, especially in patients who have lost the chance to use fixed prostheses due to tooth loss or in patients who complain that their total prostheses are not stable in their mouth due to bone resorption.
• The effects of tooth loss will be psychological as well as physiological. For this reason, Implant, as a special application that replaces the natural tooth, offers a definite and healthy solution to the psychological and physiological problems caused by tooth loss or congenital tooth deficiencies.

What is oral implantology?

Implants are plates, screws and nails made of titanium, which replace lost teeth for the purpose of treatment and do not have any side effects for the patient and can function like a natural tooth after completing the fusion with bone tissue.

• The tooth on the implant looks like your natural tooth and performs naturally.
• Today, titanium is the most commonly used metal as implant material. Titanium is a metal with excellent tissue compatibility and has been safely used in many fields of medical science for many years.
• Titanium, which is manipulated to look like a root, cylinder or screw, is made ready for use as a dental implant after undergoing a number of special processes (special design pickling, laser roughening, etc.). These processes determine the quality of the implant.
• As a result of tooth loss or trauma, physiologically occurring bone resorption results in a decline of the volume of the jawbone. This situation prevents the prosthesis to be applied from fully fulfilling its function. As a result, problems arise in chewing and speaking.

What are our treatment goals?

• Elimination of all kinds of toothlessness and missing functions with implants and implant prostheses supported by them
• Elimination of the problem of a single missing tooth without touching the neighboring intact teeth,
• Elimination of multiple tooth deficiencies by building fixed bridges with the help of implants instead of removable prostheses,
• In the case of complete edentulism, it is not possible to make fixed prostheses instead of removable prostheses (palates).

Can implants be applied at any age?

Yes. Only in young people does bone development need to be completed. This is until the age of 16-17 for females and 18 for males.

There is no upper age limit for adults. Implants can be applied to people of any age who are in good general health. Elderly people would need dental implants more often than not because they lose more teeth and their jaw bones become more brittle.

Are all dental implants successful?

For implants to be successful, a good general health, i.e. sufficient "healing potential", a correct diagnosis and proper care and cleaning of the implant are required. In addition, appropriate surgery and a suitable prosthesis must have been performed by the physician. In addition, excessive smoking and/or excessive alcohol consumption will negatively affect the success of the treatment.

What is the lifetime of implants?

The duration of use of implants depends on several variables, such as a general health status, daily care and cleaning of the implant. Nevertheless, as with any other medical intervention, in principle, it is not possible to give a lifetime guarantee, but implant success can vary between 90-100%.

Situations where the implant is NOT possible:

Some physical conditions or disabilities may prevent the implant procedure. These are:

• Severe osteoporosis
• Overindulgence
• In patients with diabetes: i.e. in cases where diabetes is not under control and diabetes is not followed up regularily
• Significant heart disease
• Blood clotting problems
• Rheumatic diseases
• The bone structure in the jaw is unsuitable, inadequate or anatomically risky
• Situations in which the patient cannot maintain complete oral hygiene after the implant

Can implants be rejected by the body?

Implants are mostly made of biocompatible materials like titanium. Since titanium is not a living substance, it does not create an antigen-antibody reaction as in heart and kidney transplants. Therefore, "tissue rejection" is actually not possible.

What if the treatment fails?

The implant can be removed with a very simple procedure and the site heals on its own.

Is there a risk of cancer?

In the world of medicine and dentistry, there is not a single evidence of dental implants causing cancer.

Are dental implants applied for cosmetic reasons?

The main application area of dental implants is the elimination of tooth deficiency. Cosmetic enhancements can also be achieved while eliminating tooth deficiency.

What are the main criteria that determine the success of treatment?

• First of all, patient selection, i.e. setting the right indication, is the first condition for treatment success,
• Correct prosthetic planning,
• Suitability of clinical conditions (availability of necessary surgical materials and sterilized conditions),
• Demonstration of adequate surgical skill,
• Preference for implant brands with proven clinical reliability based on years of experience and a large number of cases they are used,
• Maintaining the same care and skill when creating the individual structure (implant prosthesis)

Will I have any discomfort during and after the operation?

The operation can be performed under local anesthesia without any pain and discomfort. General anesthesia can also be applied if necessary. After the operation, there may be a slight pain or swelling that can be felt after any tooth extraction. These can be easily relieved with painkillers and the necessary precautions.

How long does it take to complete the implantation operation and prosthesis?

The duration of the surgery can vary from half an hour to several hours depending on the number of implants to be placed as well as the patient's conditions. After the operation, the implant and bone are allowed to fuse for 3-6 months. Then, prostheses are placed on these implants with an application that takes several sessions.

Another option is active surface implants, which can be applied at a small cost difference. These new types of implants, which reduce the fusion time to 2 weeks and therefore allow prosthesis construction in much shorter periods, would also be preferred depending on the time constraints of our patients.

In cases where some favorable conditions can be met, it is possible to make a prosthesis without waiting at all.

Is an implant an expensive treatment?

Implant procedures require a series of complex and long-term procedures. Therefore, they also require a higher expenditure than routine dental services. In a study of patients who had completed implant treatments, patients stated that they felt they had received a return on their investment and would do it again if necessary.