Immediately-loaded Dental Implants: What You Need To Know

Dr. Michael’s Dental Clinic’s Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon Dr. Walter Goriwoda, MD, DMD answers the most commonly asked questions about immediately-loaded dental implants.

1. What are immediately loaded implants? Are same day implants the same as immediately loaded implants?

In modern dentistry, missing teeth should be ideally restored by insertion of dental implants. In many cases and specifically in the aesthetic regions, where patient would show gaps after tooth extraction, a single dental implant can be placed immediately after tooth extraction into the fresh extraction socket. In most cases, the implant is stable enough to be loaded with an immediate implant crown. To allow for osseointegration of the implant, the surrounding bone has to grow right onto the implants surface without being disturbed by any movements of the implant. This is why the immediate crown on a newly inserted single dental single implant should not be subjected to any masticatory forces for several weeks.

In cases where rehabilitation of all teeth in upper or lower jaws is necessary, at least 4 implants (better more) should be inserted into one jaw. The whole dentition can then be attached to these implants as a suprastructure. Due to different biomechanics, minor masticatory (chewing) forces can be tolerated immediately.

The term same day implants is mainly used for advertising purposes, but indeed comprises immediate loading of the newly placed dental implant.

2. Who are the best candidates for immediately loaded implants?

Ideally the best candidates are young, healthy, nonsmoking patients without any periodontal disease and sufficient amount of bone, which of course is almost never the case! There is always a specific reason for the necessity to remove a tooth/teeth and each case has to be investigated individually for the suitability of extraction with immediate implant placement and loading. In general, there is very few absolute contraindications.

3. What are the benefits of immediately loaded implants?

Following a conservative treatment modality means to wait 3-6 months after tooth extraction. Then the implant is placed and another 3 months for osseointegration are awaited before the restoration with a crown takes place. This is an almost unacceptable long period of time for our modern society! But more importantly, another negative side effect might occur during this waiting periods which is resorption of bone and recession of gums.

Insertion of a dental implant right after tooth extraction with immediate placement of a crown has a superior outcome when it comes to the long term aesthetics of the surrounding tissues. The alveolar bone surrounding the newly placed immediately restored implant and its surrounding gums will be preserved to its maximum degree. It should be the treatment modality of choice for aesthetic areas where the patient shows gums when smiling!

And of course it is a nice side effect for the patient to get a complete dental rehabilitation in a day and not to suffer from a socially unacceptable tooth gap for several months neither to struggle with some temporary removable denture.

4. What is the success rate of immediately loaded implants?

The success rates of extraction with immediate implant placement and immediate loading of primary stable implants do not differ from the conservative treatment modality, when the suitability is clinically assessed prior to surgery. Prognosis can be compromised due to periodontal disease, insufficient oral hygiene, or systemic disease but then all dental surgical procedures are more prone to complications independent of which implant insertion concept was followed.

5. What is the procedure like? How many appointments will it take to get the implants and crowns done?

The removal of the tooth is the more invasive surgical part. Inserting the dental implant into the fresh extraction socket is easily practicable. In most cases the implant is stable enough in the anterior jaw and can be immediately restored with a chairside custom made temporary crown. The whole procedure of dental rehabilitation is done in one session only and takes approximately 2 hours.

6. What can patients expect after receiving their implants?

Depending on each patient individually and the location of extraction and implant placement, some amount of swelling and pain, must be expected for about 3-5 days and even bruising might occur.

7. How often should patients come to visit their oral surgeon after the implants are done?

It is advisable to have a follow-up with the surgeon approximately a week after implant placement and again prior to restoration with the permanent crown. In the long term, the implant maintenance constitutes of regular sessions with the dental hygienist and normal follow-ups with the dentist.

Guided Implant Surgery: Safe, Precise & Predictable

By: Dr. Fernando Arroyo Meneses

Dental implants are a uniquely stable and effective solution for missing teeth. They are surgically embedded in your jawbones designed to function just like natural teeth.

With new technologies stepping in, the world of oral implantology has experienced great developments, specifically with less invasive and more effective dental implant techniques such as computer-guided surgery.

Computer-guided dental implant surgery at Dr. Michael’s allows our surgeons to place implants in a safe, precise and predictable manner. This technology eliminates all the guesswork involved in determining which site on the jawbone is best to place the implants.

Now, we can do implants without surgical flaps (small incisions into the gum tissue to allow visualization of the bone's shape and location). This makes our patients’ postoperative recovery virtually nonexistent - no bleeding and no sutures.

What is Guided Surgery?

With the use of advanced 3D technology, guided surgery allows the surgeon to place the implants in a previously planned area in its exact place and with greater accuracy. This approach has significantly simplified the procedure for both patients and surgeons.

Using a specialized software for implants, surgeons can make a preliminary simulation of how implants will be placed in the mandible or maxilla of the patient, all of this will happen before the day of the intervention. This enables us to do the procedure calculated down to the last detail with practically zero margin of error.

How do surgeons place implants with guided surgery?

The procedure begins by taking molds of the patient’s teeth in the clinic. The plaster models are then sent to the lab to build a radiographic template. This radiographic template is nothing but a small device placed in the patient’s mouth to determine if the desired implant position is possible. If not, this template can help the surgeon make decisions on ow to augment a surgical site. These templates are easily and inexpensively made in our clinics.

The patient will get a CBCT scan, and this is also done at the same day in our own clinic. Once made, we're ready to start planning the implant placement. There is no need to see the patient until the day of the intervention.

Since we have all the images of the jaw and bone anatomy in our screen, we are able to carefully study and choose the most suitable implant location. We also get to view the most ideal place for dentures or crowns in the future.  All these are planned with respect to all the surrounding anatomical barriers like the nerves or sinus.

Once the planning process is done, the laboratory will send us a customized surgical guide or template that will be placed in the patient’s mouth during surgery. This template has accurately measured holes that show where the implants should be placed.

What are the advantages of guided surgery over traditional implant placement?

·         It saves a lot of time. A major concern of patients is the idea of having their mouths open for a long time all throughout the surgery. Surgery time is considerably reduced because guided surgery allows for a much shorter intervention.

·         It eliminates the need for detachment of the gums thus preventing tissue trauma, bleeding and post-surgical discomfort.

·         Recovery is much better. Patients can resume their normal activity after the surgery.

·         Guided surgery lets surgeons put crowns or dentures in the ideal screwed retained position improving the biomechanics and the function of these implants.

Sustain Your Smile with Advanced Dental Implants at Dr. Michael's Dental Clinic in Dubai

8th March 2015, Dubai, UAE: Gone are the days when dentures were the only option to fix missing teeth. Today, more and more people are getting dental implants to replace missing teeth and rightly so. Designed to feel and function like your natural teeth, dental implants are a long-term solution embedded in the jawbone to restore a patient’s ability to eat, speak and smile with confidence.

Dental implant involves surgery, and is best done by a trained surgeon. Implants are made of titanium metal that "fuses" with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration. This is why implants never slip or make discomforting noises like dentures do.

In Dubai, Dr. Michael’s Dental Clinic has the most advanced practice and technology to perform dental implants surgery. Prof. Steen Sindet-Pedersen, the clinic’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon brings many years of experience in dental and maxillofacial implantology, bone grafting and restorative surgery which allows him to successfully place dental implants even in "high-risk" patients suffering from chronic health conditions, gum disease or bone loss in the jaw area.

Prof Steen said, “The good thing about implants is that when properly cared for, they can last a lifetime. Unlike dentures or fixed bridges, implants will neither affect your neighboring teeth nor lead to bone loss in the jaw.”

According to Prof. Steen, dental implants are usually done as ‘keyhole surgery’ using a local anaesthetic and is a painless procedure. There is minimal pain and discomfort which can be easily controlled with painkillers for a short period of time. There is usually no need to be absent from work following implant surgery.

Moreover, Dr. Michael’s Dental Clinic is the only practice in the UAE that houses Carestream CS 9300 CBCT, the latest in 3-Ddental imaging machine that offers the highest image quality and lowest dose of radiation.

“Our CBCT is a great tool for planning dental implant surgeries. It improves predictability, quality and safety of the procedure. It is also used to plan and simulate dental implant surgery ensuring that the most suitable type of implant is used and securing that no nerve damage or damage to other structures happen during the surgery."

To book an appointment with Prof. Steen, please call Dr. Michael’s Dental Clinic at 04-3949433 or 04-3397700.

About Prof. Steen Sindet-Pedersen
Prof. Steen Sindet-Pedersen, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon at Dr. Michael’s Dental Clinic, has been practicing dentistry for nearly 36 years, and has been performing up-to-the-minute dental implant procedures since 1985. He received his dental degree from the University of Aarhus – Denmark in 1979, completed his specialist training as Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon in 1985 and earned his Doctorate in Medical Science (Hons) in 1991 from the same university. He was a Professor & Acting Head of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aarhus University & University Hospital and was the first professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Implantology in Europe at the Eastman Dental Institute, UCL, London.

About Dr. Michael Dental Clinic
Founded in 1997, Dr. Michael’s Dental Clinic represents the most comprehensive, state-of-the-art, multispecialty dentistry in Dubai, UAE. It has assembled a team of international dental specialists, hygienists and support staff for general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, implantology, orthodontics, prosthodontics and pediatric dentistry, serving over 37,000 patients in and around Dubai.

ENDS

Media enquiry
For further information, please contact:
Maria Cristina Cubacub
Digital Marketing Manager
Dr. Michael’s Dental Clinic
cristina@drmichaels.com
Contact No: +971564423078

Dental implants in Dubai: Your Questions Answered

Though losing a tooth is never seen as a disability, it can be an enormously devastating experience.  In fact, respondents from a study at Newcastle University in the UK were astounded by the impact tooth loss had on people. Some compared it to losing an arm or leg, others reported that they avoided leaving their homes.

Larry (65), said: “It's devastating when you break a tooth off, when that front one went, it was like losing one of the children. Honestly. Because I'd always had – I thought there was never a problem with those ones at the front … But no, it is devastating when you lose teeth because it's part of you.”

Aside from the obvious problems of poor physical appearance and damaged self-esteem, missing teeth also cause subsequent dilemmas like loss of chewing ability and ineffective speech. Fortunately, missing teeth can be replaced through dental implants, a procedure of choice for teeth replacement recognized by dental experts for almost 50 years.

Dental implants are substitutes for the roots of missing teeth. They can also serve as an anchor for other dental prostheses like crowns, bridges and dentures. Dental implants are fused in the jawbone and are not visible once surgically placed. They are uniquely stable, eliminating the need for removable or partial dentures.

Our Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at Dr. Michael's Dental Clinic, Prof. Steen Sindet-Pedersen, answers the most frequently asked questions about dental implants.

Q. What factors contribute to long-term success of dental implants?
A. The amount and quality of the bone and good oral hygiene are the most important factors for long-term success of a dental implant.

Q. Are there any age limitations for dental implants?
A. No, age in itself is not a limiting factor for using dental implants.

Q. Do implants require special care?
A. Dental implants should be cared for in the same way as natural teeth, brushing and flossing twice a day.

Q. How often will I need to have my dental implants checked?
A. The implants should be checked when you have your regular dental check-ups meaning preferably every six months.

Q. How long does the whole dental implant process take?  Will I be without teeth or unable to eat for a long time?
A. It depends on a number of factors, if there is enough bone of good quality the implant can be inserted and a temporary tooth fixed onto the implant within a day – the final ceramic tooth will be fitted within a week. If the process for various reasons takes longer it is possible to make a temporary tooth so you will not have a gap at any time.

Q. Are there same-day implants?
A. Yes, if there is enough bone of good quality and no infection that is possible to do.

Q. What might be some of the factors that would prevent me from being an implant candidate?
A. Active infections in the mouth including gum disease has to be treated before implants can be inserted. Diseases affecting the immune system reducing immunity is also a limiting factor as are some types of medication affecting the immune system. Finally smoking is a risk factor for long-term success of dental implants.

Q. Is dental implant surgery painful?
A. Dental implant surgery is usually done as ‘keyhole surgery’ using a local anaesthetic and is a painless procedure. There is minimal pain and discomfort after which can be easily controlled with painkillers for a short period of time.

Q. When can I return to work after implant surgery?
A. There is usually no need to be absent from work following implant surgery.

Q. I have diabetes. Can I still have implants?
A. Yes, but it is important that the blood sugar is well-controlled and that you maintain a good oral hygiene.

Q. I have gum disease. Can I still have implants?
A. Yes, but the gum disease has to be stabilised so there is no active gum disease when the implant is inserted.

Q. I've had dentures for several years and have lost a lot of jawbone.  My lower dentures are floaters and I need help. Can dental implants help me?
A. Most probably yes, however, a detailed 3D scan of the jaw bones will enable simulation of the implant surgery so we know before doing the surgery what is possible.

Dental Implant Procedure at Dr. Michael's Dental Clinic Dubai

Losing a tooth can change your life in so many ways. At Dr. Michael's Dental Clinic, we offer you the most advanced dental implant procedure to help you save your smile.