What is the success rate of dental implants?
It is well known that dental implants are the first choice for missing teeth, and are called humanity's third set of teeth. So for people who want to get dental implants, there are many doubts. Next, our hospital's experts will explain them carefully for everyone.
Q1:What are dental implants about?
No restoration can completely replace your own original teeth, but if teeth are lost due to disease or accident, then among the various restoration methods, dental implants should be the best choice. In plain terms, a dental implant is the surgical placement of an implant made of artificial material into the alveolar bone of the missing tooth area to replace the tooth root, and then using this as a foundation to restore the missing tooth. A dental implant is actually a restoration composed of the implant and the upper denture supported by the implant. It realistically imitates natural teeth, can restore most chewing function, has better retention, and is also more comfortable, with no plastic base and none of the hassle of removing it daily for cleaning.
Q2:What is dental implant restoration?
Dental implantation refers to surgically placing a tooth root made of artificial material into the jawbone, and after it heals with the jawbone, making a denture on top of it. Because dental implants (commonly known as tooth implants) rely on the implant for retention and support and do not need adjacent teeth as abutments, they are currently the newest and most advanced method internationally for treating missing teeth. Because there is an artificial implant supporting the denture, reducing or even eliminating the need to wear dentures, patients are more comfortable, and chewing efficiency is restored to a level close to that of natural teeth, bringing an appearance, feel and function just like natural teeth, helping you escape the frustration and embarrassment of missing teeth and regain a confident and comfortable life.
Q3:What is the success rate of dental implantation?
Since dental implant technology began to be applied in 1950, thanks to advances in medicine and materials science, the success rate has also been continuously improving. At present, using the five-year success rate as the clinical evaluation standard, the success rate of dental implants can reach 94% or even higher, and it is believed that it will improve further in the future. In foreign countries and in economically developed regions domestically, dental implants are the first choice for replacing teeth after tooth loss.
Q4:Is implant surgery painful or dangerous? What if it fails?
Under normal circumstances, dental implant surgery is a relatively minor alveolar surgery, similar to tooth extraction, using local anesthesia, with minimal trauma. It is a minimally invasive surgical procedure, and patients can eat right after surgery, with very little pain. Generally, implant placement surgery only takes several tens of minutes to 1 hour to complete. Because the materials selected are biomaterials with excellent compatibility with the human body, dental implants will not cause any adverse reactions in the human body. Even if osseointegration of the implant fails, after removal one can wait for the wound to heal and then improve the method and implant again, or switch to an ordinary denture. Therefore, even if implant dentures fail, the consequences are not frightening.
Q5:What materials are commonly used for dental implants?
The most commonly used implant material is mainly titanium, and coatings also use titanium or titanium alloy as the base material. The physical and chemical properties of titanium are renowned for being lightweight, not easily oxidized, high in strength, and good in workability. Titanium metal is a biomaterial and is widely used in medicine, such as artificial bones and joints, cardiac stents, cardiac pacemakers, dental implants and other bone implants.
Q6:How long does dental implant surgery take?
It is equivalent to the time experienced for an ordinary tooth extraction, with the surgery time being about 10-15 minutes, only the surgical process is reversed.
Q7:How long does the entire dental implant process take?
The treatment and restoration of artificial dental implants are roughly divided into three stages.
(1) First, preoperative examination and preoperative management are carried out. For example, extracting particularly loose teeth, residual roots, and decayed teeth, treating periodontal disease, and removing poor dentures, adjusting and correcting poor occlusal relationships, etc. The time required for this stage varies depending on each person's treatment situation, ranging from as little as one or two days to as much as two or three months.
(2) The implant surgery stage. Your doctor, according to the preoperative plan, surgically places the implant into the bone. The time to place one implant is about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
(3) Four to six months after surgery, replace or install the permanent crown or denture. The permanent crown is generally made of porcelain material, with excellent texture, realistic color, comfort and beauty, satisfactory functional restoration, and durability.
Q8:What discomfort is there during the implant surgery process?
Modern anesthesia techniques and good postoperative nursing measures can minimize the patient's discomfort. The intraoral wound can heal in about 7-10 days. During the healing period, care should be taken to clean the wound area promptly and avoid chewing hard objects. Many patients feel that the discomfort of implant placement surgery is even a little less than that of tooth extraction.
Q9:Can temporary restoration be done after implant placement surgery?
The time for the implant to achieve complete osseointegration with the surrounding bone tissue after placement is about 3-6 months. During this period, any load-bearing body in the implant area that interferes with bone tissue repair should be avoided as much as possible, so that the implant can quietly pass through this osseointegration period, which is beneficial to the future stability of the implant. Therefore, it is generally considered best not to make a temporary restoration.
Q10:Are dental implants as strong and durable as natural teeth?
Research shows that many dental implants are actually even more stable than natural teeth. Compared with removable dentures, research shows that dental implants achieve 100% restoration of chewing efficiency. With the advent of dental implants, patients with missing teeth can finally eat foods they previously did not dare to eat and enjoy the pleasure of a life of good food. However, it is worth mentioning that because the area around the implant lacks the rich sensory nerve endings of natural teeth, it is more susceptible to damage when subjected to abnormal chewing forces, thereby affecting the service life of the implant from a certain angle.
Q11:Can everyone get dental implants?At present, our hospital has used advanced technology and methods to solve the previous problems of being unable to implant due to insufficient bone volume and poor healing results, basically making it possible for everyone to get dental implants after tooth loss.
Q12:Can temporary restoration be done after implant placement surgery?The time for the implant to achieve complete osseointegration with the surrounding bone tissue after placement is about 3 months to 6 months. During this period, any load-bearing body in the implant area that interferes with bone tissue repair should be avoided as much as possible, so that the implant can quietly pass through this osseointegration period, which is beneficial to the future stability of the implant. Therefore, it is generally considered best not to make a temporary restoration.
Q13:How long is the service life of dental implants?How long a dental implant can last is the first thing patients care about, and it is also a concern for implant dentists. Generally speaking, as long as they are used with care, dental implants can be used long term. For whether an implant is successful, its retention time is an important indicator. In the past, it was considered successful only if the 5-year implant survival rate was 85% and the 10-year survival rate was 80%, but now the requirements are higher. At present, the longest-used dental implant has already been in use for 48 years.
Q14:In what situations can dental implants be done?In the past, implant denture restoration had relatively large limitations. With the continuous development of implant denture technology, its advantages and the success achieved in long-term clinical practice have continuously broadened the indications for implants. In the early days, implant dentures were mainly used for edentulous patients, and now it has developed to the point that any missing tooth can be restored with implants. It is also suitable for those with difficult denture retention caused by various reasons, or those unable to be restored by traditional methods due to functional impairment caused by psychological factors. In addition to patients with normal oral conditions being able to choose implant dentures,
The following situations can also be treated with implant dentures:
(1) Insufficient alveolar bone volume can be solved through bone grafting.
(2) For problems with the maxillary sinus and mandibular canal, implantation can be guided by X-ray and CT, and spiral CT can guide the direction relatively accurately. Select the appropriate implant length and accurate implantation angle.
(3) Immediate implantation after tooth extraction.
(4) For patients with insufficient financial means, the method of overdenture restoration can be used. (5) Jawbone defects and defects of facial tissues and organs can also be restored through implant methods.
Q15:How long after tooth extraction can dental implant restoration be performed?Generally speaking, three months after tooth extraction, the bone tissue in the missing tooth area has healed well and resorption has stabilized, and at this time implantation is relatively easy to succeed. If the alveolar condition is good and there is no acute or chronic inflammation, immediate implantation in a fresh extraction socket can also achieve satisfactory results.
Q16:Are dental implants expensive?The cost of dental implants depends on the number of implants, the type of implant, and the type of restoration on top of the implant. Of course, if bone grafting is needed or other treatments are combined, the cost will be even higher. As for the specific cost, it also differs from region to region, and detailed pricing can be consulted with your local oral implant dentist. In short, the cost of implant restoration is usually relatively high. But the changes in your facial appearance brought by implant restoration, the improvement in chewing efficiency, and the resulting increase in overall confidence, for a modern person living today, are beyond doubt the most meaningful of all the investments you have ever made.
Q17:What problems may occur with dental implants?
In rare cases, poor healing between the implant and the bone may occur, leading to loosening and falling out of the dental implant. If infection occurs in the implant area, it may spread to other areas such as the maxillary sinus. When implanting in the posterior mandibular region, nerve damage may occur. After implant surgery, varying degrees of pain, edema, or bruising may occur.
Q18:Am I suitable for implant restoration?
Usually, a healthy person who can accept routine tooth extraction and oral surgery can consider implant restoration. Patients with certain special chronic diseases, such as diabetes, uncontrolled heart disease and hypertension, blood diseases, osteoporosis, and patients who need radiotherapy after oral cancer surgery, are not suitable to immediately receive implant restoration. In addition, patients who smoke and drink heavily and cannot maintain good oral hygiene conditions are also not suitable. However, it should be pointed out that implant dentures are not limited by age, so many elderly patients suffering from missing teeth can finally also share the benefits brought by this successful technology of implant dentures. In short, the dentist must conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your physical condition before formulating a treatment plan suitable for you.
Q19:Do dental implants require hospitalization?
Most of the surgical treatment portion of dental implants can be performed under local anesthesia in an ordinary dental treatment chair in the outpatient clinic. If necessary, oral or intravenous sedative drugs can be used before surgery to control tension and eliminate fear of surgery, making the outpatient surgery go more smoothly. Of course, there are also some cases that require hospitalization, such as patients who need bone grafting or have many implants and poor physical condition. Under hospitalization conditions, they can receive better care, and changes in their condition can also be detected and handled promptly.
Q20:What issues should be noted after implant surgery?
Although oral implant surgery is not a major operation, postoperative care is also very important; otherwise wound infection will lead to failure of the implant surgery.
After implant surgery, the following issues should be noted:
1. On the day of surgery, the patient should eat a semi-liquid or fully liquid diet;
2. Do not brush teeth within 24 hours after surgery, so as not to irritate the wound;
3. In order to achieve the expected surgical results, smoking and drinking must be stopped for one month before and after surgery.
4. Good oral hygiene is an important guarantee for the success of artificial dental implants, so patients should perform effective oral cleaning on time. Use mouthwash to rinse several times a day to avoid infection;
5. Observe the condition of the implant and wound at all times, and solve problems promptly when found;
6. Within 3 months after surgery, it is not advisable to eat overly hard food, to prevent excessive force on the implant.