Dental implants

Dental implants replace missing teeth

A dental implant is a titanium screw placed in the jawbone that will support a crown. This dental surgery technique is the ideal solution to replace one or more missing teeth with a very natural result.

Indications for dental implantology

Dental implantology makes it possible to replace one or more missing teeth. Dental implants replace the root of the tooth, buried in the jawbone, to which the dentist will attach a porcelain crown. In this way, the entire tooth is reconstructed.

Depending on the type of edentulism, the dentist will proceed with a specific technique (crown, bridge, prosthesis). In all cases, the dentist will preserve the neighbouring teeth.

A single edentulous tooth: A single tooth is missing between two healthy teeth.
Interdental: Several teeth are missing between two healthy teeth.
Posterior edentulous: The missing teeth are located at the back of the lower or upper jaw.
Total toothlessness: All teeth are missing.

Dental implants are particularly well suited to avoid all the inconveniences associated with dentures.

Dental implant technique

The operation is performed in the operating room under local or general anesthesia depending on the number of teeth to be replaced.

Dental implantology is based on the principle of osseointegration. After a period of three to six months, the titanium screw that is placed in the jawbone, is found as if welded inside the bone. It thus forms a solid support for fixing a dental crown and reconstructing the tooth.

With the help of a clinical and radiological examination, the dentist assesses the bone mass in the jawbone available for the insertion of the implant.

Implant phase

The dentist opens the gum and, using small drills of different diameters, cuts the space in the jawbone that is needed to insert the dental implant. Then he closes the gum with a few stitches. During the 3 to 6 months of healing, the implant will then gradually integrate into the jawbone and gum.

Prosthetic phase

The dentist places the final crown on an abutment that serves as an attachment point between the implant and the tooth. In the case of a large number of teeth to be replaced, the practitioner uses a full porcelain bridge attached to a limited number of dental implants. This will allow the entire edentulous area to be covered without filling each missing tooth with an implant.

After placement of dental implants

The dentist regularly performs various checks to verify dental implants, including bone integration and very rare cases of implant rejection or integration of artificial teeth with healthy teeth.

After placing the new teeth

There is no particular pain either during or after the placement of the dental implants. For three to four days after the procedure, the patient must eat soft foods. In most cases, activity is resumed the next day.

The results

The new tooth, consisting of the dental implant and the crown, provides comfort close to natural teeth. The person can smile again without being bothered by one or more missing teeth.

In addition to the aesthetic aspect, dental implants also strengthen the teeth as a whole and prevent the occurrence of tooth-related problems such as bone loss in the jaw, tooth migration or reduced chewing capacity.

Dental implants have a lifespan of more than 20 years.