What are dental implants?
Very simply, dental implants (also referred to as teeth implants) are artificial tooth root replacements. The implants are inserted directly into the jawbone instead of the tooth's natural root. They may have the shape of a screw or a roll and their basic material is titanium. The larger part of the implant is fixed into the jawbone; only the upper part is visible in the gum. A so-called abutment is then placed on the implant. It forms a supporting base for a dental crown or bridge.
Why dental implants Prague?
Prague has many attractive features for those considering dental implants abroad. Its location in Central Europe is easy to access; its mild climate is conducive to healing and its experienced clinics and teeth implant dentists ensure you'll receive the best possible care. Teeth implant Prague costs are often much more affordable than in the UK or with the NHS. For more information about getting to and around the Czech Republic, please visit our handy cosmetic surgery Prague info guide.
Are you a good candidate for dental implants?
Before dental implant surgery
During the first check-up, the dental surgeon will evaluate the condition of your teeth, the quality of your jawbone and gingiva. He/she will probably ask you about your expectations for teeth implant surgery and estimate the cost of implants. If your jawbone is not wide enough for the placement of the implant, the surgeon will probably suggest some augmentation procedures. These could be a transplantation of your own bone or artificial bone. In this case, a surgical procedure will precede the placement of dental implants and you should plan on a relatively long recovery period.
In the case of any infection (cold, virus disease, aphthosis, herpes etc.), the surgeon will probably suggest postponing the surgery for a few days. It is also impossible to receive teeth implants if you have mouth cavity disease. The minimum age for the application of dental implants is 15 years for girls and 16 years for boys. The jawbone is definitely developed at this age. There is no upper age limit. To discuss if teeth implants are right for you, consult one of our dental implant abroad surgeons.
Augmentation procedure of the jawbones for dental implants
The jawbone adapts to a situation without teeth and if you lost your teeth a long time ago, the jawbone has probably narrowed to a great extent. It is impossible to insert an implant into a narrow jaw and that is when the surgeon will use bone augmentation techniques.
There are various types of procedures. Most often the gum is opened by the surgeon and the bone is built up with a special synthetic material mixed with smashed bone from your jaws. Another option is bone grafting which is the transplantation of your own bone tissue taken from your chin, shin bone or hip bone. This treatment is performed under general anesthesia and it is a residential treatment. All bone augmentation procedures will take several months to heal.
The dental implant procedure
Teeth implants can be placed into a hole left by a recently extracted tooth or to replace teeth that have been missing for a longer time. Inserting one dental implant takes approximately 30 to 90 minutes. If the dental implant will replace a defective or loose tooth, the surgeon will first extract the tooth and then he/she will place an implant into the formed space. Depending on the condition of the jawbone, the surgeon can immediately place a temporary crown or bridge, or he/she will leave the implant to heal for several weeks. During the next visit the surgeon will then place a permanent crown or bridge, almost indistinguishable from the natural teeth. In case of a jawbone without teeth, the surgeon will first drill a hole in the bone and then place the implant in the hole. In this case, the surgeon will leave the implant to heal for several weeks and after that he/she will place a permanent crown on the implant.
Anesthesia
After the dental implant treatment
Caring for dental implants
To ensure your teeth implants heal without complications, excellent dental hygiene is required. The implants must be cleaned with a special toothbrush, which your dentist will recommend to you, and also with the help of an inter-dental brush and dental floss, which should be a part of normal dental hygiene. Electronic toothbrushes that rotate are not recommended, they could unscrew the crown or even the actual implant. Your dentist or dental hygienist will show you tips for proper dental hygiene.
It is necessary to carefully prevent gingival inflammation. In case of any inflammation, the body may consider the implant to be a foreign element and may refuse it or damage its stability. The surgeon will recommend regular medical check-ups and he/she will check the condition of the dental implants periodically.
How long will dental implants last?
Successful healing is an important condition for the durability of the implant. Another factor is the quality of your dental hygiene. If there were natural teeth in the mouth cavity and these teeth were connected to the crown of the dental implant, the durability of the crown is thus limited with the life span of these teeth.
