There are several diseases that can cause tooth loss, such as periodontitis, cavities, or bruxism. Due to missing teeth, eating can become more difficult. The solution to this is dental implants.
What are dental implants?
This is the ideal solution for people who have lost a tooth. It involves placing a titanium screw inside the maxillary bone (upper jawbone) or the mandibular bone (lower jawbone). The size of the implant depends on the gap left after the tooth is lost. After the screw is placed, an artificial tooth is attached to it.
Before placing a dental implant, the dentist has to check the condition of the gum using an X-ray and, when it is verified that there is enough bone to place it, the implant is placed.
Types of Dental Implants
Depending on the way the implant is placed, two types can be differentiated:
Immediate-load dental implant: This type of implant doesn’t require opening the gum for placement. The dental implant is placed and the crown is immediately attached. This requires a significant amount of bone. It’s a less common type of implant because it’s essential that the area is free of infection.
Two-stage dental implant: The first stage involves placing the implant and allowing it to integrate with the bone. The second stage, performed 3-6 months later depending on the location, involves attaching the abutment and crown.
Pain with dental implants
When getting a dental implant, one of the most common fears is the pain that might be felt after the procedure, or whether the sensation in the mouth will change. But in reality, the protocol for placing dental implants is designed so that the patient doesn’t feel any pain.
This surgical procedure is performed in the dentist’s office. The first step is to apply local anesthesia to the area to be treated, so the patient will not feel any pain, only the initial injection of anesthetic.
Once the anesthesia wears off, the patient will only feel a slight discomfort. The degree of pain will depend on the number of dental implants and their placement in the mouth.
Problems with dental implants
The placement of implants may seem easy, but some complications can occur, which can be differentiated into those that may appear during the operation and those that may appear in the postoperative period.
Immediately after the procedure, you may experience pain, swelling, bleeding, and bruising. Additionally, mechanical complications such as breakage of the dental prosthesis or screw are possible. If this occurs, you should consult your dentist for advice on the appropriate course of action.
It is also possible that the dental implant may not integrate completely with the bone. This is due to the influence of certain factors such as diabetes, bone quantity and/or quality, medication use, and smoking. The implant may move during the initial stages of treatment. Peri-implantitis may develop in the medium and long term. And, even with all necessary checkups, the implant may not integrate correctly due to poor oral hygiene or certain biological factors present in the patient.
Dental Implant Care
When the dentist’s instructions are followed correctly, there should be no postoperative complications. It is necessary to wait a few months before placing the final prosthesis on the implant, regardless of the healing time and the removal of any stitches.
After the intervention, there is essential care for the care of the implants:
- Apply a dry gauze pad to the wound if bleeding persists, applying pressure for approximately 20 minutes. If bleeding continues, apply another clean gauze pad and repeat the process.
- Do not eat until the anesthesia wears off, which will take 4 to 6 hours after the procedure. A soft diet, with foods at room temperature, is recommended for the first few days.
- The area where the implant is placed will be inflamed immediately after the procedure. To minimize discomfort, you can apply cold compresses to the outside of your mouth and take pain relievers or anti-inflammatories, as directed by the dentist who performed the procedure.
- Both tobacco and alcohol should be avoided, as they are two of the risk factors that cause treatment to fail.
- Oral hygiene must be correct and very strict, using an ultra-soft surgical toothbrush. The following day, gentle mouth rinses with warm salt water or a chlorhexidine mouthwash can be performed, but always under the dentist’s recommendation.
- To sleep, you must have your head slightly higher than the rest of your body.
- No physical effort should be made during the week following the intervention.
