Dental Implants

The loss of a natural tooth causes a lot of functional changes in the oral cavity. If you end up losing a permanent natural tooth then:

1. The alveolar bone surrounding that tooth starts to resorb.
2. The adjacent teeth start moving into the space of the lost tooth.
3. The cheeks around that area start to sink in and try to fill the missing space.
4. The opposite tooth also starts to move into the lost space due to the absence of antagonist tooth pressure.

The only replacement of a missing natural tooth sometime back was removable dentures or a fixed prosthesis. While both the replacements have some drawbacks, the latest technology of Dental Implants offers you the closest possible replacement of the natural tooth.

We at Madhav Multispecialty Dental Clinic are equipped with the knowledge and experience to deliver implants. 

We are known to provide the best implants in Ulhasnagar. Dr. Ritika Wadhwani is a professionally certified implantologist.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants were invented by a Swedish orthopaedic surgeon Per-Ingvar Branemark In 1952. A dental implant is a replacement structure of a missing natural tooth. Implants are placed in the alveolar bone and after integration with the bone; they provide a strong foundation for a fixed or removable replacement for the missing tooth.

What are the advantages of Dental implants over any other tooth-replacement method?

1. Better appearance: Since the implants are placed in the bone, and the crowns are placed over them, they look pretty much like natural teeth.
2. High success rate: Implants if placed well have a very high success rate.
3. No damage to adjacent teeth: Unlike bridges which takes support from the other natural teeth, implants take support only from the underlying alveolar bone. Hence they are easy to maintain and the adjacent teeth are not prone to caries and other damages. The adjacent teeth do not have any sensitivity issues as well.
4. More comfort and better speech: Implants are more comfortable than dentures that can slide or loosen up over some time. They help in retaining the speech as well.
5. They have a longer life than dentures or bridges.
6. No need to take them out and clean, unlike dentures that need to be cleaned every day.

What is the procedure to get implants?

1. Investigations: There are two types of investigations that are carried out before the placement of the implants.
   1. Radiographic investigations: A special radiograph called CBCT (Computerised Cone Beam tomography) is used to assess the bone details. We access the amount of alveolar bone present for the placement of the implants.
   2. Systemic investigations: Some basic blood tests like CBC, BT, CT, and a few other investigations are carried out before planning implants.
2. Implant Placement: After carrying out the necessary investigations, the treatment can be planned. If adequate bone support is present then the implants can be placed surgically after raising a flap.

If adequate bone is not present then there are a few surgical procedures that can be carried out to gain bone support. These procedures are: 

1. Sinus lift: Placement of implants in the upper jaws can be difficult if the site has been edentulous for a long time. So to place the implant, the sinus floor is gently lifted.
2. Bone augmentation: When the depth of the bone is not adequate, then bone augmentation can be done with the help of bone grafts and membranes.
3. Ridge expansion: This procedure is done to achieve the required width for the placement of implants.
4. Abutment and crown placement: After a thorough integration with the bone, the abutment is placed in the implants and subsequent crown,bridge or denture placement is done.

How painful is the procedure?

The procedure is carried out under chair-side anesthesia. There is post-operative pain and swelling, but that is taken care of with the help of medicines.  

How costly are implants?

The cost of implants surgery depends upon various factors like:

1. Number of implants placed
2. The location of the implant placement in the jaws
3. Any additional grafts or augmentation procedures done
4. Quality of the implants   

What are immediate and delayed implants? Which implants are better?

Immediate implants are better since they can be placed in the same appointment in which the tooth is extracted. There are fewer chances of gingival loss and it shows faster results.

Delayed implants: There are some situations where implants cannot be placed immediately after extraction due to infection in the bone, lack of soft tissue, and low bone density. In that case, implants are placed after the bone is freed of infection and new bone growth has been achieved 

How should Dental implants be maintained?

Dental Implants have to be maintained just like your natural teeth. Proper brushing, flossing and gargling after meals would help in increasing the life of the implants. You should visit for a check-up every six months.

What are the different types of Implants?

The different types of implants are:

1. Endosteal: Most commonly placed in a dental office. They are placed inside the jawbones completely.
2. Subperiosteal: In case of less bone availability, implants are placed just above the bone and below the tissues.

Dr. Ritika Wadhwani has been practicing implants for nearly a decade now. She has been delivering smiles to our patients efficiently.

If you have any queries or doubts about implants, feel free to book a consultation with us.