Dental Implants

Dental Implants (Nobel Biocare)

If you have lost one or more teeth, replacing them with dental implants is functionally and esthetically the best solution modern dentistry has to offer. Techniques and materials are constantly evolving so that we can offer patients the best and safest results in the least possible time. 

Dental implants are artificial roots that replace the missing natural ones. They are inserted in the jawbone and are gradually integrated in a natural way. After the osseointegration a new highly esthetic ceramic tooth is placed on the implant to finish the rehabilitation. 

Dental implants a made of titanium which is a highly biocompatible material that ensures an extremely high percentage (98%) of successful osseointegration

Advantages of dental implants:

  • Esthetics
    The ceramic restorations on implants emerge from the gums like natural teeth, have a natural appearance and blend in with the rest of the teeth
  • Functionality
    Implants can perfectly restore masticatory ability and act like natural teeth
  • Periodontal health
    When a natural tooth is lost the jawbone resorbs. The neighboring teeth pathologically move towards the edentulous space and receive greater forces during mastication. This in general affects structures of the faces and causes instability. By placing a dental implant jawbone resorption is prevented.
  • No intervention on natural teeth
    For other prosthetic solutions like a bridge the adjacent to the edentulous area teeth have to be prepared (grinded). Placing a dental implant does not require any intervention to the adjacent natural teeth. On the contrary it provides their lost side support.
  • Long lasting solution
    Since a proper home care/hygiene regimen is followed dental implants are expected to last more than any other type of rehabilitation.
  • In our office we only use Nobel Biocare implants. Nobel Biocare is the leading specialized dental implant manufacturer worldwide with 40+ years of presence in this field. This ensures materials of the highest quality and specifications.

Bridges on dental implants

When many teeth are lost we do not necessarily have to replace each one of them with individual implants. With two (or more depending on the extend of the edentulus area) we can create a bridge of artificial teeth.

With this option:

  • We avoid preparing natural teeth (that would be required to place a conventional tooth supported bridge)
  • The increased danger for caries and periodontal disease for natural teeth supporting a bridge is avoided
  • A fixed stable restoration is provided instead of a removable solution
  • The teeth are easily cleaned
  • Bone resorption of the edentulous area is avoided

Guided bone regeneration

Basic requirement for dental implant placement is the presence of adequate bone both in height and width which will integrate and support the implants. 

Many times after a long standing tooth loss the bone slowly resorbs to a point that implant placement is not possible. However, with special techniques available we can regenerate the jawbone and proceed with safe and predictable dental implant treatment. 

Bone regeneration can be achieved with many different techniques and different bone grafting materials.  Those can be autografts, allografts, xenografts, synthetic grafts or a combination. With the bone graft we do not just replace the missing bone but rather help the body create new bone. In our clinic we utilize all techniques and different materials and chose the most suitable one for each specific case. 

The most widely used technique is called guided bone regeneration. We place a bone graft at the area of the bone defect and we cover and protect it with a special, biocompatible and resorbable membrane. The area of new bone formation is thus defined and and regeneration is stimulated. After a few months the new bone will be adequate in quantity and quality for dental implant placement.

The time required ranges from 3 to 9 months depending on the size of the bone deficiency and the technique employed.

Sinus Lift

This is a dental surgical procedure performed to increase the bone height of the posterior maxilla in order to make the placement of dental implants possible. 

The sinuses are two air filled cavities located on both sides of the nose above the roots of the upper posterior teeth. When one or more of those teeth is missing for a long time then the bone is resorbed while at the same time the sinus lining dives where the tooth was previously located. As a result the available bone height is no longer adequate for safe dental implant placement. 

Utilizing this procedure we raise the floor of the sinus and place bone graft material between it and the upper wall of the maxillary bone. This way the maxillary bone will gain sufficient height to support safe dental implant placement.