Doubts about implants

Dental implants made from titanium are very biocompatible with hard tissue (bone) and soft tissue (the gum); as a result, the chances of an allergic reaction are very small. To date, after more than 12 years of putting titanium implants in place, we have no recorded cases of a patient who has had an allergic reaction to an implant.

When an implant does not integrate into the bone, it is not as a consequence of the organism rejecting the implant but rather the result of various factors such as the limited volume or poor quality of bone or factors inherent to the patient, such as excessive tobacco consumption. As stated earlier, at PerioCentrum clinics the rate of failure in the integration of the implant is less than 1%. Even though the implant systems we use have a lifetime guarantee provided that they are adequately maintained, if an implant is not successful we perform all procedures necessary in order to replace it at no extra cost to the patient.

Once the implant has osteointegrated, it can be lost in the long-term usually as a result of infection. If bacterial plaque and tartar get under the gum the patient can experience a condition called periimplantitis, which results in the loss of the bone that supports the implant. If this loss of bone is not detected in a timely manner and treated as appropriate, the implant can lose all of the bone and it may need to be removed. Periimplantitis is more common in patients who have had periodontitis, who smoke and, above all, do not brush correctly.

Under no circumstances should the fitting of implants be a painful procedure: it is performed with the patient under local anesthetic and, in some cases, via conscious intravenous sedation. The post-operative period is often very short in most cases: the patient must take a prophylactic antibiotic treatment for one week and analgesics for as long as required, which tends to be between 1 and 3 days after surgery. There can be slight inflammation of the face, although in most cases even this does not occur. In some more complex cases of surgery that involve bone grafts, there can be inflammation that last for days, but never pain.

To a large extent, whether the post-operative period is benign or not depends on the surgical care and the experience of the surgeon. The doctors at PerioCentrum employ microsurgical techniques that significantly reduce the length of post-operative period.

Dental implants require a degree of hygiene and check-up and maintenance visits that are similar to those for teeth. The frequency of visits is determined by the condition of the mouth of the patient (whether or not they have periodontitis, and to what extent) and by external factors, such as whether or not they smoke and the ability of the patient to brush their teeth correctly.

A patient who does not have periodontis and who does not smoke will only need a check-up once a year, while patients who have periodontis must have a check-up every 3-6 months, both to control the periodontitis in their teeth and to prevent the implants from developing periimplantitis./p>

Dental implants attach to the bone in a biological process called osteointegration, in which the bone firmly attaches to the implant.

The osteointegration process is not the same for all brands of implant. Although all implants are made from titanium, each office treats the surface of the implant, which influences the speed of the osseointegration process, the extent of contact between the implant and the bone and, therefore, the rate of success/failure.

At PerioCentrum clinics, we use just three high-end or premium brands of implant, with which be obtain documented osseointegration success rates of more than 99% for the implants we fit. Furthermore, these are the implants that osteointegrate fastest; in most of the cases we see, production of the permanent prosthesis can start within six weeks of the implant being put in place. In situations where the patient has little bone where bone regeneration techniques must be used, the time we need to wait in order to make the prosthesis is usually longer.

In particular situations, and preceded by an appropriate study at all/times, we can put a provisional fixed prosthesis on the implants the same day as when we fit the implants. In doing so, we prevent the patients from having no teeth during the integration of the implants or having to wear a provisional removable apparatus. This treatment is not suitable for all patients; therefore, the doctors at the PerioCentrum Group will let you know if you meet the appropriate requisites to carry out the immediate load.

Yes, patients with periodontitis can have dental implants fitted, but only once their periodontitis has been treated and brought under control first. Otherwise, there is a strong chance that the patient will suffer from periimplantitis.

Even once their periodontitis has been brought under control, patients who have had periodontitis are more likely to develop periimplantitis than patients who have not. Therefore, before extracting a tooth we must always be sure that said tooth cannot be left in place with appropriate treatment and maintenance.

At PerioCentrum, we look after your general health:

If you have general health problems, such as heart problems, the first thing we take into account is your health. Therefore, we will contact your doctor to assess the safety of the procedure and adjust any medication administered, where appropriate.

At PerioCentrum, we have post-operative protocols designed to:

  • Reduce the emergence of problems immediately after a procedure.
  • Improve the immediate consequences of the fitting of dental implants.
  • Reduce the level of failure of implants at the time they are put in.