STAGES OF TREATMENT WITH IMPLANTS
1. Examination and diagnosis.
When you come to our clinic for the first time to talk about treatment with implants, we will take a medical history and carry out a complete examination of your teeth, including various imaging tests (X-rays, CT scan, scans…). Then we will make plaster models for study. With all this information the surgery is planned using software (BTI Scan) that allows us to make a very accurate diagnosis and a digital simulation of the surgical operation to be performed. Similarly, the specialist will evaluate the necessity to run complementary tests (e.g. Pre-operative blood test, IRN index, blood sugar level).
All the necessary tests for an exact, full diagnosis are made in Eduardo Anitua's own clinic, without the need to go to other centres, as he has right technology and specialists to perform them.
2. Surgery
To improve healing in the soft tissues (gums) and bone formation around the implants and in any bone defects in the maxilla, the Eduardo Anitua Clinic uses Plasma Rich in Growth Factors, which is a vanguardist technique for tissue regeneration in oral surgery and that has also been applied very successfully to other medical fields (traumatology and orthopaedics, vascular problems, facial resurfacing, ophthalmology, dermatology).
First surgical phase.
In this first procedure the implants into the bone (maxilla or mandible). Once in position, the implants remain buried in the bone for the time needed for osseointegration (approximately 3 months for the mandible and 4-5 months for the superior maxilla) and to be covered by the gum.
In cases of reabsorption or extreme loss of bone, this first surgical phase can be split into two sub-stages, the first for placing bone grafts or crest expander implants that regain part of the lost bone, and the second for placing the implants that constitute the basis of the future prosthetic restoration.
The post-operative stage is not painful. The day after you will wake up with your face and affected area slightly swollen and possible bruised (7-10 days).
During this stage it is important to:
- Take the medication prescribed by the surgeon.
- Apply ice or a cold gel pack to the affected area of your face (externally).
- Follow a liquid or soft diet as indicated by your specialist (omelettes, purees, etc.). You must not eat sandwiches or nuts.
- Do not touch the affected area with your tongue.
- Do not smoke or drink alcoholic beverages.
- We recommend you do not do sport during these days, especially contact or impact sports.
Second surgical phase.
For a period of approximately 3 or 4 months (depending on the location of your implant and the type of bone into which it is set) the second surgical phase can begin. This procedure is minimal and consists of making a small hole in the gum to connect the implants that are inside the bone with the oral cavity. To make this connection we screw a titanium abutment called a healing pillar or abutment into the implant, which is an intermediate step to be able to place the definitive prosthesis or crown.
This procedure only requires local anaesthesia and occasionally a few stitches. Duration: Less than 1 hour (depending on the number of implants). An X-ray will be taken and in some cases measurements to make provisional prostheses.
3. Fitting of the prostheses.
Approximately 15-20 days after placing the healing pillars, the provisional prostheses can be placed on the implants. The procedure is simple and basically consists of replacing the healing pillars with the crown (provisional tooth). This stage generally does not require anaesthesia.
Immediate loading (teeth the same day)
On occasions, while studying the case, we may find a bone that is of very good quality that means the implants we place during the surgery are well anchored to it. In these cases, a provisional prosthesis can be fitted on the implants immediately or a few hours or days after the procedure. This prosthesis will provide a reasonable cosmetic appearance with a provisional denture during the months the implants are integrating into the bone. They have some functional limitations, so during this period you must follow a soft diet and not eat foods that are hard or need chewing (nuts and crusty bread).This prosthesis will provide a reasonable cosmetic appearance with some functional limitations, so for a few days you must follow a soft diet and not eat foods that are hard or need chewing (crusty bread).
4. Periodical checks. Maintenance
Once the treatment is finished it is essential that the patient follow a number of guidelines that will have a direct bearing on how long the treatment results last:
- Brush your teeth after each meal.
- Use dental floss and a interdental brush.
- Do not smoke.
- Attend your appointments for periodical check-ups.
Each patient will have a maintenance booklet with the technical data for the type of prostheses they have and the date of their last appointment and next check-up. Similarly, if the patient requests it we will provide a "passport" with all the information about the implants they have, and our contact details, so that if the patient has an urgent problem with his or her teeth while away on holiday, any local specialist can resolve it with all the necessary information. In all cases, this information will remain in the patient file at our clinic.
