Dental implantsimplants, i.e. artificial roots, are placed in order to fill the gaps in a natural restoration. Placement of the implant takes place in three stages: insertion of the implant, insertion of the healing screw and attachment of the artificial tooth.
Stage 1: implant insertion
Implant placement is a surgical procedure This involves drilling a hole in the bone into which the implant is then inserted. Before the procedure, the doctor must determine whether the amount of bone tissue in the gums is adequate for the insertion of the implant. In cases where bone loss has occurred as a result of tooth loss, the doctor may opt to perform guided bone regeneration, i.e. to create the required amount of bone tissue for future dental implants. The implant procedure is painless and lasts, depending on the case, between 30 minutes and 2 hours. Once it has been implanted, the surgeon checks that the position of the implant is stable. If everything is in order, he sutures the wound.
During wound healing, osteointegration takes place, i.e. the direct fusion of the artificial root with the bone. In the case of implants in the mandible, this process takes about three months, while in the case of implants in the maxilla, it takes about six months. As a result, new bone tissue grows on top of the resulting shell, which is an adequate reinforcement for the implant.
Step 2: inserting the healing screw
The next stage involves exposing the implant and inserting the healing screw. To do this, the dentist makes an incision in the mucous membrane above the implant and inserts a so-called healing screw. The purpose of the screw is to accelerate the healing process of the mucosa and to model the shape of the gingiva for the future prosthetic crown. After 14 days, the prosthetic restoration can be made.
Step 3: attachment of the artificial tooth
The final stage is taking impressions and fitting the artificial tooth. The doctor takes prosthetic impressions and selects the colour of the crown. Based on the impression, a crown is made in the laboratory. During the final visit, the doctor screws the abutment to the implant and attaches the prosthetic crown.
The implant placement procedure is performed at the ODENT - Centre for Orthodontics and Implantology, Warsaw-Żoliborz.
