A Guide to Healthy Tooth Restoration and Care with Seocho-dong Implant Dental Clinic

A Guide to Healthy Tooth Restoration and Care with Seocho-dong Implant Dental Clinic

Summary
1. Leaving tooth loss untreated disrupts oral balance
2. Implants restore function with artificial roots
3. Precise diagnosis determines surgical success
4. Additional procedures may be needed depending on bone condition
5. Aftercare determines longevity

Hello,

this is Newn Dental Clinic.

Teeth help break down food and aid digestion, allow accurate pronunciation, and maintain the facial structure.

If tooth loss is left untreated, nearby teeth may lean into the empty space or the opposing teeth may extrude, causing the overall oral balance to collapse.

In addition, the alveolar bone that supported the teeth will gradually be resorbed and disappear once chewing stimulation is lost. The implant, designed to solve these problems, works by placing an artificial root directly into the bone and inducing osseointegration.

The success and rapid recovery of implant surgery are determined by precise preoperative diagnosis.

Using digital equipment, the three-dimensional shape and density of the alveolar bone, as well as the locations of anatomical structures such as the inferior alveolar nerve and the maxillary sinus, must be accurately identified.

Based on this, setting the placement angle and depth can reduce unnecessary tissue damage during surgery.

The less tissue damage there is, the less swelling and pain occur after surgery, and the body's natural healing ability works more quickly, shortening the overall recovery period.

The condition of the jawbone is directly linked to an implant's stability.

If you have had periodontal disease for a long time or have been left without a tooth for an extended period, resulting in insufficient bone volume, a bone graft procedure must be performed.

This is the process of creating an environment where the implant can be sufficiently surrounded by grafted artificial bone or autogenous bone.

In the upper jaw, if the maxillary sinus, the empty space located above the molars, has descended, a sinus lift procedure may be necessary to raise it and fill the area with bone.

Because these additional procedures require extra time for the bone to harden, the treatment period varies depending on each person's bone regeneration speed.

From immediately after surgery, the osseointegration stage, in which the artificial root and bone fuse into one, is the most important period for implant stabilization.

Generally, the lower jaw takes about 2 to 3 months, and the upper jaw about 3 to 6 months.

The precautions that patients must follow during this period are no smoking and no drinking.

The components of cigarettes raise the temperature in the oral cavity and constrict blood vessels, interfering with the delivery of fresh blood and nutrients to the surgical site.

This can lead to osseointegration failure, preventing the implant from becoming fixed and possibly causing it to fall out.

Care after the implant prosthesis has been completed is like a second surgery that determines the implant's lifespan.

Unlike natural teeth, implants do not have periodontal ligaments, so their defense mechanism against bacterial invasion is weaker.

Also, because there is no nerve, even if inflammation occurs and the jawbone begins to dissolve, the patient will hardly feel any pain.

This is called peri-implantitis, and to prevent it, you must remove plaque around the prosthesis completely using floss and interdental brushes in addition to brushing.

Regular dental visits are essential for the early detection of mechanical defects and biological problems with implants.

If the screw that secures the implant prosthesis loosens slightly, you may feel a foreign-body sensation while chewing, and if left untreated, the screw may break or the implant itself may be damaged.

With regular checkups to assess the occlusal relationship and, if necessary, retighten the prosthesis, the implant can be used stably for more than 10 years.

In terms of the surgical method as well, navigation-based placement using guides made from digital data has recently been introduced.

This allows placement by making a small opening at the necessary location without making a wide incision in the gums, resulting in less bleeding and a lower risk of infection.

In particular, it is considered an efficient method that reduces physical burden for older adults with reduced recovery capacity or patients with underlying medical conditions.

Q. After implant surgery, how many days does the pain last?

A. Pain and swelling are most severe immediately after surgery and for 2 to 3 days afterward, then gradually subside.

Taking the prescribed medication on time and applying cold compresses as instructed will be very helpful for pain control.

If the pain does not lessen or actually gets worse even after one week has passed, inflammation should be checked, so you must get examined immediately.