A dental implant is arguably the best artificial substitute for a missing tooth. Among all the available options in dentistry, an implant comes the closest to replicating the natural function and appearance of your lost teeth.

A dental implant is sure an expensive option, but it does offer significant advantages over other treatments for replacement of missing teeth. One major advantage is that an implant causes no harm to the adjacent teeth, unlike bridges, which require reduction or grinding of teeth.

Besides, an implant also helps maintain the integrity of alveolar bone, which otherwise tends to contract with the loss of every tooth.

However, there are viable options for patients especially from the first world nations who are seeking cheaper dental implants abroad. Indian, Mexican and Thai dental implants are any day reasonably priced and one could save a lot on the procedure in these nations.

Indications of Dental implants

• Loss of single tooth

• Loss of multiple teeth

• Ill-fitting/ uncomfortable dentures

Dental Implants Vs Dentures

Once a patient loses several or all of his teeth, they need to be quickly replaced to restore function and esthetics. Complete or partial removable dentures are commonly used to replace missing teeth, but an implant scores way higher when it comes to patient comfort and longevity.

Dental Implants Vs Root Canal

Root canal is advised when the caries has extended to the pulp (the soft, innermost part of the tooth). While a natural tooth can be saved by root canal in most cases, sometimes it is difficult or nearly impossible to carry out satisfactory treatment. Also, fractured or cracked teeth may be difficult to save with root canal treatment.

However, it cannot be said if it is better to save a natural tooth with root canal or replace it with an implant. Every patient and each tooth is a different case, and the treatment planning depends completely on an individual’s need.

Steps in a typical Dental Implant Procedure

• Drilling of a small hole in the edentulous region

• Placement of the implant screw

• Osseo-integration occurs simultaneously as the site heals

• Attachment of abutment

• Placement of the crown

Aftercare

Patient may experience some pain at the implant site, which is generally relived with prescription painkillers. Patients are advised to eat soft foods for a few days after the surgery and avoid any unnecessary pressure on the surgical site, as it may interfere with the fusion of the implant surrounding bone.

Maintenance of good oral hygiene is pivotal for the success of a dental implant, as any accumulation of debris may lead to infection, which in turn may cause implant failure.

Patients with the habit of smoking or any other adverse oral habits may be required to give up on those habits following implant procedures.

Risks

Though they are reported to have 90-95 percent success rate, the risks with dental implants are similar to those involving any surgical procedure.

A major risk in implant cases is its failure to integrate with the bone. If proper care is ensured by both the dentist and the patient, an implant should not fail. However, if it does, the dentist may remove the implant, allow sometime for bone healing and try to place it again.

Placement of dental implants also carries the risk of infection and damage to oral tissues. The procedure is technique-sensitive, and a dentist must ensure the surgery is performed correctly and the implant is placed accurately.

Proper patient history must be noted before the surgery to ensure the case is free of complications. Diabetic, hypertensive patients, and those with other debilitating conditions may require special care before and after the treatment.

The risks involving dental implant cases are mostly avoidable if the surgery is done at the hands of an expert and the patient complies with the instructions. However, in case problems arise, they can be managed by an implant specialist.

Research well and plan a great dental holiday to Mexico, India or Thailand and experience ‘true smile’ on your face when you are back home.

DentaVacation facilitates affordable dental treatments at various destinations across the world. For more information, submit the estimate-request form on the right.

Dental implants have vastly become the most preferred choice for replacing missing teeth. People who lose their teeth not only face problems in eating and speaking, they tend to suffer significant shrinkage of jaw bone over time, as integrity of the bone is dependent on the teeth embedded in it.

The procedure is however very costly especially in nations like the US and the UK. But nowadays many patients from these first world nations are seeking dental implants in Mexico, India and Thailand as they get world class services in the clinics there at an extremely affordable price.

With the loss of teeth and depletion of bone, an individual gradually loses his facial dimensions and has to rely on artificial teeth to restore esthetics and function. The advancements in dentistry are more and more being focused on ensuring patient comfort and scientists around the world are devising ways that allow quick restoration of lost teeth.

One way to replace missing teeth immediately is same-day implants. Unlike the traditional ‘two stage placement’ or ‘delayed placement,’ in this method the patient need not wait for weeks before a crown can be placed over the implant.

The treatment is gaining popularity among patients as it allows them to leave the dental office with a new tooth that closely replicates the natural one, without having to wait for months after the implant surgery. Affordable dental treatments abroad encourages people especially from the US to go for dental care procedures without hesitations and worries regarding financial issues. In fact in many cases, one could also save up to 30 to 50% on the procedure.

In a single sitting, the tooth can be extracted, implant inserted in the bone and loaded with a temporary tooth-like crown. A second visit to the dental office is required to replace the initially-placed temporary crown with a permanent one, but at no point, the patient is left without a tooth, so esthetics are always maintained.

Now, the procedure, often referred to as ‘teeth in a day’ or ‘teeth today,’ seems very appealing, but it does come with a set of risks and problems.

One major risk with immediate loading implants is the increased risk of implant failure. In the conventional method, after placing the implant screw inside the bone, the dentist waits for a period of 2-6 months, to allow for the bone to grow around the implant and form a strong bond with it. The process is called as osseointegration. Once the bond between the implant and the bone is confirmed to be strong, the head of the implant is loaded with a tooth crown. Ossointegration, it must be noted, is the most critical step for successful implant placement.

In immediate loading implants, the bone is not allowed to heal like in the conventional method. Of course, the freshly placed implant is never subjected to immediate pressure in any form, but even the slightest negligence can lead to failure of the entire process.

High risk of implant failure results in the need of higher number of implants, eventually raising the cost of the treatment manifold.

Besides, like any surgery, this too runs a significant risk of infection, more so, because if the tooth is extracted the same day, and the socket is not cleaned properly before placing the implant it may lead to complications.

DentaVacation facilitates affordable dental treatments at various destinations across the world. For more information, submit the estimate-request form on the right.

With the popularity of dental implants reaching far and wide, they are largely becoming the treatment of choice for missing teeth. Implants, since being introduced, have enjoyed a high success rate, but failures are not uncommon. The success of an implant requires efforts both from the dentist and the patient.

While good skills of the dentist are imperative in successful implant placement, patient’s compliance is also a major factor for the success of a dental implant surgery.

Dental implants surgery is an expensive procedure and post surgery care is necessary to keep the implants well maintained. Many patients are not even able to get them because of their expensive price tags. However, in the past few years such patients who have been looking for affordable solutions, found their answers in Dental Tourism. Thousands of medical tourists go for teeth implants in India, Thailand and Mexico not only for the ‘cost factor’ but also for high quality treatment.

Getting the surgery done is only a part of the implant procedure; it is not complete till the implant is fully integrated with the bone.

You must clearly discuss the post-operative care instructions with your dentist before leaving the office, and make sure they are nicely followed.

The following points should be kept in mind for post care of dental implants:

• The gauze pad that is placed over the surgical site must be kept in place until the bleeding stops. The pads may be changed after sometime, but if the bleeding persists even after a 24 hours, you must consult your doctor.

• Take your medications on time. You will be given antibiotics, painkillers, as well as antibiotic mouth rinses, which must be carefully used as instructed.

• Avoid aspirin, as it interferes with healing process.

• Ice packs/ packs of frozen peas can be used to elevate swelling.

• Although it is a minor surgery, try to avoid all strenuous activities for a few days.

• Take plenty of liquid in your diet, take juices and yogurt; avoid hard food stuffs.

• Also, eat slowly, avoid sucking and do not take very hot foods/liquids.

• Do not disturb the surgical site at all. Avoid touching the implant site with your tongue or by putting anything in your mouth.

• Do not smoke, and avoid alcohol for sometime.

• Maintaining oral hygiene is very important. You may brush and floss your teeth, but go easy as you approach the surgical site. Rinse it with warm water to avoid lodgment of any food particles/ debris.

• Warm saline rinses must be frequently done to maintain decent hygiene and avoid infection. One teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water should be used to rinse your mouth atleast 3-4 times a day, or as instructed by the doctor.

• Undue pain, nausea, fever, vomiting or any signs of infection must be immediately reported to the doctor.

• Do not delay your next appointment at the dental office, which may be after 10-15 days for removal of sutures.

If the post-care instructions are meticulously followed, without making any undue compromise on your health, your dental implant should easily become a success.

Dentures are prosthetic devices fitted in mouth to replace missing teeth. A patient who has lost a few or all of his teeth can seek solace in dentures, which will not only help him improve speech and chewing abilities, but also restore the esthetics, which are of great importance for many patients.

Dentures can be partial (to replace a few teeth) or complete (to replace the entire set of teeth).

Partial dentures may be fixed on the remaining teeth (often called as dental bridges) or may be removable. Complete dentures are mostly removable, but with advancement in implants there have been some successful attempts of fixing an entire set of artificial teeth in an edentulous patient.

Any dental procedure in the US is costly. According to a survey published by the US CDC in 2000, more than 44% of Americans did not have dental insurance during that time – which certainly increases the need for dental tourism. A person can save up to 30 to 50% if he opts for dental implants in India or Mexico. Affordable dental treatments abroad have helped many patients from the US to overcome their dental problems at a price much lesser than the price in their hometown.

The various types of dentures are described below:

Complete Dentures

Standard complete dentures are the most obvious choice for a patient who has lost all of his teeth. They are normally made of pink acrylic with white teeth inserted in it. The patient may require a few visits to the dental office before he can receive the denture as accurate recording of the shape and for of oral tissues is important for making a well-fitted denture.

Removable Partial Dentures

Patients who have only a few teeth missing, and are not willing to go for implants or bridges, can find a reasonable choice in removable partial dentures. The tissue portion of these dentures is also made of pink acrylic, with white acrylic or porcelain teeth.

They are an affordable option, which, if constructed in expert hands, can provide decent esthetics and function.

They might have some metal clasps for improved retention. CuSil dentures are the ones made with deliberate holes to allow stable natural teeth to push through. They work best as upper dentures. The natural teeth present in between, aid in stability of the denture.

Immediate Dentures

Sometimes called temporary dentures, these are made even before the natural teeth are extracted. They are then placed right after the extraction of natural teeth. The advantage with such prosthesis is that the patient does not have to remain without any teeth, even for the period when his tissues are healing. The patient does not have to compromise on esthetics and may return to normal speech and eating, way sooner than with conventional dentures.

However, the fit of dentures is bound to change with the healing of the gums and jaw and the patient normally requires a new set in about six months.

Over Dentures

These are built over the remnants of natural teeth. In most cases today, non-restorable teeth are removed before the placement of a removable prosthesis; but still there are some cases where artificial teeth can be placed over rotting stumps, thus maintaining them to the patient’s advantage.

Implant Retained Dentures

These are the most stable and comfortable dentures. But since several implants are involved the costs of these prosthesis is quite high as compared to the conventional dentures. Patients, who have much trouble wearing normal dentures, may opt for implant supported dentures, which give least interference to speech and mastication, and eventually raise patient confidence.

A patient could also request for free quote online so that he could plan his budget accordingly.

DentaVacation facilitates affordable dental treatments at various destinations across the world. For more information, submit the estimate-request form on the right.