1. What happens when we lose our teeth?
Some of the consequences of the tooth loss are: esthetic compromise; decrease of masticatory efficiency (it is harder to chew); overload of the remaining teeth that will have to make the function of the lost teeth (therefore the remaining teeth could be injured or lost too); difficulty to talk or to say certain words; loose of lips support (wrinkles); inclination of the neighbor teeth; unstable bite; head and face muscles and articulation problems; decrease of the size of the bone that held the lost teeth (bone resorption).
The first option is place an artificial titanium root (dental implant) that will support a porcelain crown. The next option is the bridge, which consists on trimming the neighbor teeth, to make porcelain crowns on them fixed to another crown that will replace the lost tooth. The third is a removable denture, which is retained by hooks, and stabilized by a plastic or metallic structure that covers the palate or the tongue zone. The patient can remove it from the mouth.
3. What is a dental implant?
Dental implants are small titanium cylinders that work as artificial dental roots, once they are placed inside the jawbone. This way the artificial teeth can be anchored in these new roots contributing to recover a beautiful smile, as well as a comfortable speaking and chewing. Dental implants will allow us to chew with total comfort, and to smile and speak with the same security than with our own teeth. With the use of the dental implants, there is no need to touch, trim or injure the neighbor teeth, to replace the missing tooth.
4. What material is used for dental implants?
Along the history of dentistry and medicine, many materials have been used. At the present time, the only material considered valid for dental implants is titanium, the zirconium is in the experimental phase.
5. Which are the advantages of using dental implants?
a) Preserve the underlying jawbone and therefore preserve the overlying facial structures, preventing them from collapsing. Once a tooth is lost and the jawbone is no longer stimulated by the pressure from chewing the body resorbs that area of jawbone.
b) Implants are more conservative than fixed bridges since the teeth on either side of the space do not have to be prepared (cut down) as abutments. Implants are also more flexible than fixed bridges since they do not require an existing tooth to be present on both sides of a space and several of them can be used to fill a space that is simple to long for a fixed bridge.
c) Implants make it easier for patients to maintain their periodontal health than fixed bridges because homecare is facilitated by being able to floss between the implants, therefore avoiding the floss threaders that are required for fixed bridges.
c) Life for an implant is longer than for a bridge or a removable denture: In 10-years studies, it was found that success rate for implants was 95%; meanwhile for bridges and dentures it was 50%. It was also found that when a bridge failed, supporting teeth had to be extracted or submitted to root canal treatment very often. The few times that implants failed, it only had to be changed, with no harm for the neighbor teeth.
d) Implants are more cost effective over time because although they have a higher initial cost their life expectancy, irretrievability, immunity to disease processes and independence on other teeth make their long-term maintenance less expensive than conventional fixed bridges.
6. Which are the disadvantages of using dental implants?
Dental implants must be placed inside the bone through a small surgery, which is painless but make some patients feel anxious.
Dental implants must be placed inside the bone through a small surgery, which is painless but make some patients feel anxious.
7. What is the purpose of using dental implants?
The main purpose of implants is to work as artificial roots that will hold the crowns placed instead of the lost teeth. Implants restorations fulfill three basic concepts:
• Function and esthetics: chewing, speaking and smiling can be done comfortably; they also provide lips support.
• To stop the bone resorption , since they stimulate the bone that holds them.
• To eliminate the overload of the remaining teeth that could appear if bridges were used
8. Is age a limit for placing implants?
The age is not a decisive factor when being candidate for implants, but it is advisable not to use them before the 15 to 16 years of age, until the maxillary growth has completed. Older patients can receive implants as well as the young ones, with the same success rate
9. How do implants contribute to recover the function and the aesthetics?
Dental implants substitute the removable dentures for fixed teeth, improving the function and the aesthetics simultaneously.
They support the new crowns without the need of trimming the natural teeth, allowing us to chew with total comfort, and to smile and to speak with total security, for many years. The implant-supported crowns can be easily cleaned with dental floss.
10. How is the treatment?
The treatment consists on two stages performed in just one trip of 11 days to Costa Rica.
a. Surgical phase
b. Prosthetic phase.
11. What is the surgical phase?
The surgical treatment consists on the placement of the artificial roots or implants inside the jawbone. It is performed with local anesthesia, and is painless. Sedation and general anesthesia are options for nervous patients. The duration of the intervention is from one to two hours
12. How is the post-operative stage?
It is not painful. The following day of the intervention the patient will have a slightly inflamed area in the face. Painkillers, antibiotics and anti-inflammatories are prescribed for a short period.
13. When will the new teeth be placed on the dental implants?
The time between the surgical phase and the placement of the crowns varies depending on the case.
The range varies between seven and ten days, to give time to the implant to integrate or fix to the bone. More time could be waited if the patient asked so (i.e. because of a trip).
14. Is it a painful treatment?
No it is not. A treatment with implants demands a surgical intervention, but pain and all the other implications can be perfectly controlled.
15. Could there be a failure?
In spite of the excellent clinical results obtained with implants (93 to 97% success rate) there is a 3 to 7% rate for failure. No other dental treatment has such a high success rate for long terms.
16. What does it happen if a dental implant fails?
If an implant fails, it is possible to substitute it for another one to solve the problem after the jaw has healed.
17. How many days/weeks advance notice do you need before beginning my treatment program?
We need to be noticed at least 2 weeks before you come to Costa Rica, in order to prepare you a “day by day” itinerary and confirm your appointments.
18. How many hours each day will I be at your facility? How many days are required to complete the treatment?
Most of the dental treatments need 11 days to have them completed; during these days our lab technicians will be preparing the permanent crowns that will cover your teeth.
The hours during each appointment depend on the process; however, most of the times it takes between 3 and 4 hours.
19. Why do you recommend the dental crowns to restore my teeth?
Grinding your teeth, an improper bite, age, fillings and tooth decay can all be contributing factors in the wearing down, cracking or breakage of your teeth. Dental crowns cover the entire visible surface of your affected tooth and add strength, durability and tooth stability.
20. What is sinus lift? How long time should I need to wait for the implants placement after the sinus lift?
Sinus lift, sometimes called a sinus augmentation, is surgery that adds bone to your upper jaw in the area of your molars and premolars to make it taller. Once the procedure has been done, you will need to wait about 6 to 8 months in order to be able to place the implants.
21. Am I a candidate to have dental implants?
Candidates for dental implants need to have healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant. This is the reason why we request your dental records
22. What is the difference between two stages and one stage dental implants?
Traditional:
Using the traditional implant process, placements in the lower jaw need about three months to heal while placements in the upper jaw need about six months to heal. Traditionally, the procedure has been performed in two steps. The dentist began by installing the implant, which was left for three to six months to heal and integrate with the jawbone. During the healing period, the patient was given a temporary prosthesis until the permanent crown could be put in place. Traditional dental implants required patients to sacrifice much of their time and money to achieve the look and feel of natural-looking teeth.
One Stage Dental Implant
Osseo integration begins immediately.
No long, wait for the bone to heal before placing the implant.
There are no missing teeth in the mouth.
The tooth looks natural while the implant is healing.
Although the integration of bone tissue and the implant device takes place normally, the physical characteristics of the implant device itself creates the solid infrastructure that enables immediate use.
23. What are the steps to follow after I make the decision of visiting your clinic?
First of all you should determine and let us know the dates that you will be able to come to Costa Rica. Then, we will prepare a preliminary day by day itinerary, in order for you to buy the airline tickets and make hotel reservations.
24. What brand of veneers do you use?
On site we build SmileVeneers in our laboratory and, depending on each case, we can make them with or without filing the patient's teeth.
