A dental implant is a metal post that is simply and almost completely painless inbilt into the jaw, without using local anesthesia. Dental implant completely replaces the missing root of the tooth. It is made of highly clarified titanium and its alloys which gives it a low chance of rejection and longevity. More preciselly, titanium is completelly bioinert, which means that a human body will not recognize it as a foreign object and there is no chance of any or even allergic reactions. On the other hand, the surface of the implant is treated with a special technology to be microscopically rough and to resemble the bone structure so after implatation, the body ,,recognizes’’ it as it’s own jawbone and initiates the process of adhesion of the implant and the surrounding bone. These days, renowned manufacturers of dental implants offer a wide range of different sizes and shapes which allows an individual approach to each patient. Thus, almost anyone can be a candidate for implant placement.

The procedure is routine, done in a local anesthesia and our patients take it very well. Before the intervention, every patient gets an appropriate drug therapy, so the procedure passes without any stress.  Duration of the procedure depends on the number of implants being placed. It takes in between 15-20 minutes to place one implant. Additional surgical procedures (bone augmentation or sinus lift) can prolong the  total time.

Trajanje samog zahvata zavisi od broja implanata koji se postavljaju. Za ugradnju jednog implanta potrebno je oko 15-20 minuta. Ono što može produžiti vreme intervencije jesu dodatne hirurške procedure poput augmentacije ili sinus-lifta 

A few days after the intervetion you should avoid solid food and if you are a smoker, smoking. Cold compresses on the outside will prevent swelling, which completelly normally formes after the intervention. It’s crucial to mantain oral hygiene, so the possibility of infection is reduced to the lowest. After the implant placements, some time is needed, usually in between 3-6 months, for the implant to integrate with the jaw bone. After that period, crowns and bridges can be placed on the implants.

Posle ugradnje neophodno je da prođe neko vreme, najčešće od 3-6 meseci, da bi implantat  „srastao“ sa kosti. Nakon tog perioda moguće je na implantate postaviti krunice ili mostove.

If you decide to get dental implants, you avoid grinding of the teeth, which is necessary for placing dental bridges, so in biological and functional sence you get a higher quality prosthetic placements for the missing teeth. In case you lost all your teeth, implant palecement is the only possibility for getting a fixed compesation or ceramic dental bridge. If you have total dentures that are unstable, falling out, loosen and you want to fix that, implants are a reliable associate here as well – placing a small number off implants you will stabilize your denture to that level that you won’t be able to recognize it.

Other advantages are:

If you are missing at least one tooth, and of course, if you are missing more than one, or all of them – you are certainly a candidate for an dental implant placement. Main precondition for an implant placement is that there is enough healthy jaw bone in the place where it is suppose to be done. If on a doctor check up it’s found that that is not the case, don’t worry, there are compesation techniques for that as well – bone augmentation with conteporary biomaterilas, after which a dental implant can be placed. Generally, almost anyone can get a dental implant and contraidications don’t exsist, although there are certain conditions and diseases (cardiovascular, untreated diabetes, recent radiation therapy) which ask for a special attention. Ideal candidate for placing a dental implant is a patient in good physical health, non smoker, with good hygiene habbits and healthy oral cavity.

Sinus lift is an oral surgery procedure that raises the sinus floor and helps to develop bone which can be used for placing a dental implant. Losing molars and premolars in the upper jaw, the bone in this area gradually decomposes, or it gets resorbered.  In time, the sinus cavity spreads and the quality of the bone left is not good for implant placement. In these cases, oral cavity and sinus cavity are separated with only a thin bone membrane, sometimes 1mm thick and the shortest standard implants are 7mm long. By sinus lift procedure a surgeon increases the amount of bone in the upper jaw (8-15mm) that is required for dental implants. Bone augmentation is done in situations when, for various reasons, there has been a reduction in the height or width of the bone at the place where we plan to place the dental implant.

Sinus lift and bone augmentation procedures

Before planning or doing a sinus lift or bone augmentation surgery it is necessary that a patient make a 3D image of the jaw, which a surgeon uses to analize the condition of the bone and estimates if these procedures are needed. The procedure itself is done in a local anesthesia and therefore it’s completely painless. A surgeon makes an incision and then lifts the tissue, so the bone can be exposed. After that, the surgeon cuts a small circle in the bone through which they can gently push on the membrane of the sinuses. As the boney piece is lifted into the sinus cavity the hole is filled with the previously determined bone graft. After this is done, the procedure is complete and the surgeon will close the incision with sutures.

Bone augmentation is done in a similar way – a small incision is made in the place where there is a need for a bone graft, a granulated or padded shaped artificial bone is placed on a desired place.  After that the granules are covered with a membrane and sutured. After sinus lift or bone augmentation, usually you can place dental implants right away. Also, the placement can be postponed for 4-6 months.  The complexity of the case and surgeons assesment determines if it will be done in the sam day, or postponed.

Sinus-lift – recovery

After the intervention, swelling and mild pain can be expected. It can be eased by using cold compresses in a 5 minute sessions, with half an hour brakes. Patient will get proper therapy, antibiotics to prevent infections and will be advised to reduce physical activity.

„If you or someone you love needs a new beginning, All on 4 could be a perfect oportunity for you.’’

All on 4 is a surgical prosthetic procedure for a complete rehabilitation of edentulous patients and the patients whose teeth are compromised because of gum dessease or periodontitis.

ALL ON 4/ALL ON 6 concept involves implant placement, after which the construction of a temporary acrylic bridge is immediately started. Temporary acrylic bridge is used until we determine with certainty that the implants are attached to the bone and that it’s the right moment to make a definitive ceramic bridge screwed to the implants.

Practice is to place 6 implants in the upper jaw, and 4 implants in the lower jaw.

In rare cases, where the conditions for placing implants are very good, we can place 4 implants that will carry the bridge in the upper jaw, but that is all based on the surgeon’s assessment and the 3D image.