[Learn More About Dental Implants] Let's learn about the different treatment methods and techniques of dental implants.
With advancements in dental implant technology, in addition to traditional methods, minimally invasive implantation or full-mouth All-on-4 implants are also options. All three require surgery; what are the differences between them?
1. Traditional dental implants:
Before performing dental implant surgery, the doctor will take X-rays or 3D computer scans to ensure that the patient's oral condition is suitable for dental implantation and to determine the location of the implant.
During the surgery, the dentist will first open the gum, drill in the appropriate location, and implant the metal implant. Finally, the gum will be sutured shut. After 3 to 6 months, once the bone and implant have healed together, a second surgery will be performed to remove the gum tissue from the implant and place a device on the implant to help the gum heal.
After the surgery and wound healing, the dentist will make an impression and manufacture a suitable prosthesis based on the model, which will then be installed on the implant.
2. Minimally invasive dental implants:
Also known as "flapless operation," this is a dental implant treatment performed with minimal trauma. Compared to traditional implants, dentists do not need to open the gums; they simply drill a hole in the gums and insert the implant. The procedure typically takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Before undergoing minimally invasive dental implant surgery, patients need to rinse their mouths thoroughly. The dentist will then examine the patient's oral cavity to ensure there is no food debris before administering anesthesia. The dentist will make a small incision at the implant site to remove any remaining tooth fragments and infected material from the socket.
After cleaning the tooth socket, the implant is inserted into the alveolar bone. Once the implant integrates with the bone, the artificial crown can be firmly fixed to the alveolar bone.
After 3 to 6 months, the dentist will place an artificial crown on the patient, and the entire minimally invasive dental implant surgery will be completed.
Short recovery period
Because the incision is small, the procedure does not require sutures and involves little bleeding, the recovery period is relatively short, which can reduce the psychological and physiological burden on patients during dental implantation.
[The swelling, pain, or discomfort is relatively mild]
Minimally invasive dental implants generally involve minimal bleeding and do not cause severe swelling or pain. As long as you follow your doctor's instructions and maintain good hygiene after the surgery, you can usually recover quickly, and the impact on your daily life is minimal.
3. All-On-4 full mouth dental implants
A full-mouth dental bridge is supported by four implants in the upper or lower jaw. The dentist will place two nearly vertical implants at the front of the upper or lower jaw, and one single implant at an angle of approximately 30-45 degrees at the back. Most patients do not require additional bone grafting surgery. This technique is primarily suitable for patients missing six or more teeth, or those missing all teeth in a single row.
All-On-4 full-mouth dental implants eliminate the need to wait for healing between surgery and the placement of replacement prostheses. The replacement bridge is immediately fixed to the implant after placement, allowing patients to regain chewing function after a single surgery.
[Relatively low treatment cost]
A typical full-mouth dental implant procedure requires at least 10 to 12 implants and bone grafting, which is quite expensive. However, most All-On-4 full-mouth implants do not require additional bone grafting, so patients do not have to endure the long treatment time and high cost of bone grafting.
Short recovery period
Traditional dental implant surgery requires a healing period of up to six months, a lengthy process. In contrast, All-On-4 full-mouth implants are a single surgical procedure with a shorter recovery period, allowing for normal biting and chewing on the same day the surgery is completed.
Author: Dr. Chen Haoxian
