The lack of teeth means a worsening of the quality of life of patients, especially for those who have lost most of their teeth, as this causes severe difficulties in chewing and articulation of words.
Many of these patients have complete dentures (false teeth) that make it difficult to chew foods such as meats, sausages or bread crusts. That is, since these prostheses are not fixed, nutrition, in many cases, is not adequate. And obviously, pretending to remove this prosthesis when eating is not a good idea either, since it would cause severe damage to the gums.
To this we must add the loss of self-esteem that these patients have due to the insecurity caused by these complete prostheses, which, being mobile, can become detached from the mouth when speaking or chewing. This generates great social insecurity and turns these patients into introverted and lonely people. Then…
Are full dental implants the best alternative to removable dentures?
- What are the advantages of implants with fixed prostheses?
- Why is it important to go to a clinic of proven quality?
- What does the treatment for the placement of fixed prostheses consist of?
1. What are the advantages of dental implants with fixed prostheses?
For more than 50 years, dental implants have made it possible to create fixed prostheses in just 24–48 hours, which helps patients who are missing multiple teeth to achieve a more comfortable life, chewing all kinds of food and talking without fear The removable prosthesis (denture) can come out of the mouth.
If you are a patient who needs a fixed prosthesis, either because your complete prosthesis does not fit your needs or because you already have few teeth and are in poor condition, let us advise you on what type of treatment would be best for you and what steps you should take to achieve a successful treatment with dental implants.
2. Why is it important to go to a clinic of proven quality?
We recommend choosing a centre with an adequate track record and reputation, with a highly qualified medical team that performs advanced microsurgical techniques. A competent centre in Implantology will perform a thorough clinical diagnostic examination.
This examination should not be exempt from the latest technology in dentistry, so it will be accompanied by a cone beam computed tomography that allows you to see your jaw bones in 3D and design the treatment through the computer, so you will get an accurate and precise diagnosis. Faster, safer, more accurate surgery with painless postoperative results for the patient.
After analysing several centres, we recommend that you choose the one that generates the most confidence, since, as these are expensive treatments, it is necessary to make sure that the treatment will be long-lasting and stable over time.
3. What does the treatment for fixed prosthesis placement consist of?
Once the choice of the centre has been made, it is time to follow the instructions of the professional team, which normally includes the disinfection of the remaining teeth and the buccal records to start making the provisional fixed prosthesis that will be placed on the implants during the 24 hours following the intervention.
Placement of implants and provisional dentures
On the day of the procedure, the patient will be fasting and will undergo conscious sedation with an anaesthesiologist to ensure that the patient is asleep during the procedure, which can take up to 2 hours. At the end of the procedure, the patient will have the implants in place and a temporary fixed prosthesis with which he/she will only be able to chew soft foods for 3 months.
The patient’s postoperative period will be very tolerable, and discomfort can be treated with conventional analgesics such as ibuprofen. In addition, during the following three months, you will be able to live a completely normal life, and you will be visited every 2–4 weeks for a proper follow-up of your new fixed prosthesis.
Installation of fixed and definitive prostheses
After 3 months, and after a radiographic and clinical control, the patient will be ready and the design and fabrication of the definitive fixed prosthesis can be carried out, by means of which the patient will be able to chew any type of food and whose process requires 5 to 7 visits.
Finally, the patient is recommended to undergo professional maintenance every 6 months in order to prevent infections in the implants that could endanger the prosthesis in place.
As can be seen, dental implantology has evolved in such a way that it is possible to obtain fixed teeth in a safe, fast, painless, effective and long-lasting way. In addition, current protocols allow many patients with precarious oral conditions (even those without jaw bone) to benefit from a treatment that helps to improve quality of life and self-esteem.
