Dental implantation has long ceased to be a novelty in dentistry, but it is still myths-steeped. Having read that implantation "is expensive, painful and unreliable", people sometimes refuse this type of prosthetics.
To acquire first-hand information about implantation, we turned to Ibragim Mirzoev, a highly qualified specialist in implantation, who runs his own dental clinic.
Many people believe that dental implantation is more painful than any other type of prosthetics, because the implant is installed into the jawbone.
Dr. Ibragim Mirzoyev comments:
It is a myth. In fact, any surgical intervention is accompanied by pain. But implantation cannot be called the most painful dental manipulation, precisely because the implant is placed into the jawbone tissue.
In fact, it is less painful than, say, installing a fixed partial denture when the adjacent, healthy teeth are shaped or a nerve removed.
There are no nerves in the jawbone, the bone is fed by the periosteum, and we only anesthetize the mucous membrane.
I should note that today dentistry is practically painless due to modern anesthetics. Well, for the most fearful patients who believe in this myth, there is general anesthesia, which during implantation is more a psychological factor than a necessity.
Today dentistry is practically painless
Many people think that dental implantation is a very long procedure that takes several days.
Dr. Ibragim Mirzoyev comments:
This can be called a myth only partly. When it comes to the fact that implantation takes a long time, most likely, it means the preparatory moments. Before placing the implant, we need to carry out a number of procedures:
-
3D scan to determine the thickness of the jawbone tissue,
-
general blood test, be sure to get a blood test for clotting, for blood sugar.
Before implantation, we need to understand what state your body is in at the moment. If the blood cells say that you have just recovered from a cold and the recovery process is underway, then we will postpone the implantation.
The installation of one implant itself takes a maximum of 15-20 minutes.
Many people think that dental implants are very expensive compared to a conventional bridge denture.
Dr. Ibragim Mirzoyev comments:
There is an expression “We are not rich enough to buy cheap things”. Implantation is just that case. Yes, compared to a dental bridge, implantation is much more expensive. But let us look at a perspective. For example, you miss one tooth, we shape two adjacent ones, thereby damaging them, and put a dental bridge. After 2-3 years, in most cases, the bridge will have to be placed on 3 teeth, again, shaping the adjacent ones. After another couple of years, we put the bridge on 5 teeth, well, and there it is not far from the false jaw.
During implantation, we do not interfere with healthy teeth, thereby preserving them. As a result, you will pay for an implant once and for many years; as for a dental bridge, you will have to pay every 2-3 years at best, which in the end will cost several times more than an implant.
You will pay for the implant once and for many years, you will have to pay for the bridges every 2-3 years at best
Many people think that dental implants have a low survival rate.
Dr. Ibragim Mirzoyev comments:
It is not so. To date, the world statistics of the implant survival rate is 98%, and Kazakhstani statistics does not differ from the world statistics.
In what cases implants do not survive:
-
Poor examination of a patient - that is, the doctor does not take into account something or misinterprets the test results, but this is an extremely rare case. I will say that I don’t remember this either in my practice or in the practice of my colleagues. You need to really, really try to be mistaken in the interpretation of test results. Rather, the patient has a latent chronic disease that provokes unacceptability, and for the detection of such disease special tests are required, but this is a very rare case.
-
Patients attitude to their teeth and dental implants. If a person opens beer bottles or gnaws nuts with an implant, then, naturally, the implant will not survive. Well, we must admit that the dentist still cannot give a 100% guarantee of an implant survival rate, especially if several implants are placed at once. For example, out of 5 implants, one may not take root and require replacement. But the survival rate of a re-installed implant, I can say from my own practice, is 100%.
Many people think that dental implantation is the same as a dental bridge, only much more expensive.
Dr. Ibragim Mirzoyev comments:
It depends from what point of view to look. Really, patient believes, that there is no difference. But in terms of biologicality, the difference is huge.
During implantation, we do not interfere with healthy teeth; with bridge prosthetics, we have to shape adjacent teeth. They say among dentists: if you take a bur and touch a tooth, you turned on the life counter of this tooth and consequently, someday you will remove it. And indeed, it is true.
The main task of a dentist is to try not to interfere with healthy teeth. For example, if you are using a removable denture, you need to adjust the hooks so that they do not scratch the teeth enamel.
Many people think that dental implantation is not for everyone as there are many contraindications.
Dr. Ibragim Mirzoyev comments:
I agree here. There are many contraindications, but they all relate to general surgery. These are diseases of bone, blood, complicated forms of osteoporosis, connective tissue diseases, mental illness, type 1 diabetes mellitus (the second type is no longer a contraindication).
But all these contraindications are relative, with all such diseases there are periods of remission, and an implant can be placed at the time of remission.
Absolute contraindications include cartilage diseases of the bone, when the bone is not restored at all.
As for allergic reactions, this is a very, very rare moment. In world practice show only 2-3 cases for 10,000 million implantations.
Many people believe that dental implants require strict adherence to the rules of special care.
Dr. Ibragim Mirzoyev comments:
This is not a myth. I always warn my patients: before you took simple care of your teeth, now you will have to do two times more properly.
An implant is a foreign object in the mouth. There is no circular periodontal ligament, the gum does not fit so tightly to the tooth neck and, so to avoid infection cleaning, rinsing, the use of irrigators, hygiene should be at an ideal level.
But, in fact, there is nothing special about such hygiene. If a person is used to brushing his or her teeth - great, if not ... well, you need to get used to it. This is good for hygiene not only of an implant, but also of the entire oral cavity.
Every six months, you must visit the doctor who placed an implant. We take a picture and I look at the state, if I see that a person does not brush his teeth well, I explain, teach. I force the patient to clean right in front of me, teach how to do it correctly. The implantation procedure itself can be successful, but if a person does not take care of the implant, or, say, does not visit the doctor within 5 years, then plaque and stones will appear, and the person may lose the implant. Nobody is immune from this.
Therefore, I always insist on the highest level hygiene. If you decide to have an implant, you must be prepared for it.
If you decide to have an implant, then dental hygiene must be of the highest level.
Many people think that dental implant is short-lived, after 3 years it will have to be changed.
Dr. Ibragim Mirzoyev comments:
I cannot agree here, the minimum service life of an implant is 10 years. I have patients who received implants 8 years ago, and they are still in excellent condition.
The very first implant was installed in 1972 and served 40 years.
This is not about an implant, but about a human body. A person cannot guarantee that he will always be healthy. After implantation, he can get sick with those diseases that are absolute contraindications. But there is not such a necessity to change an implant often.
There are certain factors predisposing to an implant wear - poor hygiene, injury, refusal to be followed up by a doctor.
In general, one should visit the dentist 2 times a year, regardless of whether there is an implant installed or not. But we are glad to see our patients at least once a year in order to notice the impending problem in time and take measures to keep their teeth healthy.
Many people think that dental implantation is not for domestic doctors. Only abroad implantation is reliable, safer.
Dr. Ibragim Mirzoyev comments:
I would not judge by a single case. For example, one implantation case failed in Kazakhstan, but succeeded in Germany. The level of our specialists is very high. We attend various professional seminars in Kazakhstan, Russia, Europe and the USA. In addition, the manufacturers of implants constantly provide training courses.
Yes, you can implant in Germany, but if any issues arise, you will have to fly to Germany again. I repeat, the level of our specialists is very high. Sometimes people who have placed implants with other Kazakhstani doctors come to me for examination. I see the quality of the work and, to be honest, I am proud, very good work.
As far as equipment and materials are concerned, this is not a problem at all. Everything is ordered via the internet directly from the manufacturers. Therefore, our doctors’ materials and equipment of dentistry are the same as our foreign colleagues’.
But if you believe in this myth, then, of course, you fly implant abroad. Moreover, when they first visit me for a consultation, and they say “ok, we do it with you,” I always advise them to go to other doctors for comparison, and only then make a decision. I believe that trust in a doctor is 50% of success.
We hope that now you have got a complete picture of dental implantation, and the decision "to implant or not to implant" will be made consciously, not myths- based.
Remember: we have only 32 teeth, which must be treasured.