Implantology is a branch of dental surgery that is becoming increasingly popular as it becomes more accessible to patients.
With increasing accessibility has come the willingness of patients to turn to this method of treatment which is proving to have benefits incomparable to other therapies.
Implants can sometimes be placed immediately after tooth extractions or a few months after tooth loss, when the bone has adequate density and volume to allow dental implants to be placed in optimal conditions.
A dental implant is a prosthetic piece that replaces the root of the lost tooth or teeth. It is placed on the bone and a prosthetic crown is placed on top of it to restore the morphology and function of the lost tooth.
In some situations, it is not possible to place the implant directly, without further intervention. Of these, the most common situations requiring other operations to be carried out before implant insertion are:
Sinus lifting – the maxillary sinus is part of the facial mass cavities with a well determined role in purifying the air passing through the nasal columns and maintaining a pressure favorable to the good functioning of the body.
In some situations, the maxillary sinus descends in the vicinity of the edentulous maxillary crests and the future implant will not have a sufficient height. Therefore, in these circumstances, before the insertion of dental implants, the maxillary sinus elevation procedure is indicated.
In the maxillary lateral region, the maxillary sinus may be an anatomical hindrance to the vertical dimension of the bone available for implant insertion.
This previously mentioned region has qualitatively low-density bone. If this drawback is doubled by a sinus floor that is much lower towards the alveolar crest, the only solution remains the elevation procedure.
The patient who reports a history of repeated upper airway infections, paranasal sinus inflammations or allergic conditions should be thoroughly assessed before implant insertion. The surgical stage should only be performed when all other problems and symptoms have completely disappeared.
Another intervention, which may sometimes be necessary before the insertion of dental implants, is the repositioning of the inferior alveolar nerve.
This intervention is indicated when the lateral lower bone crest has a vertical dimension unfavorable to implant insertion.
This procedure involves exposing the previously mentioned nerve and repositioning it in such a way that the insertion of implants can be carried out without problems.
The purpose of this procedure is to free the inferior alveolar nerve pathway from the insertion of the implants so that they can occupy the entire height of the mandibular body up to the basilar margin.
These procedures are not without risks, but these will be explained to the patient by the specialist surgeon. For example, perforation of the sinus floor may occur during the sinus floor lift.
Typically, this may result in a delay in the insertion of the implants, a decision which will be taken by the specialist.
Regardless of the preceding stages, implants are a therapeutic decision that ensures bone trophicity for a relatively long period of time, directly proportional to the patient’s adherence to the doctor’s recommendations.
