Implant is a dental root that is placed into the jawbone to replace missing teeth for various reasons. It is typically in the form of a screw and provides both function and aesthetics through the placement of a porcelain crown once it is fully integrated with the bone.

There are certain conditions that need to be met for dental implant placement. These include:

• Having at least one or more missing teeth,
• Having a healthy oral tissue,
• Not having systemic diseases that could negatively affect bone healing,
• Not smoking or consuming alcohol. There is no absolute rule that implants cannot be placed in patients with bad habits, but they should avoid using them for a certain period of time before and after surgery as they can impede healing, based on the recommendations of the dentist.

Possible Complications After Implant Placement

• Infection in the implant area,
• Pain in the gums, lips, or jaw,
• Swelling or edema around the surgical site,
• Bruising of the skin or gums,
• Minor bleeding.

These types of complications are minimized as much as possible through the medications prescribed by the dentist and the instructions given to the patients.

What Should the Post-Implant Diet Look Like?

• After implant placement, consume foods at room temperature and opt for soft foods.
• Avoid hard and grainy foods to protect the stitches.
• Return to a normal diet as determined by the dentist after a certain period of time.

What Conditions Preclude Implant Placement?

• Excessive smoking: Smoking increases the risk of infection by promoting bacterial plaque formation in the oral tissues. Implant patients who smoke are usually asked to quit smoking 15 days before treatment and for about 1 month after treatment.
• Diabetes: Tissue healing is slower in diabetic patients, and there is an increased risk of infection. Diabetic patients should consult their doctor before surgical operations and plan the treatment accordingly.
• Heart disease: Evaluation is done in consultation with the patient’s doctor, and treatment planning is done accordingly.
• Hypertension: Hypertensive patients may have excessive reactions during pain or stress. During dental treatment, blood pressure can acutely rise in response to stimuli, leading to congestive heart failure or, rarely, complications such as stroke or bleeding. Therefore, hypertensive patients should have their blood pressure measured before starting dental treatment, and if any suspicions arise, they should consult their doctor.
• Coagulation disorders: Implant treatment is not performed in patients with coagulation disorders. The clotting problem should be resolved first.

The steps of a dental implant placement procedure are as follows:

• Extraction of the damaged tooth,
• Preparation of the jawbone if necessary (grafting),
• Placement of the dental implant,
• Osseointegration, which is the fusion of the implant with the surrounding bone,
• Placement of the prepared porcelain tooth onto the implant.

In cases where the bone density and quantity are not suitable for the implant, bone grafting is performed to promote bone formation in the area. After the bone has healed and become solid, the implants are placed in appropriate positions in the mouth. To proceed to the prosthetic phase, the implant needs to integrate with the jawbone. This process usually takes around 2-3 months. Once the implant has fused with the jawbone, the preparation of the prosthetics begins. After taking measurements and determining the desired color, the prosthetics are meticulously prepared by a dental technician in a porcelain laboratory to match the natural teeth and achieve an aesthetic appearance. After trials in the patient’s mouth, the final adjustments are made, and the prosthetics are either screwed or cemented onto the implants in the oral cavity. This restores both functionality and aesthetics for the patient.