Before embarking on a dental implant solution, many patients often consult with relatives and friends, read different articles and often face some misconceptions even controversial facts on dental implants. Dr. Radoslav Simeonov, leading implantologist and Head Dentist at the Dentatime Clinic, shares the 7 most commonly mistaken facts associated with missing teeth replacement.
Myth # 1 Placing an implant is painful.
When they hear the word surgery, many patients get scared and imagine terrible scenes. It is important to know that implant placement does NOT cause pain! Whether one or more implants will be placed, the manipulation is done under local anesthesia and there is no pain.
Myth # 2 Surgery takes long.
Most often, surgery duration is even shorter than tooth extraction or sealing. However, this also depends on the number of implants to be placed and the complexity of the case.
Myth # 3 Dental implants are risky.
To refute this statement, here are some statistics and interesting data from the American Academy of Implant Dentistry – in 2006, in the United States only, 8 million people received dental implants with a success rate on average from 96% to 98.5%. Each year, approximately 3 million new patients receive implants and this figure increases by an average of 500,000 for each subsequent year.
Myth # 4 This is a new and unknown technology.
The idea of replacing a tooth with a new one in the bone has been known to humanity for more than 2,000 years. Clear historical evidence exists of such early attempts to place bamboo sticks in bones in Ancient China together with replacements made of ivory, wood and other natural materials. The development of modern dental implantology began in the early 1950’s and is associated with the name of the Swedish orthopedist Prof. Branamarck. Ever since it has been developing at a very fast pace.
Myth # 5 Osseointegration takes too long.
For two-part implants, this is usually between 2-3 to 6 months, depending on the quality of the bone and the place of insertion of the implant, and then the implant can place a permanent crown and the patient will eat normally.
In basal implants, crowns are placed within 3 days of the implants’ insertion (biocortically) and loading is possible at an earlier stage.
With both systems, it is possible to remove the tooth (root) and implant placement during one and the same visit to the clinic!
Myth # 6 An implant is more expensive than a bridge.
In most cases prices are very similar when comparing the cost of a crown implant to the construction of a bridge over two teeth, adjacent to the missing tooth, together with the cost for the preceding endodontics treatment of these teeth. In the long run however, the bridge would not be a good solution. Bridges involve a number of teeth and the larger the bridge, the faster these teeth start to shake, the bone under the bridge quickly losing its volume. Each subsequent treatment option would therefore be more expensive and more complex.
Myth # 7 Older people are not eligible for implantation.
Implant placement is largely determined by the condition of the bone. Modern implant systems offer many implant placements even with a small bone volume. In my practice, I have patients in the age range of 73 to 85 years with implants placed already for more than 6 years.
When patients have to choose whether to go for implant therapy, it is always important that they make an informed decision on the basis of quality and reliable sources. At our Dentatime Clinic, we always try to provide a maximum of complete and accurately detailed information, as well as a consultation on what implants are and how the treatment works. More about basic dental implants can also be found in the related articles here and here.
