Dental Implants in Catalonia

Recommended For Dental Implants

Dental implant surgery is recommended for individuals with missing teeth or patients who need dentures.

Not Recommended For Dental Implants

A dental implant procedure is not recommended for individuals that suffer from jaw bone loss, diabetes, a suppressed immune system, individuals that had radiation therapy on the head or neck or individuals that had a heart attack recently. Pregnant women should avoid having dental implant surgery – it’s best to wait a bit.

Number Of Trips Abroad

Usually patients need to travel twice, with a 2 to 6 months break in between

Duration Of Operation

Around 45 minutes

Minimum Stay

2 to 3 days

Overview

Dental implants, also known as endosseous implants are used in order to provide a stable platform and support for a dental prosthesis such as a denture, bridge or crown. Implants are usually used as a platform to support dental crowns. Dental implants are made out of titanium and zirconia with the latter being in use for a shorter period of time – titanium dental implants have been the norm due to the metal’s durability and biocompatibility. Advances in the field of implantology made dental implant problems a very rare occurrence – reliability of the implant itself and the fact that it’s a very safe procedure are just a few factors that make it such a popular choice for dentists as well as patients.

Preparation

It’s usually a good idea for the patient to have a set of dental x-rays before leaving for dental implants overseas.

Risks

Dental implant complications can include: 
● Dental implant failure (the fracture implant abutment screw, implant or both) 
● Infection of the area - easily treatable with antibiotics 
● Blood vessels, tissue and teeth structures around the implant can be damaged 
● The implant can push into a sinus cavity (upper jaw implants only) 
It’s worthy to note that dental implant complications are few and far between. Implant fractures are at 0.14%. Crown fractures are at 4.5%.

Side Effects

Dental implant surgery side effects can include swelling, slight bleeding, discomfort and pain which can be soothed with painkillers.

Success Rates

Dental implants are one-time investment, as they usually last a lifetime. Dental implant patient reviews report a 96.8% success rate.

Before And After

Dental implants are practically indistinguishable from natural teeth. When a ceramic crown is used, the material will reflect light in the same way as a real tooth would do. Patients can request dental implant pictures from clinics before visiting them for treatment.

Extra Content

Dental Implant Types – Which is Better?

For decades, the norm in dental implant materials has been titanium. With newer technological developments in the field of dentistry, different materials have started to be used for the manufacture of dental implants. These materials have been subjected to thorough research related to their chemical and physical properties before clinical applications. Ideally, dental implant materials need to be biocompatible and strong enough to resist huge amounts of pressure exerted when chewing or biting. They also need to be highly resistant to fracturing or corrosion. Titanium and zirconium dental implants are the most popular choices today for regular dental implants since these materials offer great strength and biocompatibility. 

Titanium Dental Implants

These implants are made from a metal called titanium, which is the most common material used for implants as well as other prosthetics in the medical field. The biggest advantage titanium has over other materials is its biocompatibility – the bone surrounding titanium implants will continue to grow and create a permanent bond. Given its prevalence in dentistry and the medical field, titanium is also more affordable than other options.

Zirconia Dental Implants

Dental implants produced from zirconia are a relatively recent invention, becoming widely available in the 1990s. Although these implants are still relatively new, they are becoming more popular due to their aesthetics.

Titanium VS Zirconia Dental Implants

Both zirconia and titanium dental implants have different characteristics and advantages. For example, titanium has been the norm in dentistry for over 30 years, meaning that it has been thoroughly tested by millions of patients. During this time it has proven to offer high success rates both in dentistry as well as in other medical fields. Being so versatile made it virtually indispensible to the medical field. Let’s look at a few advantages titanium has over zirconia dental implants.

• Titanium dental implants are made up of two separate components – the implant which will eventually fuse with the bone and an abutment which is screwed on top of the implant. On the other hand, zirconia dental implants are produced from only one single piece.
• Titanium is fully biocompatible, meaning that it’s able to naturally fuse to bone over time, making it even more durable. Zirconia cannot fuse to bone.
• Given that titanium dental implants are produced from two pieces, it’s possible to provide customizable implant solutions for patients with bone loss or with bone deficiency.
• Zirconia-based dental implants can form micro-cracks when adjusted. These micro-cracks can later cause fractures in the implant itself. This is due to the fact that zirconia is not as flexible as other materials such as titanium.
• Zirconia dental implant crowns are usually cemented in place, instead of being screwed in place as it’s the case with titanium. Dental cement can have a detrimental effect on the tissue and bone surrounding the implant.

 

This content is written and reviewed by our medical content team in January, 2019.