Implantology is the most innovative technique to replace missing teeth and regain self-confidence with a natural and healthy smile, often even in 24 hours. A dental implant is composed of titanium material, which is entirely biocompatible and integrates perfectly with the bone, becoming like a natural root. Over the implant can be placed a fixed crown or, in the case of multiple missing teeth, a dental bridge.
Our clinic uses high quality and guaranteed implants (Megagen, Straumann, Schutz, Ankylos Dentsply), the surface of which is treated with various products to speed up and facilitate the process of osseointegration. Thanks to the wide range of prosthetic elements that our suppliers offer with a lifetime guarantee, we have the opportunity to build fixed teeth with maximum functionality, naturalness, and longevity.
The placement of dental implants is a simple, short, and painless surgical procedure, performed with conscious intravenous anesthesia, thanks to which the patient reaches a state of complete relaxation.
Computer-guided implantology
Computer-guided implantology is the most advanced technique of modern implantology in the world. After collecting information from tomography (3D CBCT Scanner), it is possible to simulate the surgery of the placement of the implants on the computer and plan the position and inclination for each patient with maximum precision.
With this technique, we can avoid the most common clinical and aesthetic problems deriving from the incorrect positioning of dental implants. The transfer of the project from the computer to the patient mouth takes place through the manufacture of surgical masks, called “The Guides”.
The advantages of this technique are:
When implantology took its first steps, after the positioning of the implant in the bone, it was common practice to wait about three or four months before placing the crown or fixed prosthesis on it. This is the time required for osseointegration of the dental implant. With the development of dentistry, surgery, and technology, it is now possible, in most cases, to immediately load the implant with a fixed crown.
Immediate loading can be used for a single implant when a single tooth is replaced or for the entire arch in case there are 4, 6, or 8 implants. The immediate loading prosthesis is a temporary fixed prosthesis placed on the implants, not a mobile prosthesis placed on the gums. The latter causes some discomfort to the patient because it is not fixed, it exerts pressure on the surface of implants damaging and interfering with the osseointegration process.
We must also keep in mind that this technique is used only on those patients who have a good quantity and quality of the bone and the implants have sufficient primary stability (higher than 35 N/cm). Subsequently, the surgeon assesses your situation and analyzes the 3D CBCT scan to determine if you are a good candidate for immediate loading prostheses.
With dental implants it is also possible to restore an entire dental arch, so you do not have anymore to suffer and be embarrassed during chewing or conversating with friends, due to the fear of prostheses coming out from the mouth.
The minimum number of implants needed to replace an entire arch is four; this explains why the technique is called “All on 4”. However, the higher the number of implants placed in the jaw, the better the functionality and longevity of the fixed prosthesis. The forces are equally distributed over all the implants and thus the possibility that an implant will overload and fail decreases.
The upper jaw requires more implants because the bone quality is not the same as the lower jaw. Thus, to replace the upper arch, “All on 6” or “All on 8” techniques are mainly used.
It is a technique that consists of the positioning of four implants and a fixed prosthesis screwed on top of them. It is usually used in the lower jaw in the case where the patient does not have enough bone to accommodate six implants. In this case, the last two implants are positioned at an angle to avoid important anatomical structures such as the lower mandibular nerve in the lower jaw and the maxillary sinus in the upper jaw.
“All on 4” technique is not particularly suitable for the upper jaw, because the bone is more fragile, and the possibility of complications is higher. 24-48 hours after the surgery, it is possible to screw on a temporary prosthesis, and then, after 3 or 4 months, to build the definitive prosthesis in metal-ceramic or zirconia.
In this technique the fixed prosthesis is placed on six implants: the golden standard for implantology. When the bone situation permits it, the surgeon tries to place at least six implants in every jaw, because this gives a lifetime guarantee for the superstructure and for the stability of the implants.
Using this technique the entire arch is perfectly replaced with a maximum number of teeth: 12/14 in metal-ceramic or zirconia. When the bone quality and quantity are not enough, especially in the upper jaw, the surgeon will increase the number of implants per arch to seven or eight.
In this treatment modality, the surgical phase is the same as in “All on 4” and “All on 6” techniques, but the prosthesis change. In this type of treatment, we can use six, four, or sometimes even two implants to establish a removable prosthesis.
This prosthesis, in contrast to traditional total dentures, is fixed during chewing and during the conversation, so you don’t have to fear that it can move while you eat your favorite food or that it will fall out of your mouth when you are speaking with your friends. The “overdenture” prosthesis has a very small resin base, so that it is very easy to get used to it. You will no longer need to use adhesive paste as in traditional mobile prostheses.
The connection of the prosthesis with the implants is made with a male-female system attachment for example “ball attachment” or “bar attachment”. The prosthesis can be removed at any time thanks to a technique that will be taught to you by our staff. The advantages of this technique consist mainly in the stability, aesthetic result, and impeccable hygiene that are obtained by the patient.
When you finish eating, the prosthesis can be removed from the mouth, so you can easily clean the implants and the resin of the prosthesis. Hygiene is the main factor that determines the longevity of dental implants. Another great advantage of this kind of treatment is that we can use fewer implants to stabilize this prosthesis. This makes it a perfect solution ever for those who cannot afford to bear the cost of totally fixed prostheses in ceramic and zirconia.
Angled implantology is an implant technique which is used in specific cases as an alternative solution to bone grafts. The angle of the implants could be 17˚, 30˚ or 45˚ and avoids important anatomical structures such as the maxillary sinuses or the mental nerve.
When a patient is diagnosed with atrophic maxilla which is very serious bone resorption of the upper jaw, then pterygoid implants are indicated to have a fixed implant prosthesis rehabilitation. In this case, the upper jaw is unable to support traditional dental implants. Even if an Implantologist would try to place the dental implant into the upper jaw, the bone would most likely not be able to integrate the implant, and then it would fail.
The main disadvantage of pterygoid implants is that the surgeon doesn’t have any static point to help in the orientation of this implant during placement, that’s why it is known in the world as the “blind surgery”. The surgeon has to know perfectly the anatomy and it is mandatory to have a lot of experience and training in this field of implantology to have success and not to risk patient life-threatening complications.
The pterygoid implant engages in three types of bones (maxillary tuberosity of the jaw, pyramidal process of the palatine bone, pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone) which are located in the most posterior area of the upper jaw. These bones are not a subject of resorption such as the jaw bone does, so this site is always a possibility to place a dental implant in the patients that are suffering a bone loss in the upper jaw.
Over and above that, pterygoid implants are special and unique for their length, because they are much longer than conventional implants. In that manner, pterygoids are of 15 to 25 mm, a length which was designed in order to ensure an appropriate anchorage in the bone.
Our clinic is one of the few dental clinics in Albania that provides this innovative replacement teeth placement procedure. The placement of pterygoid implants requires surgical experience as well as expertise and training in the field of implantology. For this reason, City Dental Clinic is the most suitable place for you as our surgeon has a Master in Pterygoid and Zygomatic Implants from the well known University of Pisa, Italy. You can now trust our leading clinic. We use state-of-the-art equipment as well as the most advanced and innovative techniques which ensure you an outstanding result.
The implantation of zygomatic implants is a specific method used to treat patients who have suffered bone loss. These implants are longer and more steeply angled than those used in typical dental implant procedures. Instead of being inserted directly into the jawbone, the extra length of the zygomatic implants enables them to be placed in the patient’s cheekbone (zygoma). The zygoma is an incredibly dense bone which offers reliable support for the duration of the patient’s life.