In the past, if you lost most or all of your teeth, they could only be restored only after making removable dentures. The latter raised too much trouble for the patients – they slid in the mouth, injured the mucous membrane, caused discomfort because patients always wanted to remove them. The situation in Lithuania has changed significantly now. Innovative dental implantation technique “All-on-4” allows you to restore all the teeth of the lower jaw or upper jaw on only four implants without any long-lasting complicated bone extension procedures. Temporary teeth are usually attached immediately after the implantation procedure, then are replaced by permanent teeth, which means that the patient will never be without teeth.
Dentures is a thing of the past
Dental loss causes not only physical but also emotional and psychological problems. Implants that have been produced and developed for more than fifty years by the pioneer of dental implantation in Sweden and the world leader in implantology, give people the opportunity to fully chew food and enjoy aesthetic appearance.
When the patient wears removable dentures, its chewing efficiency is only 30% if we compare it to the situation when he (she) had his (her) own teeth. The effectiveness of chewing is reduced even more in 10-15 years, which often causes digestion.
“It is quite different with implants – after restoration of teeth, they do not yield to the natural teeth with their functionality or aesthetics. In addition, they serve for lifetime. The teeth attached to the implants are stable and do not need to be removed. Patients can eat hard food without fear. The effectiveness of chewing, even in the former edentulous mouth, reaches 80 percent of the options of former own teeth within two months, and later this figure may increase up to 90 – 95 percent. This revolutionary and life-changing technology is best suited for edentulous jaws or when most teeth are in very poor condition. By observing the latest trends in implantology, working practically and constantly participating in international events, I can safely say that today implants are the most rational solution when it is necessary to fully recover the patient`s lost teeth,” says Jolanta Buinovska, Oral Surgeon at Vilnius Odontology Center.
Everyone can have complete teeth
Using a unique “All-on-4” treatment technique, 4 implants are screwed during one visit to a doctor, and new, comfortable, temporary or permanent teeth restoring full chewing function are attached to them. There are basically no limitations on age or general patient`s health. Exceptions only occur when patients are diagnosed with very serious cardiovascular, liver, oncological diseases, uncontrolled diabetes. By choosing this method, it can be combined with instantaneous implantation when the implants are threaded immediately after the defective tooth is removed. It is very convenient when there are few more unsafe and poorly functioning teeth in your mouth.
“It is important for the patient to know that only implants allow the tooth to be restored – both the root and the crown. They support an artificial tooth crown or bridge as the root holds a tooth in its place. When the implant is integrated into the bone, a natural jaw burden occurs during the chewing. Surgical intervention is minimal, therefore the patient does not usually feel pain, gums are not swollen or bleeding. A temporary tooth is attached to the implant immediately and a person can immediately chew the food after implantation, and neither work activity nor social life interrupts. After a few months, the temporary tooth is replaced by a permanent tooth that isn`t almost different from a natural tooth,” explains Lior Nachmaney, Oral Surgeon of the Vilnius Odontology Center.
Dental implant materials are biologically compatible with the human body, allowing the implants to be easily tolerated. According to implantology specialists, as much as 99 percent of procedures are successful.
During the first visit, the doctor performs a clinical examination of the patient and computer tomography analysis. Bone content and bone quality and soft tissue condition are assessed. The treatment plan is drawn up together with the patient and the most appropriate treatment method is chosen.
The procedure is painless
Many patients are worried before the implantation procedure about the possible pain. Usually dental implants are inserted using local anesthesia. If desired, sedation or even anesthesia can be used, but we do it rarely. “Patients are surprised often after the dental implant procedure at how much the actual procedure differs from what they imagined. The benefit of using local anesthesia is that the surgeon receives feedback from his (her) patient,” says Buinovska.
She emphasizes that both implanted and own teeth should be treated equally carefully. It is recommended to clean them with a brush and a dental flosser several times a day. Like for your own teeth, it is very suitable to use interdental brushes. The patient should visit a dentist and have professional oral hygiene at least once a year.
The patient`s personal dental care, regular visits to specialists, health condition, body properties and habits – smoking and bruxism – have a major impact on the durability of the implant. Although a number of factors need to be taken into account, “All-on-4” treatment method in Lithuania is gaining momentum. This is influenced by the much shorter treatment duration, a quick and effective result – all lost-one-jaw teeth are restored within one day.
“All-on-4” is a treatment technique that allows you to create strong and aesthetically-looking teeth and return the patient joy to eat. General practice dentists can implant in Lithuania, but specialists advise to choose oral or facial and jaw surgeons because they have a wide range of surgical experience.
