What is a dental implant?

A dental implant is similar to an artificial root. It occurs most often in the form of a titanium screw placed in the jawbone. It replaces or root of a missing tooth and serves as a support to make a crown, bridge or denture.
Dental implants integrate with the jawbone and reproduce the action of tooth roots, so they fill the role of natural teeth. In addition to ensuring a perfect stability to the fixed or removable prosthesis implant stimulates new bone cells which then cease to atrophy. The jaw can therefore maintain its volume and integrity. Muscles and articulation find a stable dental environment, which promotes a return to muscular balance, joint and facial.
The success of dental implants dates back to the 1960s with the discovery of the fundamental concept of osseointegration of titanium by a Swedish researcher, Dr. Per-Ingvar Branemark. The first modern implants were placed in those years and they are still in the mouth today.
Thereby, dentistry has made remarkable breakthroughs in recent years. Dental implants have become the most recommended solution to replace one or more missing teeth, as in the case of damaged teeth or severe periodontal disease.

Unlike dentures and bridges, implants fit perfectly in place and can last a lifetime.


Page 1 Page 2


Indications and cons-indications

For an implant, it is necessary that the volume and the quality of the jaw bone is sufficient. These parameters are usually evaluated using a scanner. However, it is also possible to increase bone volume using a bone graft. It is also important that neighboring teeth and gums are healthy. Absolute cons-indications are rare: they are mainly irradiation of the face, or high risk of infective endocarditis (infection of a heart valve by bacteria of the mouth). The against-indications are more common: poor hygiene, smoking, uncontrolled diabetes ...


Why choose implants?

Because it is a solution for life. If you are missing one or more teeth, maybe you already feel the inconvenience that this may cause. Dental implants have allowed so many people to rediscover the pleasure of tasting food, smile, talk, play some sports and even sleep without worrying about their dentures. Highest stability prostheses, which release oral mucosa, to rediscover the taste of food as well as a total comfort in all circumstances of life. By slowing down the process of collapsing bone and muscle structure of the face, dental implants can improve the aesthetic appearance of those who suffer the consequences of their maxillary atrophy. In short, the action of the implants help preserve and often restore facial appearance and functionality.


The problems associated with bridges and dentures Removable.

Conventional dentures rest on the gums and can cause permanent bone reconstruction provided by nature. The maxillary subside and collapse so gradually. This bone loss can cause an imbalance that causes tension and abnormal relaxations on the muscles of the face and neck. This explains the gradual onset of facial and neck pain.

That is why edentulous people seem to age faster than others. Their lips sink and chin is projected towards the nose because of the lack of energy required to maintain the delicate balance of facial morphology. Partial dentures can also cause damage; the same bone resorption phenomenon occurs, depriving the surrounding teeth support. The movement of the prosthesis during chewing ends up affecting the adjacent teeth and can, over time, cause their loss.

Traditional dentistry proposes to replace missing teeth with bridges or removable partial dentures or complete. However, each of these solutions has its share of disadvantages. Bridges generally require filing adjacent perfectly healthy teeth to install a solid foundation in order to support the replacement teeth. The teeth were filed down eventually damage in turn, causing other dental problems and, therefore, other charges.

Partial dentures and removable complete are often uncomfortable and can be very unstable, which makes it difficult to speak and eat. These devices, which have nothing natural, tend to slip, move and sometimes falling. The result? The person who carries the lack of confidence and tends to avoid social activities. To paraphrase one of our patients, "With dentures, if you do not have to smile, eat or talk, it will." Not to mention that none of these solutions solves the traditional bone loss problems.


The advantages of implants:

  • Dental implants can be used to replace one, several or even the upper and lower teeth completely.
  • Implants are anchored permanently. Therefore, they do not move or dangle as a removable denture.
  • The new teeth that fit into the implants look just like natural teeth. They have the same look and work great.
  • Dental implants allow you to eat the foods you love, as if it were your natural teeth.
  • Known for their reliability, dental implants have a success rate of over 95%. The success of dental implants is the result of decades of clinical experience and hundreds of thousands of satisfied patients.
  • Implants and your new teeth can be installed without harming other healthy teeth. This is not the case of traditional bridges, which generally require file adjacent healthy teeth in order to be supported. The teeth filed down and end up damaging in turn after a few years, resulting in more costly interventions.
  • Unlike bridges and dentures, implants are inserted into the bone of your jaw so as to merge. This not only helps to ensure the stability of the new teeth, but also to prevent bone loss and atrophy that normally result from the absence of one or more teeth.
  • Dental implants offer a long term solution to teething problems. Traditional bridges require replacement, usually every five years.
  • Implants save you embarrassment and pain associated with wearing dentures. You will no longer fear to escape your prosthesis, no reason to deprive you from participating in certain activities, need to avoid foods that you like and no wire or plastic device clutter your mouth. Most patients say they simply feel better about themselves with their implants with dentures.




Implants prevent the loss of bone mass:

Natural teeth protect the bones of the jaw. In the absence of a tooth, bone underlying portion begins to close and atrophy. Over time, this can cause the loss of other teeth and damage your overall dental health.

If several or all teeth are missing, the jawbone can atrophy seriously. The face seems then collapsed. Often this loss of bone mass aging appearance of denture wearers and make them less attractive. Dentures and traditional bridges does not protect against problems associated with bone loss in places where teeth are missing, instead, they activate the destruction of the bone.

Dental implants prevent the loss of bone mass that would otherwise be caused by the wearing of a full or partial denture. Since they are inserted and anchored to the same jaw bone and are not based on the adjacent teeth, dental implants behave like natural teeth maintaining the health of the bone of the jaw. When a missing tooth is replaced by a dental implant, the fusion (or osseointegration) of the implant and bone provides stability, as a natural tooth. When all the teeth are missing, dental implants stimulate bone mass, which protects it from atrophy and thus helps to preserve the structure of your face.


When will we put an implant?

An implant can be put in place, either immediately after tooth extraction or after healing of the bone and the gum. The surgery is often simple and painful. It is done under local anesthesia as for the treatment of caries. The final prosthesis is performed after the solidification of the bone around the implant (within 2 to 6 months). Under certain conditions, a temporary prosthesis may be established immediately after the placement of the implant.


Dental implants

The surgical placement of implants may seem impressive. Yet it is a relatively quick response whose consequences are going very well in the vast majority of cases.


Placing implants in a clinic or dental office

The introduction of implants requires careful surgical asepsis. It can be performed in the office or in the operating room depending on the surgeon's habits and configuration of his cabinet, which adapts or not to implant placement.


The establishment of the implant


















Local anesthesia is performed. The gum is excised and unobscured to access the site where the bone implant placement is provided. Successively passing drills of different diameters can prepare the housing in which the implant is then introduced.


Closing the surgical site

Once or implants placed, the intervention site must be carefully closed to allow the implant to fully integrate with the jawbone in the best conditions. Two closure options are available:

1st option: with total landfill implants

The gums are replaced and sutured to its original position. The implants are then completely buried under the gum, and therefore very well protected. If this option is chosen, it will reopen the two gums slightly to six months to clear the head of the implants to achieve the prosthesis.

2nd option: landfill without implants

The gum is sutured letting the head of the implants. The gum heals directly around implants. This technique avoids a second surgical time to clear his head implants. However, implants are less well protected during the osseointegration period. This option is the most favorable cases.




Our tips

  • For healing takes place in the best possible conditions, be sure to meet your requirements and post-operative advice given to you.
  • The speed and quality of healing depend greatly on the cleanliness of the surgical site.
  • Adopter une hygiène buccale rigoureuse est indispensable pour la bonne intégration des implants dans l’os de votre mâchoire.
  • In rare cases, the implant can be rejected. A new implant is then placed immediately or some time later.
  • It is very rare to see two consecutive discharges implants.