Implant-Supported Prostheses

Prostheses located on the upper section of implants are an effective treatment method applied for the oral aesthetics, dental functions, and oral health of patients experiencing tooth loss. Implant-supported prostheses are custom-prepared to meet the patient's needs and are placed over artificial tooth roots called implants. The prostheses placed after the surgical intervention include some important advantages for the patients. Temporary implant-supported teeth, which are optionally made during the treatment, are replaced by permanently placed implant-supported prostheses when the final stage of the treatment arrives. Specialist Dentist Emin Serhat Arıkan, who serves his patients in Adana, explained what implant-supported prostheses are and what their types are.

Why Are Implant-Supported Prostheses Important?

These prostheses placed over implants are an important solution for individuals experiencing serious oral and dental health problems. Individuals who have lost all their teeth can have highly healthy teeth, regain their aesthetic appearance, and dental functions thanks to implant-supported prostheses.

If a patient who has lost their teeth has a sufficiently healthy and dense bone structure, implant-supported prosthetic treatment can be applied very successfully. However, in patients whose bone tissue is insufficient or unsuitable, advanced surgical operations can be applied to make them suitable for implant and implant-supported prosthetic treatment.

For patients with missing teeth in certain areas of the mouth, aesthetic concerns are important. Prostheses to be placed on the implant are of great value to restore aesthetic integrity. If a patient's tooth has irreparable damage, the tooth can be extracted, and implants and implant-supported prostheses can be applied immediately to ensure the patient regains healthy teeth.

What Are the Advantages of Implant-Supported Prostheses?

When prostheses placed over screws called implants, which function as tooth roots, are applied correctly and successfully by the dentist, they offer numerous important advantages for the patients. However, the diagnosis and treatment planning must be done correctly. Treatment planning should be compatible with the patient's objective conditions and able to meet their needs. The most important issue for maximizing the benefits of the treatment is the correct analysis of needs and the personalization of the treatment plan. If we need to list the advantages of implant-supported prostheses:

They are used in the treatment of individuals who have lost all their teeth in the mouth.
Since there are different types, they allow the selection and application of the most appropriate method according to the individual's needs and conditions.
They restore oral and dental aesthetics. The person starts to smile without fear again.
Implant-supported prostheses can be designed and manufactured in the shape, size, and color desired by the person.
Correctly and successfully applied implant-supported prostheses can be used comfortably and without problems for many years.

Types of Implant-Supported Prostheses

Implants are an efficient treatment procedure that can be applied in cases where both a single tooth is lost and where all teeth are lost. Implant-supported prostheses offer different types according to the patient's needs. One of the types of implant-supported prostheses is preferred and applied according to the patient's conditions and requirements.

Your dentist decides which type of implant-supported prosthesis will be preferred based on comprehensive evaluations. The treatment process is initiated after the patient's consent is obtained.

The patient's opinions and wishes regarding which prosthesis to apply on the implant are also taken into account. This procedure not only provides functional improvement but also aims to ensure aesthetic integrity. If we need to examine the types of implant-supported prostheses one by one:

Fixed Implant-Supported Prostheses

Fixed prostheses are divided into two classes: cemented fixed prostheses (prostheses suitable for bonding) and hybrid fixed prostheses placed using the screw retention method.

Cemented fixed prostheses are bonded to abutments screwed onto the implant and cannot be removed by the patient. These prostheses must be removed under the supervision of a dentist, as the prosthesis needs to be cut off for removal. For cemented fixed prostheses to be applied to patients who have lost all their teeth in one jaw, at least six implant screws must be placed in the jawbone.

Hybrid fixed prostheses are applied by being screwed directly onto the implants. Hybrid fixed prostheses, a more innovative method than cemented prostheses, are a frequently preferred procedure in recent years. One of the most important features of hybrid fixed prostheses is that even if the patient cannot remove them, they can be easily removed by the dentist.

After hybrid prosthetic treatment, the dentist can easily remove the prosthesis and perform the maintenance of the implant and implant area. However, for this method to be applied, patients who have lost all their teeth in a single jaw must have a minimum of four implants placed within the jawbone.

Removable Implant-Supported Prostheses

Removable prostheses placed over the implant can be easily inserted and removed by both the patient and the doctor. Moreover, they can also be applied to patients with weak jawbone volume and density who are deemed unsuitable for fixed prostheses. Removable prostheses allow us to perform the cleaning and maintenance of the implant area more easily.

Removable implant-supported prostheses have supporting areas called attachments. The main task of these attachments is to assume a retaining and supportive role.

How Are Implant-Supported Prostheses Maintained?

Individuals with implant-supported prostheses in their mouth must regularly maintain these prostheses and ensure their hygiene. Individuals who do not show the necessary care for the maintenance of prostheses may encounter serious oral and dental health problems. Maintenance methods for implant-supported prostheses may differ according to whether they are removable or fixed prostheses.

How Is the Maintenance of Removable Implant-Supported Prostheses Performed?

When applying maintenance to removable prostheses, it should first be remembered that the prostheses need to be removed during the day or in the evening. Removing the prostheses is very important for the intraoral tissues to rest. Water and special cleaners are used for cleaning the removed prostheses. A soft-bristled toothbrush should be used when cleaning these removable prostheses, and they should be cleaned at least twice a day. The patient must ensure that no food residue remains on the prosthesis during this cleaning.

When the prosthesis is removed, the oral area should also be cleaned using a toothbrush, but boiling water should definitely not be used when cleaning the prosthesis.

How Is the Maintenance of Fixed Implant-Supported Prostheses Performed?

Fixed prostheses cannot be removed by the patient after they are installed. Therefore, maintenance procedures involve some differences compared to removable prostheses. Fixed implant-supported prostheses should be brushed at least twice a day, just like natural teeth. In addition, the patient must follow certain cleaning steps depending on the type of prosthesis.

If the patient has an implant-supported crown on a single tooth, dental floss must be used. If a bridge has been applied over the patient's implant, specially manufactured bridge-cleaning flosses should be used, and the section of the bridges facing the gums should be cleaned with special brushes.

Oral hygiene should also be supported with oral irrigating devices.

Follow-up Appointments After Implant-Supported Prosthesis

Follow-up appointments should be attended regularly. These appointments are of great importance for the patient to avoid encountering any problems in later stages. Patients must go for a check-up once or twice a year.

During these examinations, the dentist checks whether the implant and prosthesis areas are cleaned sufficiently. If there are areas that are not cleaned enough, these areas are cleaned by the dentist.

Thanks to these checks and examinations, patients can continue to use their implant-supported prostheses healthily for many years.