Designer Dentistry

By: Dr Zoltan Elischer
Created on 09th November 2009

Implant expert Dr Zoltan Elischer of Sanco Dental explains all you need to know about dental implants

People lose teeth all the time, either through decay, old age or trauma, when the teeth are knocked out, but you no longer have to put up with missing teeth as it is now possible to have a long-term solution in the form of dental implants.

A dental implant is an artificial replacement for the root of your natural tooth. The implant is secured into a pre-drilled socket in your jaw-bone and it then is used to hold a denture, crown or bridge firmly into place.

The procedure

The process starts with the inserting of the implant(s). After a three to six months healing period the implants get exposed for further procedures, such as taking impressions. A week or two later the final process starts, during which the dentist sets up the actual definitive tooth replacement which can be a crown, bridge, cover denture or a combination.

What problems can the treatment correct?

Dental implant systems are designed to replace teeth from a single gap up to total teeth loss. It consists of an artificial root - the implant itself - an abutment or mesostructure, and a crown or bridge. The system is very flexible to use and virtually any kind of tooth loss is correctable with it.

What are the expected results of this procedure?

As the present implants systems used are all very sophisticated, the success rate is well over 99 per cent. Failures usually happen when the patient does not comply with the rules given by the dentist.

What are the risks involved in such procedure? What special precautions should you take?

These procedures are considered same day surgery and all the risks and considerations apply. The experience of our specialist makes it possible to operate on virtually all cases. However smoking, eating dairy products or hot, spicy food is considered a risk during the immediate healing period. After the removal of stitches the only considerable risk is smoking; smokers are instructed to reduce their habit to a minimum, or even to quit if possible.

What other treatments do you specialise in?

I have thirty years' experience and have placed 30,000 implants successfully which means our success rate is virtually 100 per cent but our dentists are also experienced in other specialities such as bone management, bone enhancement, sinus elevations, bone grafts and artificial bone replacements. The surgery is extremely well equipped for all these procedures.

We also do dental aesthetics such as teeth straightening with veneers or Lumineers. At our Budapest clinic patients can save up to 60 per cent on UK prices and we provide lengthy guarantees, carry out treatments in a short time, use the best materials and provide aftercare abroad.

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