Clinical research studies confirm that dental implants are the best long-term solution for missing teeth. A dental implant fuses with the bone of the jaw or skull to support a dental prosthesis such as a crown, bridge or fixed denture. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), dental implants have a success rate of 90%–95%. Other studies show that dental implants have a long-term success rate of 95% to 98%. Patients can choose dental implants with a reasonable expectation that their implants will last for a lifetime. In fact, dental laboratories and dental manufacturers design implants with the objective of making them a permanent solution. Although dental implants are used with great frequency, the complications arising from dental implant placement remain a challenge.
Bleeding from the implant site, infection, and pain are possible signs of an early complication with the implant. A failure of the implant to osseointegrate with the bone during early healing as well as possible infection of the peri-implant tissues are among the top reasons for implant failure.
Patients with epilepsy, endocarditis and a history of osteoradionecrosis should consider the risks prior to placement of dental implants. Children and adolescents should not receive implants, as they are still growing. Smokers should quit smoking before and after receiving dental implants to improve their success rate. Diabetic patients are cautioned to discuss the dental implants process and understand the risks prior to placement. Patients with history of myocardial infarction and patients with hemophilia and a history of bleeding should not receive implants. Patients that have received a heart transplant or suffer from immune suppression are not candidates for dental implants. Drug abusers and patients with psychiatric illness should not receive dental implants.
Implant failure may result from several factors.
- The first group of factors are patient related, and include patient age and gender, smoking habits, diseases and auto-immune disorder, and oral hygiene.
- The second group of factors are related to the implant placement site. These factors include the implant position in the arch and the quality and quantity of the existing bone.
- The third set of factors is related to the dental implant surgery. The initial implant stability, angulations and direction of the implant and the surgeon’s skills are all surgery-related factors
- The fourth set of factors are related to the implant. The surface roughness, length and diameter of dental implant, as well as the macrostructure and microstructure of an implant are important factors in the success of the implant placement.
- The fifth set of factors are related to the implant prosthesis. The type of prosthesis, retention method, and occlusal scheme are important factors when considering the type of prosthesis to affix to your dental implants.
The best dental implant clinics focus on factors such as design and surface of implant, condition of implant placement site, surgery technique, and occlusal loading affect osteointegration. Leading clinics consider these factors and create a customized treatment plan for each patient.
As you begin your research on the best dental clinics for dental implants in Costa Rica, consider that dental implants should not be placed by general dentists, but rather by specialists, either a periodontist or a maxillofacial surgeon, who have taken additional training and practice in dental implants in addition to their regular dental training. They also take training in aesthetics and have more experience with complex solutions. Their specific experience and knowledge is yet another factor that results in the high success rate of dental implants.
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