Dental Implantation

Sooner or later, every patient faces tooth extraction. Many people think that since there are many teeth, the loss of one does not entail serious consequences. In reality, the loss of even one tooth, which is a full-fledged organ, leads to a decrease in the body’s ability to chew food. And this is far from the only consequence.

Dr. Osadchiy’s dental clinic has been operating for many years, and we know firsthand about the three most popular behaviour patterns of patients after tooth extraction.

Option 1: Leave it as it is

Patients often decide to leave everything as it is — or rather, as it has become. However, this subsequently leads to shifting of the dental arch. The body does not accept voids and strives to fill them by all means. As a result, the remaining teeth begin to shift toward the socket of the extracted tooth, which disrupts the bite and leads to other problems, such as arthritis and arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint, curvature of the dental arch, headaches, displacement of the lower jaw position, and facial asymmetry.

Option 2: Install a bridge

Several decades ago, bridge constructions were one of the few ways to restore a lost tooth. Their installation requires grinding down two adjacent healthy teeth to serve as supports for the bridge. However, this method has become outdated, as implants allow replacing a lost tooth without damaging adjacent teeth.

Option 3: Install an implant

The most progressive and optimal way to restore a lost tooth today is implantation. It provides comfort, reliability, and high aesthetics — an artificial tooth is virtually indistinguishable from a natural one.

A dental implant is a construction consisting of several parts that allows complete replacement of a lost tooth. A human tooth can be roughly divided into three parts: the root, the neck, and the crown.

A dental implant allows restoration of all three parts: the natural root is replaced by an artificial root (the main part of the implant), the tooth neck is compensated by an abutment (adapter), and then an artificial crown is installed.

Conventionally, all dental implants can be divided into single-stage and two-stage. The design of the former is built so that the artificial root is combined with the abutment, while in the design of the latter, the artificial root and abutment are two separate elements.

Quite often, patients confuse a dental implant with a pin. The similarity lies in the fact that some types of pins, like the artificial tooth root, are made of metal. However, the fundamental difference is that an implant integrates into the bone tissue and replaces the lost root, while a pin is inserted into the root canal (root) of the tooth.

Absence of one or more teeth:

• Agenesis (congenital absence of teeth).
• Tooth loss due to trauma, caries, pulpitis, or other dental diseases.
• Tooth extraction due to extensive destruction not amenable to restoration.

Complete adentia (absence of all teeth):

• For fixation of a full fixed prosthesis on implants.
• For stabilization of removable prostheses through their fixation on bar constructions or ball attachments.

Problems with removable prostheses:

• Intolerance to removable prostheses (mechanical or psychological discomfort).
• Prosthesis instability during chewing and articulation.
• Bone tissue atrophy complicating fixation of a removable prosthesis.

Aesthetic indications:

• Impaired facial aesthetics due to missing teeth in the anterior section of the dental arch.
• Congenital absence of permanent lateral incisors.

Functional disorders:

• Bite and occlusion changes due to tooth loss.
• Difficulties in chewing, articulation, or breathing due to tooth loss.
• Secondary traumatic occlusion due to tooth displacement and overloading of remaining teeth.

Jaw bone tissue atrophy:

• To prevent further resorption (shrinkage) of the alveolar ridge bone.
• To stimulate osteogenesis and preserve jaw bone volume.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathologies:

• TMJ dysfunctions caused by missing teeth and occlusion disorders.

Post-traumatic and postoperative defects:

• Tooth restoration after trauma, jaw fractures, or surgical removal of neoplasms.

Reconstruction after oncological diseases:

• Replacement of jaw defects resulting from surgical treatment of tumours.

Dental implantation can be performed using various techniques, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Dr. Osadchiy’s dental clinic (its specialists) insists that patients should carefully consider all the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques and choose the one that carries the least risks and is optimally suited to the clinical case.

Implant placement: comparison of techniques

This technique implies that dental implant placement occurs in a single visit. The artificial root integrates into the bone, while simultaneously the abutment (if these are two separate elements) and the connector are installed. A temporary crown is placed on the implant immediately.

It should be noted that single-stage implantation can be performed both with and without immediate loading. If the patient wants a quick result, the doctor can install a temporary crown so that it can already be used for chewing. However, such dental implant placement is associated with high risks of rejection and implant loss. That is why our clinic’s specialists categorically do not recommend implantation with immediate loading on dental implants.

Even if the clinical picture and client wishes allow for single-stage implantation, it is better to take the temporary crown out of occlusion and not load it during the implant healing period.

Main stages of single-stage dental implantation:

1. Consultation and diagnostics.
2. Implant and abutment placement.
3. Temporary crown placement.
4. Replacement of temporary crown with permanent one.

Advantages of single-stage implantation:

• Rapid restoration of tooth aesthetics and function.
• Suitable for anterior teeth where appearance is important.
• Minimal number of surgical interventions.

Disadvantages of single-stage implantation:

• High requirements for bone tissue condition.
• Risk of implant overloading with insufficient bone density.

Two-stage dental implant placement is a more reliable and predictable method in terms of results. During the first visit, the dental implant is placed into the bone, then the mucosa is sutured for the period of osseointegration (healing). During the second visit, the doctor examines the implant condition, installs the healing abutment, abutment, and crown.

Thus, two-stage implant placement makes the process more controllable and predictable. The implant reliably integrates into the bone, and only then comes the moment of chewing load.

Main stages of two-stage dental implantation:

1. Consultation and diagnostics.
2. Implant placement and suturing for the osseointegration period (from 21 days).
3. Gum former placement.
4. Impression taking.
5. Abutment placement and crown fixation.

Advantages of two-stage implantation:

• Maximum reliability and low risk of complications.
• Suitable for patients with bone tissue deficiency.
• Effective in complex clinical cases.

Disadvantages of two-stage implantation:

• Longer treatment process (2–6 months).
• Two surgical interventions.

Implant placement involves controlled bone trauma. And naturally, it is good when one trauma can be overlaid on another. Simply put, when the doctor extracts the patient’s tooth, they can immediately insert a dental implant into the empty socket. This significantly reduces recovery time, as the patient will have one surgical intervention instead of two — extraction and implantation.

It should be noted that dental implant placement immediately after extraction is possible with a favourable clinical picture, when there are no inflammatory processes or other contraindications. Usually, immediate implantation is used when a tooth is extracted due to trauma or a chronic, non-acute dental disease.

Like single-stage, immediate implantation can involve immediate loading on dental implants. Sometimes doctors immediately install a temporary crown and allow the patient to chew on it. At Dr. Osadchiy’s Dental Clinic, we insist that such an approach is very dangerous for the patient, and the risks of implant rejection are too high. The body should be given time to recover after extraction and implant integration, and only then does it make sense to apply chewing load.

Main stages of immediate implantation:

1. Consultation and diagnostics.
2. Tooth extraction.
3. Implant placement (followed by two-stage or single-stage implantation).

Advantages of immediate implantation:

• Reduced treatment time by combining extraction and implantation.
• Preservation of bone tissue volume.
• Minimization of surgical interventions.

Disadvantages of immediate implantation:

• Requires high doctor qualification and careful planning.
• Not suitable for infections or bone tissue deficiency.

Dental implantation at Dr. Osadchiy’s clinic in Kyiv is the right choice, because we know how to prevent complications, which allows us to provide a guarantee:

• Preliminary preparation. We perform necessary examinations before surgery: complete blood count, immunogram and culture for pathogenic microflora (if needed), radiological examination, and thoroughly collect medical history.
• Minimization of bone grafting procedures. Bone grafting produces poorly predictable results, so we are not proponents of such procedures. Instead, we use special short implants in the form of a plateau (Ultrashort Plateau Root Form Implants), for which 4 mm of bone height is sufficient.
• Use of appropriate implantological systems. Implants with bacterially sealed conical connections, with bevelled shoulders, with a large contact area with the jaw bone are used.
• Truly experienced surgeon. All surgical procedures are performed by a maxillofacial surgeon with over 40 years of experience, not a general practice dentist. Young surgeons do not practise at our clinic, although we understand they need to learn somewhere.
• Postoperative support. We prescribe postoperative medication support taking into account previously obtained test results, examinations, and collected medical history, minimizing medication load on the patient’s body.

Summing up intermediate results, it can be said that implantation, or as patients say, “dental implant placement,” is the best available method of restoring lost organs.

Implants open up possibilities for various types of prosthetics. For instance, it is possible to replace each individual lost tooth according to the scheme: one tooth — one implant. At the same time, implant-supported prosthetics are possible, where fixed prostheses are secured on several implants (All-on-4, All-on-6, etc.).

The list of implantation advantages is quite impressive.

Complete restoration of chewing function:

• Direct transmission of chewing load to the bone: implants (teeth) function like natural roots, transmitting pressure directly to the bone, ensuring natural biomechanical loading.
• Preservation of occlusal balance: precise prosthesis adaptation prevents overloading of adjacent teeth and bite disorders.
• High strength: modern materials (titanium, zirconium) provide resistance to chewing loads comparable to natural teeth.

Bone tissue preservation:

• Prevention of bone tissue resorption: implant placement prevents atrophy of the alveolar ridge caused by the absence of the natural tooth root.
• Stimulation of osteogenesis: constant load on the bone helps maintain normal metabolic activity levels in bone tissue.

Construction durability:

• High biocompatibility: titanium and zirconium implants have minimal rejection risk due to their inertness and ability to integrate with bone.
• Resistance to corrosion and wear: implant materials retain their properties for decades when hygiene recommendations are followed.
• Low breakage risk: implants have high strength, making them reliable even under intensive use.

Maximum construction stability:

• Crown fixation on the implant: the construction is securely fastened, eliminating displacement or loosening characteristic of removable prostheses.
• No need for adjacent tooth support: the implant does not require preparation or use of adjacent teeth as supports, preserving their structure and health.

High aesthetics:

• Natural appearance: crowns on implants are individually manufactured, ensuring perfect match to the shape, colour, and size of natural teeth.
• Preservation of facial harmony: prevention of bone atrophy and maintenance of proper jaw bone volume contributes to preservation of facial contour and prevention of premature ageing.
• Realistic reproduction of mucosal contour: implantation allows achieving a natural appearance of mucosal tissue around the crown.

Patient comfort:

• No discomfort during use: the implant is perceived as one’s own tooth, without causing a foreign body sensation.
• Independence from adhesive materials: the construction is firmly fixed and does not require fixing gels, as with removable prostheses.
• Preservation of diction: implant placement prevents articulation changes that may occur with missing teeth or use of removable prostheses.

Versatility and adaptability:

• Variety of solutions: implants are suitable for restoring individual teeth, multiple teeth, or the entire dental arch.
• Combination with other methods: implants can be used for fixation of removable prostheses or bridge constructions.
• Adaptation to complex cases: implantation can be performed even with significant bone atrophy using adaptation methods or bone regeneration.

The cost of dental implantation at Kyiv dental clinics varies. It depends on a number of factors, from advertising expenses to the expected doctor’s fee for the work performed. Not always does the implant price constitute the main part of the service cost in Kyiv. However, in an ideal world and at Dr. Osadchiy’s Dental Clinic, this is exactly the case: the lion’s share of the implantation cost goes towards covering the dental implant price.

We use quite expensive and proven implants, for which we already have our own statistics of long-term results spanning 18 years. This is another important factor that allows our clinic to provide a guarantee on implantation.

The cost of dental implantation at our clinic consists of:

• dental implant price;
• crown prices;
• component prices (healing abutment, abutment);
• surgery cost;
• dental technician work cost;
• cost of treatment and oral cavity sanitation.