What are some common questions about dental implants? 1. What is the discomfort during the implant surgery? Modern anesthesia techniques and good post-operative care measures can minimize patient discomfort. The wound will heal in about 10 days in the mouth. During the healing period, it is necessary to pay attention to the timely cleaning of the wound area and to avoid chewing hard objects. Many patients feel that the discomfort of the implant placement procedure is a little less than that of a tooth extraction. 2. How long does the implant restoration process take? Depending on the type of implant and the type of upper restoration, the total time can be just a few weeks or several months. Generally, it takes 6 to 12 months. If bone grafting or a combination of other treatments is required, it can take longer. The doctor will explain this to you. 3. Will dental implants be as strong and durable as real teeth? Studies have shown that many dental implants are actually more durable than real teeth. Studies have shown that dental implants achieve 100% restoration of chewing efficiency compared to removable dentures. With the advent of dental implants, patients with missing teeth can finally eat the foods they were afraid to eat and enjoy the pleasures of a culinary life. However, it is worth mentioning that the implants lack rich nerve endings receptors like natural teeth, so they are more susceptible to damage when subjected to abnormal chewing forces, which affects the life of the implants in a certain way. 4. Are dental implants expensive? The cost of dental implants depends on the number of dental implants and the type of implant as well as the type of restoration above the implant. For example, the cost of one dental implant is approximately the same as a fixed restorative bridge (but a fixed restorative bridge requires the removal of adjacent healthy teeth to obtain retention, whereas a dental implant does not). Of course, if bone grafting or other treatments are required, the cost is more. As for the exact cost, it varies from region to region, and you can consult your local dental implantologist for detailed pricing. In conclusion, the cost of implant restoration is usually higher. However, the change in your face, the improvement in chewing efficiency and thus the whole confidence brought by the implant restoration will undoubtedly be the most meaningful investment of all the investments you have ever participated in for a modern person living today. 5. What is the success rate of implant restorations? Since the application of dental implant technology in 1950, the success rate has been improving due to medical and material advances. At present, the success rate of dental implants can reach 95% or even higher with a five-year success rate as the clinical evaluation standard, and it is believed that it will be further improved in the future. 6. Do patients who receive implant restorations need to be hospitalized? Most of the surgical treatment of dental implants can be performed in the general dental chair in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia. If necessary, preoperative oral or intravenous sedative medication can be used to control nervousness and eliminate fear of surgery for a smoother outpatient procedure. Of course, there are some cases that require hospitalization, such as patients who need more bone grafting or implants and are in poor physical condition. They can receive better care under inpatient conditions, and changes in their condition can be detected and treated in a timely manner. 7. Am I suitable for implant restoration? Usually, implant restorations can be considered for healthy people who are able to undergo conventional dental extractions and oral surgery. Patients with specific chronic diseases such as diabetes, uncontrolled heart disease and hypertension, blood disorders, osteoporosis, and patients who need radiotherapy after oral cancer surgery are not suitable for implant restorations immediately. In addition, patients who cannot maintain good oral hygiene conditions such as smoking and raging alcohol are also not suitable. However, it is important to note that implant dentures are not age-restricted, so that many elderly patients who suffer from missing teeth can finally share the benefits of this successful technology. In any case, your dentist will have to make a thorough evaluation of your physical condition before he can develop a treatment plan that is suitable for you. 8. Can I have a temporary restoration after the implant stud placement? It takes about 3 to 6 months for the implant to reach complete osseointegration with the surrounding bone tissue after implant placement. During this period, it is important to avoid the presence of any weight-bearing bodies in the implant area that interfere with the repair of the bone tissue, so that the implant passes through this period of osseointegration quietly, which is beneficial for the future stability of the implant. Therefore, it is generally considered best to leave temporary restorations alone. The modern oral implant technology, first advocated and practiced by Professor Branemark of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has developed into an independent research field in dentistry supported by multidisciplinary cutting-edge technology after decades of joint efforts of many scholars. The progress of this research field should be said to have fundamentally established a new concept and method for the restoration of missing teeth in a more scientific, rational and perfect way. The average life expectancy of fixed restorations with fixed teeth is 8 years. According to the American ADA clinical standard for oral implants, the 5-year retention rate is 95% and the 10-year retention rate is 85%, which means that the service life of oral implants should be much longer than that of traditional fixed prosthetic forms. The maintenance of dental implants in general is an urgent question for many people who want to have dental implant surgery. In developed countries, the 5-year retention rate of people who have undergone dental implant surgery is over 95% and the 10-year retention rate is around 90%. However, these figures only reflect the average. The longevity of each dental implant is not only related to the good or bad treatment, but also to the patient’s future health condition, use and self-maintenance. The latter is the decisive factor in determining the longevity of dental implants. Therefore, patients who have received dental implants should strictly follow the instructions of their doctors, including self-cleaning maintenance and regular professional tartar and plaque removal follow-up maintenance. This will make your dental implant more effective and long-lasting for you. We can tell you that one of the first modern dental implants has served the missing tooth perfectly for more than 40 years! Dental implants have a periodontal relationship similar to that of natural teeth and it is necessary to perform a special implant cleaning around the dental implant and a routine cleaning of the surrounding natural teeth. This maintains the long-term stability of the dental implant. Dental implants need to be coordinated with the natural teeth to maintain the normal function of the oromandibular system, and they are periodically adjusted () to accommodate the changing relationship. Dental implants are made up of several parts like natural teeth, but the parts of natural teeth are organically bonded together, while dental implants are connected by screws or bonding agents. Periodically check the parts of dental implants for faults so that they can be repaired in time. With good oral hygiene and regular checkups, the artificial implants can last as long as the real teeth.