Is it possible to get a new smile in just one day?

The appearance and development of dental implant technology and its respective protocols now allow for a fixed and rapid rehabilitation of edentulous spaces.

Many years ago, the standard approach to dental implant rehabilitation consisted of two phases:

• Placement of the implants;
• Rehabilitation with crowns, bridges, or prostheses over implants after several months (approximately 6 months to allow for the integration of the dental implant into the bone).

Today, it is possible to rehabilitate a full arch with new teeth in just one day. This is because the “Teeth in 1 Day” solution allows for rehabilitation with dental implants and the placement of fixed teeth on the same day.

How is it done? Initially, a treatment plan is made based on the patient’s medical history, dental and bone condition, followed by planning for the surgical procedure.

After the surgical intervention, a screw-retained prosthesis is placed on the implants, which will be used for a period of about 6 months, instantly restoring function, phonetics, and quality of life. Subsequently, a definitive prosthesis is made and placed.

It is important to remember that, just like natural teeth, dental implants also require basic oral hygiene care and periodic maintenance checkups.

Recovering your smile is possible, schedule your assessment today.

Dr. Raquel Brandão de Carvalho

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The Change of Maria Celeste Lima – Implants

Maria Celeste is a 28-year-old young woman, very cheerful, and with a great desire to smile again.

Due to the loss of teeth in her upper arch, Maria Celeste had been using a removable prosthesis for several years. In addition to the prosthesis being unaesthetic, it was no longer well-adapted, which negatively affected her both functionally and socially.

After proper study and planning of the case, the team at Clínica Zenha outlined the treatment plan to follow.

With a good bone structure to support implants, the medical team opted for a complete implant-supported rehabilitation (teeth in a day), as most of the teeth had already been lost and the remaining ones were compromised. All the necessary pre-surgical steps, such as oral hygiene and corresponding hygiene instructions, were carried out. An intensive in-office teeth whitening was also done on the lower teeth to correct the color and make them whiter.

When Maria Celeste saw herself in the mirror for the first time with her new teeth, the Clínica Zenha team felt her gratitude and happiness. We knew that by rehabilitating her smile, we were giving her the opportunity to smile again without fear.

See Maria Celeste’s transformation:

Written by Marisa Zenha

I need an implant, what should I do?

Before we address the question, let’s first talk about what an implant is.

A dental implant is the fixed replacement for the root of a tooth, commonly referred to as a “screw.” It is submerged in our bone.

I often explain this by using a comparison from our daily life to make it easier to understand. When we hang a picture, the screw that goes into the wall is like the implant, and the piece that holds the picture corresponds to the crown.

Is it easier to visualize this way?

When we have an edentulous space, meaning a space without teeth, we can choose to rehabilitate this area with implants, whether it’s for the loss of just one tooth, several, or even a full arch.

What should you do if you find yourself in this situation?

First, schedule a consultation for evaluation. During this consultation, we will conduct a thorough intra and extraoral examination and a 3D X-ray, a CT scan.

This diagnostic aid is essential to assess the bone volume and adjacent structures so we can plan the placement of the implants. We will also take a photographic evaluation of your smile during this consultation.

This step is important for evaluating its harmony and for easier communication with the laboratory and the patient, showing it on a screen so you can tell us what you like, what you don’t like, and what you’d like to change.

Your dental and general health history will also be taken during this consultation, where you will inform us about medications you take and any health problems you have.

In this consultation, you will learn the ideal treatment plan for your case and its cost.

If you choose to proceed, our team will plan the implant surgery using the CT scan, photographs, and the digital impressions we take of your mouth so that on the day of the appointment, everything will be ready.

You will also receive a prescription for the necessary medication and recommendations for the day of surgery and post-operation.

In all cases where there are existing teeth before implant placement, we will conduct an oral hygiene consultation to reduce the bacterial load present, ensuring the procedure is done with maximum safety.

If it is a case of a full arch, consultations will be conducted before implant placement for trials related to the shape, color, and position of the teeth.

The goal of implant surgery is to restore your quality of life, mainly by providing comfort in chewing and aesthetics.

It is a simple process, where everything will be explained to you, and all questions will be clarified.

Dr. Mónica Miranda

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Passaporte do Implante Dentário, sabe o que é?

Currently, the placement of dental implants is a fairly simple and extremely safe process. However, there are many dental implant brands available on the market, and with so many options, many patients, after the placement of dental implants, do not know which material was used.

To solve this problem, the dental implant passport was created. All information related to the dental implant – type of implant, type of connection, size, among other details – is recorded on a single label, making it simpler for the Dentist and the patient.

But what is the purpose of the passport?

In the event that the patient visits another dentist, either in their country of residence or abroad – by choice or in an emergency situation – the passport allows the necessary information to be transmitted to the dentist, enabling proper follow-up, ensuring the patient’s safety and well-being.

Dr. Marisa Zenha

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Have you heard of dental bone grafting? Let me explain what it is

Today, I want to talk to you about another topic in dentistry that may be unknown to many of you, at least under this designation.

However, those who have implants may have already undergone a bone graft, as this is a procedure that may be necessary in order to allow the placement of dental implants. Let me explain more about what this is.

What is dental bone grafting?

It’s easy to explain what bone grafting is and what it’s used for. Whenever we lose a tooth, if it is not quickly replaced, our body will begin to resorb the bone that supported the tooth, which, being absent, no longer serves a function, and the body understands that this bone is no longer necessary.

Thus, the alveolar bone is resorbed, and if you wish to place a dental implant, a bone graft may be necessary, so that we have bone around the entire implant, allowing the mouth to recover its functions and the smile its aesthetics.

How does the process work?

After performing a CBCT or CT scan, we can confirm whether we have enough bone for implant placement and whether we need to perform a bone graft.

Although it may seem a bit complex and intimidating, bone grafting is actually very simple nowadays. Basically, we can use the patient’s own bone or particulate bovine bone for this. The procedure is typically performed in the office, and local anesthesia is sufficient. For more complex cases, it may be necessary to harvest bone from outside the mouth, such as from the iliac crest, fibula, or cranial vault, and the surgery will need to be done in a hospital setting under general anesthesia, which also involves a more complicated post-operative recovery.

In order to place and ensure dental implants are fixed, they need to have bone support all around them. Hence, grafts may be needed when the existing bone is insufficient, and we need to compensate for bone loss in height and thickness.

However, it is important to emphasize that bone grafting is not always a prerequisite for placing dental implants, as the existing bone may be sufficient.

Therefore, it is essential to have a good evaluation consultation with your dentist.

What are the types of dental bone grafts?

There are several types of bone grafts, which are used based on the patient’s needs. The most common in implantology are autografts and xenografts, the latter being of bovine origin. As I mentioned earlier, most of these can be performed in the office with local anesthesia, while others need to be done in the hospital under general anesthesia.

Bone grafts can have the following designations:

• Autograft – uses bone from the patient’s own body, from intraoral or extraoral sites;
• Xenograft – uses bone from another species, such as bovine or porcine;
• Allograft – a graft taken from another individual genetically identical to the receptor species. An example is cadaveric bone;
• Alloplastic – produced in a laboratory with synthetic materials such as ceramics or hydroxyapatite;
  

Why is there dental bone loss?

There are many possible causes for dental bone loss, with the most common being tooth loss. However, there are other possible reasons, such as aging, poor oral hygiene, or diseases like periodontitis. Tobacco also promotes bone loss, and grafts are even not recommended in such patients. There are also individual variables that favor the maintenance or resorption of bone.

Surgical Aspects

The specialist must open the area that will receive the graft. Then, it will be placed, either along with or without the dental implant, until the area is closed and sutured.

If the implant is not placed, we may need to wait 4 to 6 months before proceeding with it.

Medical discharge is immediate, although it is important to monitor the patient during the following months to ensure that bone regeneration is progressing as expected.

What are the post-operative care instructions?

Bone regeneration after a graft should occur from 4 to 12 months following the procedure. To accelerate the recovery process, it is important to take some specific precautions in the days following the procedure, such as:

• Take the prescribed medication;
• Use cold compresses;
• Maintain good oral hygiene;
• Prefer cold foods and liquids;
• Rest;
• Avoid sun exposure;
• Do not smoke, at least during the entire healing process (6 months).

What are the associated costs?

The price of a dental bone graft can vary depending on many aspects, such as the area of the mouth being treated, as well as the width and height of the bone graft needed.
Therefore, I always recommend scheduling an evaluation consultation to first assess the need for a bone graft and then analyze the conditions for its procedure.

Has any of you had a bone graft? How did the procedure and recovery go? Share your experience!

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How much does a dental implant cost?

In cases of partial or total tooth loss, the leading treatment available on the market is dental implants—a long-lasting solution with high success rates.

A dental implant is a medical device inserted into the bone to support other structures that will replace the natural tooth. This allows patients to regain aesthetics, chewing ability, and functionality. Implants can be single, replacing only one missing tooth, or multiple, enabling the restoration of several or even all teeth in the oral cavity.

But after all, how much does a dental implant cost?

This is a very common question that we receive through various communication channels, such as phone, email, and social media.

Since it is a medical device, the placement of a dental implant is not the sale of a product but rather a medical procedure.

Therefore, it is not easy to determine a fixed price for an implant, as each patient is unique, with specific needs that will influence the final cost.

What is required for a dental implant placement?

An evaluation consultation is essential, during which a clinical, photographic, radiological, and digital study will be conducted.

The preferred radiological exams for implant surgery are the Orthopantomography and CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography).

During this consultation, various parameters will be assessed, such as the need for bone or gum grafting, the most suitable type of graft for the case, the technique to be used, the existing bone volume and density, the need for temporary rehabilitation, the type of material to be used in the final prosthesis, the possibility of placing an implant immediately after tooth extraction, among others.

Are all dental implants the same?

No, not all dental implants are the same. There are numerous brands available on the market, some with extensive studies and documented clinical cases, while others have less scientific backing. This aspect significantly influences the final cost of the medical device. Since it is something placed within the maxillary and mandibular bone, it is essential to work with a well-researched product with documented long-term results.

Additionally, implants are made from different materials, such as titanium and zirconia, with a considerable price difference between them.

Beyond the implant itself, various intermediate components are required for rehabilitation with a crown. These components vary depending on the type of implant used.

Planning for Dental Implant Placement

By the time a patient arrives at the clinic for dental implant surgery, extensive planning has already been completed.

With modern technology, an intraoral scanner can create a 3D digital model of the patient’s mouth. Combined with CBCT imaging, this allows for highly accurate pre-surgical planning of implant placement within the bone, making results more predictable and stable.

It is important to note that for multiple implants, it is not always necessary to place one implant per missing tooth. For example, if three consecutive teeth are missing, two implants may be placed with three crowns supported on them, a decision made after clinical evaluation.

For full-arch rehabilitation with fixed prostheses on implants, it is generally recommended to place between 4 to 8 implants in the upper jaw and 4 to 6 in the lower jaw.

However, other options are available, such as removable dentures supported by implants.

This is why an in-person consultation is essential to assess the patient’s expectations, as well as their financial and emotional readiness for the treatment. There is never just one therapeutic solution—multiple approaches can be considered, always with the patient’s informed consent and understanding of the advantages and disadvantages.

The type of material used in full-arch implant-supported prostheses also significantly impacts the final cost. The most common options include metal-acrylic and fully ceramic prostheses.

Price Range for a Dental Implant

The cost of dental implant surgery, including the crown, typically ranges from €1,800 to €2,950 per implant.

This variation is due to several factors, including the cost of the implant itself, intermediate components, dental laboratory fees, the need for bone grafting, gum grafting, a temporary crown, and all consultations associated with the process.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us to schedule a consultation. We would be delighted to welcome you to our clinic!

By Dra. Luciana

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