Methods of drilling surgical techniques – Sheen Dental Implants
At Sheen Dental Implants Richmond, we take our surgical technique seriously as it is a key factor in the success or failure of implantation. Let’s go in depth with our drilling techniques and what we do to give our patients a great surgical experience.
The current standard treatment schedule for implants is to place the titanium component in the jawbone during a first session. This is followed by 4 to 12 months of recovery, and only after confirming new bone growth by x-ray will we load it with the appropriate prosthetic.
It is during this first session that drilling into the jaw may be necessary. If we are replacing a tooth that has been recently lost, there may be an open vacant socket for the implant to be placed, but this is unlikely to be the case. Most implanted teeth are used to restore the tooth loss that occurred many years, sometimes even decades ago.
Preparation for drilling
Drilling into the jaw is not the same as the more casual dental drilling of teeth related to fillings or crown preparation. The goal is to create an optimum environment for the titanium component to osseointegrate into the jaw. There are multiple considerations: the density of the jaw, the number and thickness of the holes that may need to be drilled and how close to the front or back of the jaw the implant will be placed, depending on the angle that is needed.
The best way to account for all these factors and ensure safe drilling is to digitally pre-plan the procedure. We can simulate the patient’s jaw from x-rays and use 3D modelling to decide where to drill, the angle and the diameter. At this point, we also plan how we will successfully perform drilling, as working on the top jaw or at the back of the mouth comes with its own unique challenges that must be overcome.
Drilling guide; a dentist’s jig
If you’ve ever done DIY or particularly carpentry, you have probably come across straight jigs or cutting jigs for joinery or jigs for drilling dowel holes.
To ensure precision between the digital simulation and the actual procedure, clear plastic jigs can be made; these are known as drilling guides. It significantly improves the recovery rates of dental implants, allowing the precise targeting of optimal high-density bone areas of the jaw, resulting in an artificial root that is plum and sound!
Complex cases
It is important to understand that the procedure is not always 100% successful, and there will always be implants that simply fail to take to the jaw and may have to be removed.
This often leads to conservative criteria for accepting patients, as surgeries are cautious about complicated cases and poor success rates reflecting on them. At Sheen Dental Implants Richmond, our additional experience in complex cases and advanced drilling preparation allows us to consider cases that other clinics have refused.
So, if you have previously been considered medically inappropriate for dental implants, feel free to get in contact with our team at Sheen Dental Implants Richmond, and we will book you in for an assessment.