Dental Implants Guide / FAQ

1. AM I ELIGIBLE FOR TREATMENT WITH STRATEGIC BASAL IMPLANTS METHOD?

• Many patient asks themselves this question – even more those who suffer a compromised state of health or chronic illness (such as diabetes), or who are heavy smokers.
• And patients who are told by their dentists that implants can not be done because of less bone situation can also be benefited from basal implants.
• The answer is clearly: Yes! Over 99% of these patients are successfully treated with the Strategic Implant.
• This includes patients suffering periodontal disease and (chronic) gingivitis, and those who have given up on receiving fixed teeth due to prolonged, agonizing or expensive treatment methods. These patients can all receive care with a “single-treatment-step“.

2. WHAT IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL DENTAL IMPLANTS AND THE STRATEGIC BASAL IMPLANTS?

• Conventional implantology with 2-stage implants requires plenty of bone volume, time and money. Many patients do not possess adequate and good bone, resulting in the need for bone augmentation, sinus lift surgery, or risky bone grafts/augmentation. The entire treatment duration is characterized by long waiting periods (3-8 months), healing time and high costs. And also with the life time high risk of developing periimplantitis-i.e infection around implants.
• This is where the distinct advantages of Strategic implantology  become apparent. The method is swift, reliable and predictable.
• Even patients with very low bone volume can receive immediate treatment with polished, single piece, cortical-basal implants. This technique only requires cortical bone areas, which exists in sufficient quantities in each and every patient. These stable, cortical bone areas are ideally suited for implant placement and are available in practically every patient throughout their entire lives.
• The Strategic Implant can be immediately loaded. The feared peri-implantitis, a dangerous infection, does not occur in this treatment method at all.

3. I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS/ COMPLICATIONS WITH MY CONVENTIONAL DENTAL IMPLANTS.IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME NOW TO SWITCH TO STRATEGIC BASAL IMPLANT METHOD?

• Yes, of course.
• The treatment costs for conventional 2-stage implants often accumulate uncontrollably over months or even years. One surgery here, another intervention there, aftercare… the bills pile up. Many time the patient is afraid to terminate the treatment or isn’t aware of treatment alternatives. They feel stuck in a dead end.
• Many surgical steps and procedures, such as bone grafting, are unnecessary in our treatment method. Being able to avoid these procedures results in cost reduction of 60% compared to the expenses associated with traditional methods. Another 20% are saved by eliminating multiple visits to dental office, which obviously disrupt your regular routine professional and personal life. Switching treatment methods and providers almost always pays off.

4. MY DENTIST TELLS I NEED BONE GRAFTING PROCEDURES BEFORE I CAN RECEIVE ANY IMPLANTS.IS IT POSSIBLE TO AVOID THE BONE GRAFTING PROCEDURES?

• Dental implant treatment providers educate patients to the best of their knowledge. As long as they hold on to conventional implantology, these additional procedures (such as bone augmentation with lengthy healing and waiting periods) will appear necessary – even despite the sufferings of the patient and despite the fact that treatment progress and success are uncertain due to numerous interventions. But patients nowadays have the choice to reject conventional treatment and look for alternatives. Most of the time conventional implantologists are unaware of the principles and developments in the strategic basal implant treatment methods. This often leads to offering unwanted and complicated ,unpredictable procedures to the patient and patient suffering in long run with complications and periimplantits.
• The Strategic Implant allows for work with very little bone supply, since the polished, single piece implants are inserted into stable bone areas that everyone has in sufficient quantities. Even patients with existing peri-implantitis, periodontal disease or gingivitis can receive immediate care with this method. The result is predictable and reliable.

5. HOW DOES "STRATEGIC IMPLANT CONCEPT" COMPARE TO OTHER TREATMENT METHODS LIKE ALL ON 4 OR 6?

• With the "All-on-4"-method, four conventional implants are set into the jaw at a slanted angle. (Similarly "All-on-6" refers to six implants set at an angle.) This method entails a number of risks: Due to the low number of implants, loosening of screws and fracturing are to be expected over time. Only a single broken implant or loose failed implant requires the entire construction to be replaced. This increases the costs of aftercare and prolongs treatment time. Since the masticatory center is not replaced, correct chewing becomes difficult. Additionally, the risk of developing peri-implantitis remains high, especially for at risk groups such as smokers or diabetics, throughout their entire life.
• The Strategic basal implant treatment concept always provides an adequate number of cortical-basal implants, which are inserted into hard bone areas for optimal stability and long lasting successful results. They are all built for immediate loading.

6. WHAT ABOUT THE SO CALLED "HIGH RISK" PATIENTS (HEAVY SMOKERS, DIABETICS ETC.,) CAN THEY RECEIVE FIXED TEETH WITH STRATEGIC BASAL IMPLANTS?

• None, the medical aspects are solely advantageous: It is fast, safe, affordable and predictable. There are no hidden "trick risks"
• In rare cases the desired aesthetic result will not be achieved immediately. Due to the immediate loading concept (within 48 to 72 hours) the time for extensive perusal of aesthetic variations is limited. However, our specialized dental technicians are sufficiently prepared for these cases as well.
• A natural process of bone rebuilding is to be expected after tooth extraction. In patients with very little bone supply, who could have not been treated at all with conventional screw implants, the formation of tiny gaps between gums and bridge might occur. This will be corrected by relining or replacement of the first bridge.

7. WHAT IS PERI-IMPLANTITIS AND WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?

• In the conventional 2-stage implants, the implants are bulkier and wider and with rough surface. This makes them very much easier to catch the infection and progression towards the underlying gum and bone. This infection around the conventional implants is called Peri-implantitits. The treatment for peri implantitis needs multiple visits to dental office and most of the time, this disease leads to implant loss in future.
• Peri-implantitis appears in 50% of cases treated with conventional two piece implants– and often after the implant has healed; just when everything looks good and patients begin using the implants to chew.
• There is currently no effective treatment against this phenomenon. All attempts at cleaning the affected areas are to no avail, since millions of new bacteria are perpetually created inside the mouth. The only secure way of combating the infection is the removal of the conventional implants and the placement of Strategic basal Implants instead. Since the basal implants are thin and polished , there is no way the bacteria/infection can attach to implant surface. The risk of peri implantitis around basal implants is almost nil. That is why basal implant is more safer for patients with diabetics and patients with severe smoking.

8. HOW TO KNOW THAT I AM FIT ENOUGH TO HAVE DENTAL IMPLANT TREATMENT?

• If a person is healthy enough to undergo the treatment necessary for fixed bridge work or routine tooth extractions, the same person can undergo dental implant procedures.

9. HOW LONG WILL THE BASAL IMPLANTS LAST?

• If properly executed by dental implant surgeon and if properly maintained by the patient (good home care) , the results should last for a lifetime. We know that dental problems mostly stem from improper home care or lack of treatment when needed, the same holds true for implants. With proper care and routine dental check-ups they should last a lifetime.

10. WHAT SPECIAL AFTER CARE NEEDED AFTER BASAL DENTAL IMPLANTS?

• Presume that dental implants are natural teeth and treat them that way. Return for regular check-ups. Brush and floss. Do brushing twice a day with soft tooth brush. Do gently massage of the gums with your finger. Gargle your mouth with regular water after each meals

11. IS THE DENTAL IMPLANT PLACEMENT PAINFULL?

• Dental implants are placed under adequate local anaesthesia. There won't be any pain during the procedure. You will be given adequate antibiotics and analgesics after the procedure. There won't be any much post-operative discomfort. You have to take the medicine for 2-3 days.

12. IS IT POSSIBLE TO PLACE DENTAL IMPLANT IN THE SAME VISIT AS THE TEETH ARE EXTRACTED?

• Yes, it is possible. And it is the preferred method also.
• Placing the implant in the same visit helps preserve both width and height of the bone and may prevent the need for placing bone grafts as bone naturally shrinks back after teeth are extracted. During the first year after teeth have been removed, as much as as 40% of jaw bone width can be lost. If it is possible to place the implant in the same visit as the teeth are extracted, this can save at least three months of healing time compared to waiting for an extraction site to heal before the implants are placed.
• And in the single visit, both extraction and implant placement are completed.

13. MY UPPER FULL DENTURE IS LOOSE AND MOVING AND I HAVE SEVERE GAG REFLEX. I ALSO CAN'T TASTE OR FEEL THE TEMPERATURE OR TEXTURE OF FOOD. CAN FIXED TEETH WITH IMPLANTS HELP ME TO OVERCOME THESE PROBLEMS?

• Certainly yes, upper dentures cover the roof of the mouth and go back to soft palate to get support and “seal” so that they stay in place. Unfortunately, this result is covering up the palate. This leads to taste problems, speech problems and gag reflex and loose dentures. By using implants to anchor or support an upper prosthesis, the roof of the mouth can be left uncovered so one won’t gag, and can feel the texture, temperature and taste of food and beverages much better.

14. I AM WEARING A FULL DENTURE BOTH FOR THE UPPER AND LOWER JAW. THE UPPER DENTURE IS QUITE STABLE. BUT THE LOWER DENTURE IS VERY MUCH LOOSE, CAN THIS PROBLEM BE SOLVED BY IMPLANT TREATMENT?

• Absolutely, your situation is a common one. The full lower denture is the most predictably unstable prosthesis fabricated in dental practice. During chewing, the average lower bone moves five times more than an upper denture. The person with advanced bone loss has additional problems of poor muscle coordination, speech difficulty, and inability to keep the denture in place, all of which adversely influence a normal lifestyle. Dental implants provide solution to all these problems. Even in cases where a lot of bone loss has occurred, there still is a good chance.

15. I AM A DENTURE WEARER FOR MANY YEARS. RECENTLY THEY HAVE BECOME LOOSE AND I STARTED USING DENTURE ADHESIVES. I DON'T LIKE THE BAD TASTE OF ADHESIVES IN MY MOUTH. CAN DENTAL IMPLANT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM?

• Certainly yes, Dental implants can eliminate the use of adhesives. A common complaint is to constantly add adhesives to secure dentures, especially after drinking a cup of coffee or eating a meal. This can really be a nuisance while eating out at a restaurant and having to excuse you from the table to go to the restroom because your dentures won’t stay in .Laughing, sneezing and coughing can also cause trouble for people who depend on adhesives to hold their teeth in place. Getting fixed teeth on implants will give solution to these problems.

16. I HAVE HAD DENTURE FOR MORE THAN 8 YEARS. AND MY LOWER DENTURES BECAME FLOATERS. MY DENTIST TELLS THAT I HAVE LOST LOT OF BONE IN MY LOWER JAW AND I AM NOT SUITABLE FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS? IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR ME?

• This situation of severe bone loss in lower jaw is very difficult to treat by conventional implant methods. Whereas this can be successfully and safely treated by basal implant methods.

17. I HAVE LOST MY UPPER BACK TEETH ON ONE SIDE AND HAVE NOT REPLACED FOR MANY YEARS BECAUSE OF MY BUSY WORK SCHEDULE. MY DENTIST TELLS THAT MY MAXILLARY SINUSES HAS COME DOWN AND I HAD TO UNDERGO SINUS LIFTS WITH BONE GRAFTS WITH WAITING PERIOD OF 6 TO 8 MONTHS. CAN I GET FIXED TEETH WITH IMPLANTS WITHOUT SINUS LIFTS?

• This phenomena occurs in a large majority of people who have had their upper back teeth missing for a long time. With the use of basal implants, you can get fixed teeth in 3 days, without undergoing sinus lifts and bone grafts and without waiting periods.

18. WHY CAN BASAL DENTAL IMPLANTS BE LOADED EARLIER THAN SCREW IMPLANTS?

• Because they are anchored in the stable cortical bone. Because the implants are stabilized by the prosthetic structure (Fixed bridge) during the healing period.

19. HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO BE WITHOUT TEETH?

• You do not have to be without teeth at all, since a fixed will be cemented in 1- 3 days right away. This restoration will be stable and often better than your removable denture.

20. WHAT MATERIAL ARE STRATEGIC IMPLANTS(SIMPLADENT,SWISS)  MADE OF?

• Like most other commercially available dental implants, basaI implants are made of pure titanium.

21. ARE THERE ANY LONG-TERM STUDIES THAT COVER BASAL IMPLANTS?

• It is sometimes claimed by conventional implantologists that there is no scientific proof or long-term clinical experience concerning Basal implants, as opposed to screw implants. In fact it is just the other way around. Very few screw implants on the market today have been documented for more than three to five years. The dental industry is “innovating” (from the marketing point of view,- and unfortunately not from the scientific point of view) at such a fast pace that implants, once long-term results are finally available, will in all probability no longer be on the market because in the clinical reality it was found that they are technically obsolete. The amazing fact is, that so many different screw implant designs are on the world market: and each systems claims not to have the disadvantages of all other systems. And yet, after few years, most systems have disappeared form the market. Basal implants have been used for more than 30 years and there is a lot of scientific evidence to them. Because they are so old, you may think that they are outdated, but in fact they are proven.

22. WILL I BE OPERATED IN GENERAL ANAESTHESIA?

• General anesthesia is generally not necessary. However, if you yourself prefer sedation, this is possible in cooperation with an anesthesiologist.

23. HOW LONG WILL THE IMPLANTS LAST?

• There are studies on basal implants showing that more than 95% of all implants are still in place after 10 years. But here, too, the individual prognosis will be determined by individual factors: What does the rest of the dentition look like? How good is the patient’s oral care? Who did what and when? Not least to ensure that operator skills are always well-developed and consistently excellent, only authorized/trained  users may work with Strategic basal  implants.

24. WHAT HAPPENS IF AN IMPLANT BECOMES LOOSE?

• Please contact your basal  implantologist immediately. Mobilization (loosening) is sometimes simply a reaction of the bone to inappropriate loading or overloading. The advantage of strategic basal implants compared to any screw implant is that the bone remodeling process occurs deep inside the sterile bone. By contrast, if a screw implant becomes mobile, pathogens will quickly enter the zone where the implant emerges from the gums, resulting in infection and, ultimately, implant loss. Basal  implants in this situation will stabilize if an occlusal correction is made in time.