It has often been the case that patients who travel for the purpose of dental treatment have asked us why they need to be in Romania for a longer period of time. In this week’s health related blog entry we try to answer this very question by looking at the times needed for dental treatment.
Most of the patients who turn to medical tourism for dental treatment are in need of dental reconstructions or dental implants. Procedures such as these are done in two or more phases. First of all we need to discuss what a dental implant is. A dental implant is used when one or more teeth need to be replaced entirely. An implant usually made out of titanium takes the role of strengthening the tooth, by using a screw drilled into the jaw-bone. This is done under local anaesthesia, in a surgery room by a specialist implantologist. The placing of this screw is very important, thus the greatest care is taken at this stage of the treatment.
In some cases, dental implants aren’t needed, and dental bridges can be used, especially when teeth at either side of the missing or damaged tooth are in good condition. We’ll look at dental crowns in a little while. There might also be the case that a patient has insufficient bone density for dental implants – this can be normally seen on a panoramic X-ray done prior to the treatment. In this case, the dentist opts for bone grafts or a mobile prosthesis.
Implants require a certain healing time so that the screw can fuse to the jaw bone. This is one of the times that contribute to treatment plan duration. First of all, it is recommended that the patient spends about 7 days post-surgery (after all the implants have been placed) for prophylactic treatment, bandage changes and of course the manufacturing and placing of temporary crowns. In total, for the first stage of the treatment the patient should spend about 10 days in the country. Ensuring the lack of infection will guarantee a proper fusing of the implant to the bone – very important as you might imagine in the overall success of the implants. Careful treatment and thorough observation of these initial days have given our partner clinic a success rate of close to 99% over thousand of implants to date.
The healing time for implants is generally thought of being at two to three months. This gives plenty of time for the screw to properly bond to the bone, preparing the basis for the next step of treatment.
The second stage of a dental treatment involving implants is the placing of crowns and bridges. If no implants have been required then this is the only stage that a patient will undergo.
Having ensured that the implants are properly bonded to the bone, using x-rays, the dentist starts taking measurements together with the dental technician to begin the manufacturing process of the crowns – the visible part of the teeth.
For those patients who do not require implants, the teeth which lie on either side of the gap/s are prepared by being scaled and polished. These will also take a crown, and form a bridge of crowns over the gap, anchored to one or two teeth. A dental bridge is formed of a number of crowns fused together.
The manufacturing process is very important. The crowns, usually made of porcelain or zirconium are handmade to properly fit the physiognomy of the patient, and to resemble the natural size and colour of teeth. It is important for the dental clinic to have close contact with the technician’s lab. This is ensured by our partner dental clinic, by having an in-house technician’s lab to monitor the manufacturing process and insure no delays.
Once the crowns are manufactured they are fitted to the implant screws or the scaled teeth. The patient is also provided with a plastic mould for over-night wear. A few days later, the dentist can review this mould to see if the teeth are properly fitted and adjust if needed. Also, a few days can help the patient accommodate to their new teeth, and give them time to feel if something needs adjusting. The dentist and technician can then do so prior to the teeth being cemented in place. During this time, a temporary adhesive is used.
In total, this second stage of the treatment will take between 7 and 10 days depending on the number of teeth which need replacing.
All in all two trips of 10 days are needed with a gap of two to three months between visits for dental implants to be placed properly.
While we do realise that 10 days are probably a long period to take off work, we must comply with our partner clinic’s recommendations to ensure the success of your dental treatment. Even so, it is normally far cheaper to take days off work and travel for dental treatment then to have it done at home, and with a 99% success rate, you’re very likely you won’t need to return for further work, while being certain that your teeth not only look natural but function properly as well.
To receive your dental treatment quote and plan free of charge send us a recent panoramic x-ray and we’ll reply within 48 working hours. You can do so by contacting us online or using our website’s online support function.
Related posts:
- Why send an X-ray before going abroad for dental treatment?
- Waiting times in the UK at an all time high
- Why travel abroad for medical care? Well, why not?!
- Plastic Surgery Abroad
ShareThisTags: cosmetic dentistry, Dental Implants, Dental Treatment Abroad, Dentistry Abroad
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Recent studies have linked heart attacks and strokes to gum disease, resulting from poor oral hygiene. A dental cleaning every 6 months helps to keep your teeth and gums healthy and could possibly reduce your risk of heart disease and strokes.