A surgical intervention of inserting one or more implants is very important, as it will bring a major positive change in patients' lives. Most often patients feel put in front of a difficult choice, namely the type of dental implant chosen. They search the internet, ask for knowledge, feel overwhelmed by the tumult of information, but that shouldn't be the case. Each patient and each case is unique, with its own medical characteristics, so an implantologist is the best person to assess the patient's oral health and recommend the appropriate implant system.

We must keep in mind that the implant will be chosen only once and the choice must be correct if we want that dental implant to last over time. There are a large number of dental implant companies worldwide, about 600 (in 2021), but at Platinum Dental Center we have tried to select for you, as a patient, a few recognized brands, evaluated in clinical trials and with good results over time.

Although you may be tempted to choose a cheap dental implant, or maybe a more expensive one, we recommend that you do not look for a dental implant by price but by the indication made by the implant specialist. In some simple cases it is possible for the doctor to get just as good results regardless of the brand or cost of the implant. But there are well-known brands on the implant market, which have better statistics and a lower failure rate, but which come with a higher price for the implant.

History of dental implants

Believe it or not, the first dental implant appeared in 1952. Dr. Branemark discovered the medical qualities of titanium, and now, after almost 70 years, zirconium implants have appeared, which is a ceramic material made of zirconium oxide. Each of the approx. 600 manufacturers sell complete systems that contain the actual implants, the related abutments, healing screws, transfer abutments, special cutters, wrenches, etc.
Dental implantology uses a variety of top materials, shapes and technologies to solve the problem of edentulousness.

How many types of implants are in shape and size?

Although implants of various shapes (conical, cylindrical, trapezoidal, etc.) have been used over the years, it has been concluded that the most suitable shape is the conical one, a fact proven by clinical studies and years of experience of dentists.

Of course, there are exceptions, depending on the medical characteristics of the patients, the shape and anatomy of the mandible and jaw. Consequently, the dentist will decide the characteristics of the implant that will be used for each patient.

The size of the implant will be determined using a three-dimensional radiograph (CBCT) after which the doctor may choose to:

• screw type implants (classic) which are the most frequently used, and their thickness varies between 3-5 mm
• mini-implants for very narrow spaces or for orthodontic purposes, which have a reduced applicability and limited functionality
• zygomatic implants, used in patients with insufficient alveolar bone, which are inserted in an extended operation with analgesia or general anesthesia.

The dental implant takes the place of a natural tooth, which means that great care must be taken as to what size, size and shape of the implant will be chosen to fit perfectly into the dental arch.

Read the following 6 questions and answers, through which we present some important aspects in choosing the implant.

1. An expensive or cheap dental implant?

You may be wondering, "Why spend money on an expensive dental implant, if the cheap one is also a screw?" - The question is good, especially since most patients do not have access to scientific information and research results.

Although you may be tempted to choose a cheap implant, we still recommend that you consult your implantologist and decide on the advice of a specialist. Well-known brands in the implant market that have good statistics and a low failure rate speak for themselves.

Nobel Biocare implants, are one of the implants used in our clinic, they are made in Switzerland. Backed up by over 65 years of continuous innovation, it is recommended as one of the best implants in the world. In the case of Nobel Biocare implants, the famous quote "Nothing is cheaper than expensive work" comes true (Armenian quote)

With a capacity of over 12,000 powerful people, Nobel Biocare is recommended by the best documented scientific studies in the world.

2. What warranty do I receive on my implant?

It is normal to wonder what guarantee the implant chosen for you by the dentist has. Each implant manufacturer has a manufacturer's warranty that ranges from 2 years to a lifetime warranty.

What do you think, how many years of warranty should your implant have? A few years, 5-10 years, maybe? Not. A lot more. Nobel Biocare offers its products a lifetime warranty. This lifetime warranty allows Nobel Biocare implants to be one of the most popular among patients. Check it out here

3. Implant success rate.

Most dentists who choose low-cost implants do not display or may not even have information about the success rate of the implant used.

According to studies, Nobel Biocare and Megagen implants used in our clinic have a success rate of 98.5%

• What factors influence the success rate and why do other manufacturers' implants have lower rates? The success rate of an implant depends largely on its ability to osseointegrate, which depends on the materials used to make the implant. And implants that have a surface treated with osteoconductive materials - materials that facilitate the formation of bone cells - have a much higher success rate than those made of a simple titanium alloy.

4. Will there be more components for used implants in the future?

Over the years, the anatomy of the jaw and mandible bones can change, which inevitably leads to possible replacements of some implant components, such as the prosthetic abutment and / or the crown. With over 43 years of experience, the Nobel Biocare company is constantly growing, which gives us a certainty that we will be able to find components for implants, a fact guaranteed by the company through the Nobel Warranty Program. Also, for the AnyRidge implant system, MegaGen offers a lifetime warranty in case of manufacturing or material defects, so it will support the production of compatible components in the future.    

5. Can a surgical guide system be used for implants?

The surgical guide is a rail that contains holes with a precise position and orientation through which the implantologist will insert the implant. It is part of an entire system that is an absolute innovation in the dental market and that revolutionizes the technique of dental implantology, bringing countless advantages and benefits to patients.   

Megagen Implant was established in South Korea and has been on the dental market since 2002 in over 100 countries with their revolutionary products, through 90 distributors and 12 affiliates. It was founded by a group of dentists and is now respected worldwide for its high quality standards and successful dental implant treatments.

The company provides the implantologist with a revolutionary digital dentistry system, called R2GATE, for planning the position of the implant and even the crown. It uses innovative computer-aided design (CAD) software, with which the doctor analyzes the condition of the patient's jaws on 3D radiological images and determines both the type of implant used and its ideal position. After that, a custom rail for each patient is made in the dental workshop using state-of-the-art appliances.

R2GATE helps to perfectly position the implants and later the crowns, thus minimizing the errors that may occur during such an operation.

The R2GATE system is also compatible with Nobel Biocare implants and the implantologist at the Platinum Dental Center is certified by MegaGen to use this system. 

6. Will I be satisfied with the choices made now in 10-20 years?

A quality dental implant is a lifelong investment. Will you be satisfied with the choice made today in 10-20 or even more years?

Will the money saved on an implant today still be as important in 10 or 20 years?

Or, you may find that it is better to choose premium quality implant for your investment.