Dental Implants in Villavicencio

A dental implant replaces the root of a tooth that has been lost. It is a titanium screw placed into the jawbone, which over time the bone grows around and holds firm.

On top of that screw sits the abutment, the intermediate piece that passes through the gum, and on the abutment sits the crown: the visible part, made to measure so that it matches your other teeth in shape and colour.

Unlike other solutions, an implant does not rest on the neighbouring teeth and is not taken out at night. It stays in place and is brushed like any other tooth.

When an implant is considered

It comes up when one tooth or several are missing, whether through advanced decay, a fracture, gum disease, or an old extraction that was never replaced.

Leaving the gap is not a neutral choice. Over the years the bone in that area is reabsorbed because it no longer carries any load; the neighbouring teeth tilt into the space and the opposing tooth tends to drift out of position. Chewing also shifts onto the side that still has teeth.

One tooth, several teeth or a full arch

• A single tooth. One implant with a crown on top. The teeth on either side are left untouched.
• Several teeth in a row. One implant per tooth is not always needed: two well-placed implants can support a three-unit bridge.
• A full arch. A small number of implants can support a fixed full-arch prosthesis. In other cases they anchor a removable prosthesis that stays firm when you speak or eat but that you take out to clean.

Compared with a conventional bridge, the main difference is that a bridge requires the neighbouring teeth to be trimmed down to act as supports, while an implant leaves them alone. Compared with a removable denture, an implant takes longer and does involve surgery; a denture is quicker and needs no surgery, but it rests on the gum, comes out for cleaning, and does not stop bone loss.

Bone: the first thing we check

For an implant to be stable there has to be enough bone, in height and in width. When a tooth has been missing for years, or was lost to gum disease, there is often no longer enough.

That is why the initial study includes x-rays and, in most cases, a CT scan: it allows the available bone to be measured and shows where the nerve and the maxillary sinuses lie before the surgery is planned.

A shortage of bone does not always close the door. There is bone grafting: material is added to the area and time is allowed for the body to incorporate it, either before the implant is placed or during the same procedure, depending on the case. It lengthens the treatment, but it makes it possible.

We also look at the condition of the gums, at how well conditions such as diabetes are controlled, and at smoking, because tobacco affects healing and the long-term stability of the implant.

How treatment runs and what aftercare it needs

• Assessment and study. An examination, x-rays or a CT scan, your medical history, and a plan setting out the stages and the timescale.
• Preparation. Cleaning, treatment of decay or gum problems, extraction if the tooth is still in place, and a bone graft where one is needed.
• Surgery. The screw is placed into the bone under local anaesthetic. It is an outpatient procedure: you go home the same day. Swelling and discomfort are normal over the following days, with pain relief and written instructions.
• Osseointegration. The bone grows around the implant until it is held firm. This wait is measured in months — often between three and six, depending on the bone and the area — and a temporary prosthesis can be worn during it so you are not left with a gap.
• Abutment and crown. Records are taken, the crown is made to measure, tried in and fitted.
• Check-ups. Review appointments to check the gum, the bite and the state of the implant.

After that, the care is simple but not optional: brushing, floss or interdental brushes around the area, and regular professional cleaning. An implant cannot decay, but the gum and bone around it can become inflamed and lose support if plaque builds up.

Be realistic about the timescale: from start to finish, an implant case is measured in months, not weeks. To find out whether yours is feasible and what stages it would involve, book an assessment appointment at Higienista Oral.