Dental Implant
replace a tooth

Dental implant surgery, which replaces one or more teeth, involves implanting a post into the jawbone to replace the lost tooth root. The implant post is made from biocompatible material that is compatible with the jawbone, preventing future infections, and functions like a natural tooth for chewing. 

1. Causes of tooth loss

There are many causes of tooth loss, including medical conditions, daily habits, or congenital factors:

Periodontitis: Red or purplish swelling that may spread. Severe periodontitis destroys the bone around the teeth and causes gum recession; teeth lose their hold in the jawbone, become loose, break and fall out.

Accidents or injuries: Injuries or accidents in daily life can seriously damage the teeth, even breaking or knocking them out, which affects the jawbone.

Poor oral hygiene: Brushing too little or the wrong way leaves plaque behind. Bacteria multiply and cause oral disease, even loose or broken teeth.

Tooth decay: A common oral disease in which bacteria in plaque destroy the hard tissue of the tooth, such as enamel and dentin, creating cavities. Left untreated, decay causes pulpitis and pulp death, leading to tooth loss.

Age: Teeth are made much like bone, so with age bone density drops and teeth grow weaker and break or fall out more easily. Teeth usually begin to age around 50 and fall out gradually from about 65.

Congenitally missing teeth: A rare condition in which some or all teeth are missing from birth. Causes include genetics, permanent tooth buds that never form, impacted tooth buds, or buds removed by mistake in childhood.

 2. Consequences of tooth loss

Tooth loss can lead to the following serious consequences:

Poor chewing and digestive problems: Missing teeth make eating difficult; food is not chewed properly before reaching the stomach, leading to digestive problems. Tooth loss also takes away the pleasure of eating and limits what you can eat.

Shifting teeth and bad bite: A gap left by a lost tooth lets nearby teeth drift into the space. Chewing forces become uneven, and teeth rise or sink, causing a bad bite.

Jawbone loss: When a tooth has been missing for years, the jawbone no longer receives chewing forces and shrinks, making it harder to replace the tooth. The dentist then has to graft bone before a new tooth can be placed.

Effect on speech: Speech needs the lips, teeth and tongue working together. Missing teeth make words harder to pronounce clearly, which affects communication.

Changes to facial structure: Tooth loss causes early aging. After years without teeth, the jawbone shrinks quickly, the cheeks sink, the skin around the mouth sags and the chin recedes, making the face look older than it is.

Poorer health and morale: Tooth loss affects confidence and morale. Patients feel self-conscious when talking to others. Above all, it harms health, shortening life expectancy and lowering quality of life.

3. Common solutions for restoring missing teeth today

Currently, there are many solutions for restoring missing teeth, such as:

3.1. Making a single removable denture to replace a missing tooth.

Single removable dentures consist of two main parts: the frame and the tooth. They are easy to remove and reinsert and are inexpensive. However, this is only a temporary solution, not the best option, and cannot prevent bone loss around the tooth roots.

3.2. Making a dental bridge to replace a missing tooth.

This is a popular solution for patients who have lost a tooth. This method involves three interconnected porcelain crowns, with the middle crown replacing the missing tooth. The dentist will grind down the two healthy adjacent teeth to a suitable ratio to act as abutments supporting the three-crown bridge. However, similar to removable dentures, this option cannot prevent bone loss.

3.3. Dental Implant to Replace a Missing Tooth

This method places a titanium implant in the jawbone where the natural tooth was lost, then fits a porcelain crown on top of the implant. Experts recommend this solution when one tooth is missing. The implant tooth is firm and chews like a natural tooth, and it prevents jawbone loss without affecting the neighboring teeth.

4. Why is dental implant surgery the most effective solution for replacing a missing tooth?

Dental implants are considered the most advanced solution for restoring missing teeth and regaining chewing function today because:

• Unlike dental bridges and removable dentures, dental implants are fixed in the jawbone, providing a secure feeling and allowing for comfortable chewing, just like natural teeth.
• Dental implants are inserted directly into the jawbone, not only replacing natural teeth but also preventing bone loss around the tooth roots.
• The implant is made of titanium – a material that is biocompatible with the body and does not affect adjacent natural teeth, ensuring patient safety.
• They can last up to 20 years and potentially a lifetime if proper oral hygiene is maintained.

Dental implants not only improve eating but also enhance health and quality of life, helping patients achieve a healthy, beautiful, and aesthetically pleasing smile, boosting their confidence in communication. This is currently the most modern and optimal method.

5. DSG surgical guide at San Dentist – Minimizing the risk of complications when replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant?

With the goal of continuously improving and providing solutions to enhance the success rate of dental implant procedures, the San Dentist team has effectively applied DSG surgical guide (Digital Surgical Guide) in the field of dental implant surgery. This is a surgical guide designed specifically for each patient, to assist dentists in placing the implant safely and accurately. DSG surgical guide offers significant advantages over traditional implant methods, specifically:

In the treatment planning phase, the doctor uses computer software combined with Cone Beam CT scans and 3D scans of the patient’s mouth. From this, they determine the precise location and angle for implant placement in the jawbone, then transfer this information using 3D printing technology to create a surgical guide (DSG). This DSG guide has pre-drilled directional holes. During the surgery, the doctor needs to secure surgical guide in the patient’s oral cavity. Finally, the doctor drills and places the implant through these directional holes to achieve the precise and rapid placement.

The DSG surgical guide is a safe and sustainable solution that helps make the process of replacing a missing tooth with dental implants quick, accurate, and highly effective. Benefits of using DSG surgical guide during dental implant procedures:

• The implant will be placed precisely according to the plan, from its position to its angle.
• The surgeon doesn’t need to make incisions in the gums or dissect flaps; the surgery is less invasive.
• The surgery time was shortened.
• Rapid healing, minimal swelling, pain, and bleeding due to minimally invasive procedures.
• Reduce complications such as peri-implantitis, food impaction, implant rejection, etc.
• Increase the success rate of dental implant procedures.
• Creating optimal conditions for restoration and providing high aesthetic appeal for dental crown restorations on implants.

San Dentist uses the DSG surgical guide for dental implants and has treated more than 5,000 implant cases. Among its team, Dr. Vo Ta Dung, the clinic’s Clinical Director of Implantology,  leads in zygomatic and pterygoid implants – an extremely difficult technique, the last resort for placing implants and the answer for the most complex implant cases.

6. Where are the reputable dental clinics for dental implants in Ho Chi Minh City?

Currently, there are many dental clinics operating in Ho Chi Minh City. If you are hesitant and don’t know which dental clinic to choose for dental implant surgery, San Dentist is a preferred option.

6.1. Dental implant technology using DSG surgical guide

The application of DSG surgical guide (Digital Surgical Guide) technology – a modern method in the field of dental implant surgery. This is a surgical guide designed specifically for each patient, aiming to assist the dentist in placing the implant safely and accurately: no gum incision required, minimally invasive, faster healing, and increased integration of the implant into the jawbone.

6.2. Skilled Dental Implant Doctors

Dr. Vo Ta Dung, Clinical Director of Implantology at San Dentist, is a highly skilled dentist with many years of study in Vietnam and advanced training abroad in countries such as the USA, India, Thailand, and South Korea. He has successfully treated thousands of patients, many of whom required zygomatic implants and Pterygoid implants – the last resort for implant placement and the solution for the most challenging implant cases.

6.3. Successfully performed dental implant procedures for over 5000+ patients.

The dental clinic has successfully performed over 5000+ implant procedures, including cases of tooth replacement for elderly patients with underlying conditions and severe bone loss.

6.4. Modern equipment and facilities

The clinic is equipped with modern machinery and equipment, ensuring sterility and asepsis according to Ministry of Health standards, helping to make the examination and treatment process quick and optimally effective. The clinic space is spacious, modern, and comfortable.

6.5. Commitment to using genuine dental implants.

The dental clinic uses dental implants from the USA, France, Switzerland, Italy, South Korea, etc., with clear origins and complete labels. All other dental materials are also genuine, ensuring that the dental implant procedure is safe and provides stable results in the long term.

6.6. Dental clinic meeting the standards of the Department of Health.

A reputable dental clinic is one that publicly displays its operating license from the Department of Health. Furthermore, the dentists must possess all necessary qualifications and certifications, and the facilities must meet medical standards. San Dentist is recognized as a standard-compliant dental clinic, licensed by the Department of Health under license number 10114/HCM-GPHD, and is a place where customers can have complete confidence.

San Dentist offers customers a special promotion from the manufacturer – Biotem dental implants at a cost of 3,900,000 VND/implant. Combined with a 0% interest installment plan and flexible payment methods, this helps customers feel secure about getting dental implants. If you are interested in this method but are still worried about the cost and procedure, come to San Dentist for a free consultation and examination!