Due to the high success rate of dental implantology, which exceeds 97% in most cases, many patients sometimes tend to underestimate the risks involved, risks associated to any surgery, in fact.
Inside our mouths there are very delicate anatomical structures that, if damaged, can cause very serious problems.
A correct clinical investigation, especially the radiological one, allows the correct evaluation of their position and avoiding contact with them, which could create permanent and irreversible problems.
Some of them are:
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The inferior alveolar nerve: is the nerve that starts from the inside of the mandible and goes up to the inferior premolar, ensuring sensitivity inside the lower arch, the inner cheek and the lip. Placing an implant too deep in the posterior lower arch (where the molars and premolars are) could cut this nerve, making the entire area completely insensitive, with a sensation of permanent anaesthesia difficult to remedy even by removing the implant.
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Maxillary sinus: is a cavity on the upper arch, in the premolar and molar area, and its size may limit or even prevent the placement of implants in this area (a problem that can be solved by bone grafting, called sinus lift); if, on the contrary, the implants are still positioned although there is no bone, they are included in this bone space, leading to the appearance of sinusitis caused by a foreign body, which then makes it necessary to extract the implants and subject the patient to long-term antibiotic therapy
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Inside teeth: some teeth may have never erupted in some people and they may still have baby teeth; in this case, the permanent elements could still be inside the bone and could not have erupted due to mechanical obstacles; implant placement too close or even inside these elements can lead to serious infections and pain, as well as implant loss.
For these reasons it is absolutely necessary to carry out radiographic checks before, during and after the intervention; as a basic requirement, orthopantomography is always required, and in more delicate and difficult situations it is necessary to make a 3D CT scan.
For these reasons, it is essential that clinics offering implantology services have modern and effective radiological equipment, to increase the probability of success of the implants placed and to reduce possible surgical risks, as well as to plan the intervention correctly.
In our clinic, in addition to the 4 devices for retro-alveolar X-ray films (Vario DG-Sirona) in each intervention room, there is a Vatech 3D device that allows us to perform, in addition to panoramic X-rays, 3D examinations of the whole face and X-rays for orthodontic treatments in adults and children.
By accessing the link, you can see some of its features
http://www.vatech.com/software_3d/417