Dental Implants Abroad – Two Stage vs. One Stage Dental Implants
Dental Implants Surgery abroad is a safe, affordable option for people who are either uninsured or under-insured. Also, patients who want to avoid long waiting lists or feel that dental facilities in their own country are not up-to-the-mark, can opt for dental implants overseas.
Countries like India, Costa Rica and Mexico offer dental implants surgery at low rates, medical facilities are advanced and international standards are followed both in terms of treatment and care. When it comes to dental tourism Costa Rica is one of the most sought after destinations, Mexico comes in a close second. Also, dental implants in India are offered at affordable rates and administered at accredited hospitals, by qualified and well trained dentists.
Dental Implants can be categorized based on many different things – by size, by material used, by type of connection on top of the head of the implant and by the stages of the treatment, the last one being the most common. Based on the stages of the treatment, Dental Implants are divided into:
- Two Stage Dental Implants, and
- One Stage Dental Implants
Two Stage Dental Implants
The Two Stage Dental Implants Surgery uses the traditional implant process. Placement in the lower jaw can take up-to three months to heal while those in the upper jaw need about six months. The procedure is traditionally performed in two steps, the first step being a surgery in which the dentist installs the implants which are left for three to six months so that they can heal and integrate with the jawbone. During the healing period, the patient is given a temporary prosthesis until it is time to put in the permanent crown.
Placement of the permanent crown is another small surgical procedure and is the second stage of this Dental Implant Surgery. The Two Stage Dental Implants procedure requires the patients to invest much time and is also comparatively expensive.
One Stage Dental Implants
In the 1 Stage Dental Implants Surgery, the second stage is altogether avoided and during a single surgery, the implant is placed in the jaw bone is such a way that the top of the implant is higher than the surface of the bone, at the height of the soft tissue. When the soft tissue is stitched at the end of the surgery, the dental implant’s head is exposed. There is, therefore, no need for a second surgery as the implant is already exposed and takes its place naturally.
Features of the One Stage Dental Implants are:
- Osseointegration begins immediately.
- No long, wait for the bone to heal before placing the implant.
- There are no missing teeth in the mouth.
- The tooth looks natural while the implant is healing.
One Stage Dental Implants or Two Stage Dental Implants?
Both One Stage and Two Stage Dental Implants can be equally successful if the placements are proper.
However, one additional surgical intervention is required if the 2 stage procedure is picked, which makes the 1 stage procedure less time consuming and cost effective. A review by The Cochrane Collaboration was recently able to confirm that a 1 stage implant procedure is as effective as the 2 stage procedure, and also offers the following advantages:
- One minor surgical intervention can be avoided
- The treatment time can be shortened
Five studies conducted with 239 patients were able to prove that both procedures are equally effective and successful, but the one stage dental implants procedure is advantageous as there is one less surgery and the treatment and recovery time are significantly shorter.
