What Is Implant Treatment? Who Can Have It?

A dental implant is a titanium screw placed in the jawbone, used across a wide range of cases from a single missing tooth to a completely toothless mouth. Titanium is highly biocompatible with the human body — it isn't recognized as a foreign material by bone tissue and gradually fuses completely with the bone (osseointegration).

Two core criteria must be met for implant treatment to be applied safely:

• Sufficient Bone Volume: The jawbone in the area where the implant will be placed must have adequate width and height. In patients with bone loss, this area can be prepared in advance with bone graft augmentation.
• Overall Health: Implants can be placed in anyone whose general health is stable and whose bone growth is complete (18 years or older) — including patients with well-controlled diabetes, blood pressure or heart conditions.

Step by Step: How Is Implant Treatment Performed?

Implant surgery — the procedure our patients worry about most, but one that advancing technology has made highly comfortable — is carried out at Dent Ümitköy in clear, defined steps with a near-zero margin of error:

1. Digital Planning and Tomography Analysis (First Examination): Success starts with millimeter-precise planning. Using 3D dental volumetric tomography (CT), we examine bone quality, the position of nerve canals and the location of the sinus cavities. The angle and size of the implant are determined on screen with no margin for error.
2. Pain-Free Local Anesthesia and Surgery (Procedure Day): The area is numbed with modern local anesthesia before the procedure, so patients feel no pain during surgery. A socket is opened in the jawbone and the titanium screw is placed into it. Placing a single implant typically takes 10–15 minutes. The gum is then closed with sutures.
3. Bone Fusion and Waiting Period (2 to 4 Months): After surgery, the titanium screw is given time to fuse with the jawbone at a molecular level (osseointegration). This period varies depending on bone quality and whether the implant is in the upper or lower jaw. Temporary prostheses can be made during this time so patients can continue their social life comfortably.
4. Fitting the Healing Cap (Final Step Before the Crown): Once the waiting period is complete, the small screw on top of the implant is opened and a "healing cap" (gingiva former) is fitted in its place. This cap shapes the gum around the future artificial tooth so it looks just like a natural gumline (around 4–7 days).
5. Digital Impressions and Fitting the Permanent Teeth (Final Stage): Using 3D intraoral scanners, we take a fully digital impression without the uncomfortable traditional putty materials. Zirconia or porcelain crowns prepared in the lab are then fixed onto the implant, completing treatment successfully.

An Alternative for Anxious Patients: Implants Under Sedation

For patients with dental phobia, a strong gag reflex, or those prone to panic attacks in a clinical setting, implant treatment doesn't have to be a nightmare.

At Dent Ümitköy, sedation (deep sleep) administered in our fully equipped surgical room under the supervision of an anesthesiologist lets you complete the entire surgical process in a single session, in a light sleep, without hearing any sound, feeling any vibration or pain. Once the procedure is over, patients usually remember nothing unpleasant about the process.

Golden Rules to Follow After Implant Treatment

The first 48 hours after implant surgery are critical for the surgical site to heal quickly and without complications:

• Using the Gauze: The sterile gauze placed after the procedure should be bitten down on for 30 minutes to stop bleeding, then discarded. Saliva should be swallowed, never spat out — spitting disrupts clotting and prolongs bleeding.
• Diet: Avoid very hot, very cold, acidic and grainy foods for the first 24 hours. Eat lukewarm, soft foods such as soup, yoghurt and purées. Don't chew hard foods on the side where the implant was placed.
• Ice Application: Applying ice intermittently to the outside of the cheek after surgery (5 minutes on, 5 minutes off) minimizes swelling and bruising that may appear the next day.
• Smoking and Alcohol Restriction: Cigarette smoke disrupts blood flow in the capillaries of the mouth, directly interfering with the titanium screw's fusion with the bone. Smoking is the single biggest factor reducing implant success; avoid it for at least one week after treatment.

Safe, Lasting Smiles in Ankara Çankaya: Contact and Appointment

Delaying treatment for missing teeth causes neighboring teeth to tip into the gap and, over time, leads to uneven strain on your chewing muscles. Recovering lost bone volume can require far more demanding surgical procedures in later years.

At our modern clinic in Ümitköy Osmanağa Konakları — one of Ankara Çankaya's calmest, most comfortable locations, with no traffic or parking problems — we're here for you with international sterilization standards and an expert surgical team. Reach out to us for a detailed 3D tomography analysis, bone density measurement and personalized implant planning.