The Stages of Implant Treatment and What Each One Is Waiting For
Every waiting step corresponds to something concrete in biology.
Before surgery: assessment and planning
First the bone height and width at the site and its relationship to neighbouring structures are assessed — the sinus above, the nerve canal below — which is why three-dimensional imaging is usually requested rather than a plain film. General health, medication and smoking are reviewed at the same stage, and any active gum inflammation is treated first, since the same bacteria can cause problems around an implant.
Why the integration period is awaited
When placed, the implant is mechanically wedged in bone — initial stability, not a biological bond. Over the following weeks bone cells advance onto the surface and form new bone in direct contact, a process called osseointegration. If chewing force is transmitted before that matures, micro-movement can lead to fibrous tissue instead. The wait is usually a few months in the lower jaw and somewhat longer in the less dense upper jaw.
The stages and the reason each one waits
- After an extraction: healing of soft tissue and bone fill
- Graft or sinus procedure: extra time for the graft to ossify
- Implant placement: the integration period
- Healing abutment: shaping the gum emergence profile
- Impression stage: laboratory fabrication of the framework
- Try-in and fitting: checking the bite and final adjustment
- Follow-up: monitoring the surrounding tissue and bone level
Getting Here, Booking and Emergencies from Tosmur
Route, booking and emergency arrangements for patients from Tosmur.
Getting here from Tosmur
Tosmur lies in the Alanya district of Antalya; Alanya is a coastal tourism district, about 132 kilometres from the clinic. We also see patients from neighbouring areas that share the route from Tosmur, such as Hisariçi, Karakocalı, Kızılcaşehir, Mahmutseydi. You can ask for the location on WhatsApp when travelling from Tosmur.
Appointments for Tosmur
Over the distance between Tosmur and the clinic each visit means a day, so a long slot is set aside and the number of visits needed is stated at the outset. As with patients from Alanya generally, appointments for families from Tosmur can be scheduled consecutively.
Emergencies from Tosmur
Always call before setting out from Tosmur at night; over this distance the guidance you receive on the phone matters in keeping the situation from worsening. For patients coming from Dental Clinic in Tosmur, the clinic is open 24/7 and in an emergency the order is set by severity rather than arrival time. For spreading facial swelling, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or toothache with fever, go to the nearest emergency department.
The Restoration on an Implant: Screw-Retained or Cemented?
How the tooth is attached to an implant is a separate decision after placement. Both methods have their place, and the choice directly affects long-term maintenance.
Screw retention
The tooth is fixed to the implant with a screw and the small hole on the chewing surface is closed with composite. Its most important advantage is retrievability: it can be removed and cleaned at review, the screw retightened if it loosens, and the prosthesis repaired if it fractures. Because no cement is used there is also no risk of residual cement beneath the gum — one of the most insidious causes of peri-implant inflammation.
Cement retention
The tooth is cemented onto an abutment attached to the implant. With no hole on the chewing surface it looks slightly cleaner aesthetically, and where the implant is placed at an angle this method may be unavoidable. Complete removal of excess cement is critical, though; a small piece left beneath the gum can cause bone loss years later and is hard to detect.
How the decision is made
The determining factors:
- The implant angle — a hole opening on the front face spoils appearance
- Gum thickness — cement control is harder in thick tissue
- Bridge span — screw retention is preferred for multi-unit bridges
- The patient's hygiene habits and review routine
