THESPA BEAUTY
Report Marisa CUTILLAS
Before
After
H
ave your hopes to find a fixed alternative to your removable dentures been crushed due to problems with bone loss? Many patients are turned down for implants because they lack the bone mass necessary in the upper jaw to fit them. This condition is normal in patients who have been wearing a dental prosthesis for many years, or in those who have suffered from severe periodontal disease. Until now, the only solution consisted of bone grafts: complex operations in which bone taken from the chin, hip, tibia and even the cranium, are grafted onto the upper jaw for subsequent fitting of implants. The process of grafting is not only complex, requiring more than one surgery and lengthy healing times; it also has unpredictable results and low success rates. Finally, a solution has arrived for those who remember what it was like to bite into a juicy apple with their own teeth, enjoy a fine steak or even the most simple of pleasures: a Spanish bocatta. It’s called a zygomatic implant, involves only one surgical procedure and boasts a 100 per cent success rate after five years. The best thing about it is that, just one day after surgery, patients can be fitted with implants, meaning they can not only enjoy foods to a level that is simply not possible with a prosthesis, they can also boast a beautiful, white smile almost immediately after a visit to the dentist! Zygomatics as a technique was invented in the late 1990s by Professor P.I. Branemark of Sweden, a revolutionary surgeon who realised that the ideal point on which implants could be anchored was the inside of the zygomatic bone (the cheek bone), whose density and good quality allows it to tolerate the forces of chewing when connected to a fixed dental prosthetic. Following 10 years of intensive research, the results were so positive that the first specialised implants were commercialised and the spread of the
technique began. In the year 2003-2004, documentation and data were published revealing success rates close to 100 per cent, as well as minimal complications. Zygomatic implants are now being carried out at Agave Clinic in Marbella, where a highly experienced and qualified team of maxillofacial and dental surgeons is giving patients plenty of cause to smile. The surgery is mostly performed using general anaesthesia in the adjacent USP Hospital, though patients preferring not to undergo this can opt for a local anaesthetic combined with intravenous medication. The anaesthesiologists are adept at bringing patients to a state of relaxation and well-being, under a process known as conscious sedation. The process is much simpler than one would imagine. At least one day before surgery, an examination and comprehensive oral study is completed, with cast models, X-Rays and photos being taken. The day after surgery, fixed teeth will be placed and the patient can commence a normal life, enjoying all the favourite foods they often took for granted before loosing their teeth. Follow-up oral hygiene is vital, with doctors advising proper brushing and the use of a Water-Pik for routine cleaning around the implants and bridge. A visit to the dentist twice a year is also recommended for a thorough dental cleaning. Zygomatic implants are the perfect
instance of how making a big change to your quality of life and aesthetic appearance is easier, quicker and painless, thanks to groundbreaking advances and talent. If you yearn to rediscover the feeling of having your own teeth, you’re dissatisfied with your smile or you’d like to do away with unsightly gaps, visit Agave Clinic and find out how, in just a couple of days, you can be a brand new person.
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Agave Clinic Avda. Severo Ochoa 24, Marbella. Tel: 952 864 191. www.agaveclinic.com
Zygomatic Implants
for patients with severe bone loss
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