Bone Healing after a Dental Implant

Sani Dental Group wants you to have the best dental experience, if you recently received a dental implant and have ever wondered about the process through which your bones go through, we invite you to read this post.

Dental Implant – The Procedure

Having a dental implant place can be a complex dental surgery.

First, your dentist will evaluate your jaw bone to determine if the width of the jaw bone qualifies for an implant. If the patient does qualify, the dentist will then make an incision on the crest of the bone,  dividing the attached gingiva.

After the flap is revealed, it will be pushed back and the bone will be exposed.

In the opening, the dentist will drill a pilot hole. This small-diameter hole will serve as a guide for the implant and to avoid damage, your dentist will drill with a wider bit each time, slowly widening the hole until it reaches the appropriate size and allowing the placement of the implant.

Now the healing process also goes through several stages, before fully recovering.

Bone Healing Stages

After the blood vessels or the bone structure has been damaged and destroyed, hemostasis will begin. Hemostasis is the first stage of wound healing; hemostasis takes place a few minutes after the surgery.

This is the process that will cause the bleeding to stop, meaning that blood will be kept within damaged blood vessels, to achieve this platelets will change blood from its liquid state into a gel.

The Inflammatory Phase

During the inflammatory stage, a hematoma develops within the fracture area just a few hours after the dental implant has been placed.

Cells that contribute to the healing process during this stage, include Endothelial Cells, Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes (PML), Macrophages; this phase includes the Angiogenesis process.

The combination of these cells results in the formation of granulation tissue, ingrowth of vascular tissue, and the migration of mesenchymal cells.

Endothelial Cells: thin layer cells that serve as a barrier, recruit perivascular cells, and organizing angiogenesis.
Angiogenesis: the physiological process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels.
Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PML): cells that work by eliminating bacteria through reactive oxygen radicals.
Macrophages Cells: cells that are release to consume and digests cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, and even cancer cells (phagocytosis) that have been emerging in the area.

The Reparative Phase

The next stage in bone healing is the repairing stage; in this stage, fibroblasts begin to lay down a connective tissue (stroma) that will help support vascular ingrowth. It is during this stage that nicotine compounds appear in our system and inhibit capillary ingrowth.

As vascular ingrowth progresses, a collagen matrix lays down in the damaged area while osteoid is secreted and subsequently mineralized, this will lead to the formation of a soft callus around the repair site.

This callus is very weak at the beginning of the healing process and requires adequate protection. Once the callus ossifies, a bridge will be formed of the woven bone between the fracture fragments.

For proper ossification of the callus to occur, proper immobilization is needed; otherwise, an unstable fibrous union may develop instead.
Cells that contribute to the healing process during this stage, include:

• Perivascular Cells: Connective tissues cells that regulate angiogenesis; differentiating into osteoblasts and fibroblasts.
• Osteoblasts Cells: these cells are responsible for forming new bone through the expression of proteins of calcium phosphates and carbonates.
• Fibroblast Cells: type of cells that synthesize the extracellular matrix and collagen, this plays an important role in the healing process and the structural framework (stroma) for tissues.
• Osteoclasts Cells: type of bone cells that resorbs bone tissue. This step is critical in the maintenance and repair and remodeling of bones.

The Remodeling Phase

The final stage of bone healing is the remodeling phase, this stage usually takes place weeks after surgery. In the remodeling stage woven bone is substituted with compact bone. As previously mentioned, osteoclast is resorbed by bone.

Also, during this stage, the fracture callus is remodeled into a new shape. This new shape will be a close duplicate of the bone's original shape and strength.

The remodeling phase can take anywhere from 3 to 5 years depending on several factors such as age or the person's condition. In some cases, the dentist might recommend synthetic or organic compounds to enhanced and actively promote bone healing.
Cells that contribute to the healing process during this stage, include:

Osteocytes: cells responsible for regulating remodeling by mechanosensing.

Why Sani Dental Group?

Sani Dental Group wants you to have the best dental experience, come and visit the city of Los Algodones, come to the capital of dental tourism and learn how our dental clinic can help you restore your smile, your confidence, your joy and provide you healthy dental tips that will help you avoid certain habits.

Having healthy dental habits can prevent numerous oral problems and with more than 30 professional dentists at your disposal, we encourage you to choose Sani Dental Group as your preferred dental clinic.

Our dental clinic is more than capable of doing basic routine teeth check-ups or an advanced “complex” dental surgery.
We invite you to contact one of our patient coordinators, let them know your oral health concern, and ask him/her for healthy dental habits that will benefit you.