Dental implants are the primary choice for the management of gaps in your oral cavity. You might assume that gaps in your teeth are nothing to worry about. These gaps, however, leave your jaws bare and will cause the shrinking of your jawbone and the shift of other teeth. This leads to crooked teeth that are hard to clean and significantly impact your smile. Dental implants should be ideally placed immediately after the loss of your permanent tooth to avert these issues.
You should have your implants placed at a certified oral surgery clinic in Salt Lake City, as well as reputable cosmetic centers.This way, you are certain of the safety and optimal outcome of your procedure and the sterility of the instruments used to guarantee infection prevention. Here are the different flap designs used for your dental implant surgery.
The Punch Flap
This flap design is used for the placement of implants in people whose oral tissues are in good shape, and they have a 2-3mm attached keratinized gingiva. The punch flap is done using a punch drill or blade to get a precise cut. This is the simplest flap design and needs no raising of your oral soft tissue, thus guaranteeing a short recovery period.
Mid-Crestal Flap
This is used in cases where there is adequate palatal, lingual, and buccal tissue. The technique used for a mid-crestal flap involves an incision in the mid-point of the crest. The lingual and buccal flaps are then raised. Mid crestal flaps are used for patients who will need jawbone grafts to boost the size of their jawbone for the placement of an implant. The flap can also be used to attach the graft.
Papilla Preservation Flap
The inter-dental papilla refers to the gums between the teeth. There are two categories of papilla preservation flaps, including mesial and distal flaps. These are used when the dentist wants to preserve the middle and outer gums respectively and the jawbone for grafting later to boost the strength and surface area for the placement of implants. In some instances, they can also be used to boost the aesthetics of your treatment. Papilla preservation flaps are generally used for implant placement on the incisors and canines and in people with an insufficient jawbone. Double papilla preservation flaps include mesial and distal flaps and are used for the preservation of both the middle and outer papilla.
Palatal/Lingual Crestal Flap
When you have insufficient oral tissue, the dentist will recommend the use of a full-thickness flap to augment it. In these cases, the palatal/lingual crestal flap will be used for your implant surgery. The incision used will be similar to the mid-crestal one but will be directed towards the palate or tongue. This flap can be used for two and one-stage dental implant procedures.
Several steps are involved in the placement of dental implants to guarantee they boost your oral health instead of introducing microorganisms that will cause grave conditions. The above flaps are essential to expose the dental implant site and ensure the best outcome of your procedure. The ideal flap from the above depends on your oral health condition and the desired post-surgical look.
