Implants

What is a Dental Implant?

Dental implants are a great breakthrough in modern dentistry that allow you to replace missing teeth by replicating the natural tooth as closely as possible. A specially crafted titanium ‘root’ can be used to anchor a crown or bridge and replace both missing function and appearance. In some cases, an entire set of teeth can be supported by multiple dental implants allowing you to avoid dentures!

Why is it important to replace my missing teeth?

There are many reason why its important for you to replace your missing teeth:

1] Having all your teeth can make you more self-confident. You don't have to worry about being self-conscious about your missing teeth! Sometimes missing teeth can lead to miss-pronounciation of words.

2] When you lose your teeth, this area of the jaw bone will tend to shrink. This may or may not affect chewing and appearance!

3] Your tooth loss can affect how well and what food you are able to eat. Some people who have missing teeth have poor nutrition, which can affect overall health.

4] Loss of teeth can change your bite and how your teeth come together. These changes in your bite can lead to a lot of problems with your jawjoint.

What is involved in getting an Implant?

Most dental implants can be done in the dental office under local anaesthesia. There are some cases that can be done in a hospital setting.

During the implant surgery, the titanium screw is inserted in the desired position in your jawbone (usually where you are missing a tooth) and a healing abutment (healing cap) is placed over the screw.  As your jawbone heals, it will grow into and around the implant. This process is called osseointergration and it is key to anchoring your implant successfully.  There is usually a healing period of 3 months to months.

Once the healing period has completed, an impression post is placed into your titanium screw so that an impression can be taken to make a brand new crown. This crown can then be attached to your titanium screw and you would be able to chew and eat on this brand new tooth of yours!

Is it painful to get an Implant?

Most people that had an implant surgery done said there's usually very little discomfort involved during the procedure. Local Anaesthetic is usually used to and most patients will say having a dental implant done tends to hurt less than say having a tooth extracted. After the implant surgery, the discomfort can usually be managed by over the counter painkillers.

Are Dental Implants hard to care for?

Dental implants need the same care as your real teeth. This includes regular checkups, brushing and regular flossing!

How do I know if a Dental Implant is suitable for me?

There are many factors which must be carefully considered before having a dental implant , we can help determine the suitability of these treatments for you and discuss both their function and appearance.