Replace missing teeth

Dental implants are becoming an ever more popular means of replacing missing teeth. With ongoing research they are becoming cheaper, easier to place and suitable to a wider range of patients.

So what are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is a small metal peg made of Titanium insterted into the jawbone where a natural tooth is missing. It replaces the root of the absent tooth serving as an anchor to hold in place a crown , bridge or denture which closes the dental gap(s). Titanium is the metal of choice for dental implants because of its strength, lightness and biological compatibility. Dental implants have proven to be the best option for replacing missing teeth as they are permanently fixed, instill confidence and security to the patient and are expected to last in excess of 25 years. The success rate of implants is in the region os 95 - 98% and is dependent amongst other factors on operator skills, jawbone quality and quantity and the patient's oral hygiene.

Dental implants could be used to treat cases from a single missing tooth to multiple missing teeth.

After an extensive assessment and other necessary preparations, the treatment process involves the patients have their implants placed into the jawbone most often under local anaesthesia by a trained Implant surgeon. The procedure often takes less than an hour and the patient is able to go home with instructions, a course of painkillers and antibiotics.

Depending on the specific case the dental implant would be left to 'heal' in the jawbone for up to 6 months ( usuallly 6 - 12 weeks) and then necessary measuresments taken to make the tooth structure such as a crown, bridge or denture.

The whole process should take an average of 2 -3 months to complete.

The treatment process

The planning stage - Consultation

Image of a space from a missing lower tooth. A history from the patient, examination, x-rays ( +/- CT scans) photographs and study models are taken at consultation to ascertain suitability of the patient for implant therapy.

The surgical stage

The dental implant is placed into the jawbone under local anaesthesia and left for 4 - 12 weeks depending on the type of implant. procedure, location and bone quality. Healing may take twice as long in the top jaw as it would in the bottom.

The restorative stage stage

When the dental implant is fully healed in the jawbone, necessary measurements are taken and then (an) appropriate post(s) is fitted into the implant and a crown, bridge or denture is fitted. Any necessary adjustments can then be done.

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