What does the procedure involve?

Following detailed examinations and treatment planning a small
operation is performed to place the appropriate number of implants into the jawbone. The procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic so you will not feel any pain at the time, but you may feel some discomfort during the week following surgery. In most cases you will be able to resume normal activities 2 to 3 days later. As osseointegration can take 2 to 6 months a temporary crown, bridge or denture is usually fitted during this stage.

Once the dental implants have fused with your jawbone the gum tissue is left to heal for a further 2 to 6 weeks. When complete, impressions are then taken so that your replacement tooth or teeth can be created and fitted to the implant. From initial assessment through to final fixing can take anything from 4 to 18 months, depending on the specific anatomy. A lot depends on the complexity of your individual case. After treatment, a personal implant care plan is developed and periodic follow-up visits scheduled so as to monitor the health of your implant/s, teeth and gums.

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Are they safe and long-lasting?

When patients are screened for suitability, which we do in this practice, dental implants have a very high success rate, not least because pure titanium is biologically inert so there is no risk of implant rejection. They do, however, need looking after to keep them clean and to prevent gum disease. Implants with a permanently fixed crown, bridge or denture are cared for in the same way as normal teeth; removable dentures can be taken out for cleaning.

With proper care and maintenance dental implants can last a lifetime.

 

Can everyone have implants?

Almost every adult, including the elderly, can have implants so long as they are in good general and oral health. However, you must have adequate bone in your jaw and so in some cases new bone will have to be grafted into place or actively encouraged to grow before implants can be inserted – a process which is often but not always possible. As smoking has been shown to cause implant failure, we in this practice do not perform implant procedures on active smokers.

 

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