Dental Implants

Dental Implants have helped hundreds of thousands of people
regain the function and confidence they once took for granted.
Whether you’re missing a single tooth or require a complete set
of teeth, you owe it to yourself to talk with your Dentist about
the many benefits that dental implants can offer. Think of dental
implants as metal anchors, usually made of titanium, that are
surgically placed into the jawbone (under local anaesthetic) to
hold permanent replacement teeth or dentures. Through a process called ‘Osteointegration,’ the jawbone actually attaches itself to the implant over time, providing tremendous stability.

To devise the best treatment plan for you, we first complete
a medical and dental history and thorough oral examination,
including x-rays and study models. During surgery, each implant
is placed within the jawbone to serve as an anchor for the post
that will eventually support the replacement teeth. Generally from three to six months is then allowed for the bone tissue to grow around the implants and hold them securely in place.

Immediately after surgery we will give you specific post-surgical
instructions to ensure the best possible healing. In addition,
we may prescribe pain medication and in some cases, antibiotics
to aid in the healing process and help alleviate any discomfort.
At this time, you may be fitted with temporary dentures or
natural-looking teeth to help you function as normally as possible. You also will need to limit your diet to soft foods and follow important oral hygiene instructions. Follow-up care is important during this time.

Once the jawbone has firmly healed around the implant, a
small post is attached to each implant. The post protrudes
through the gum line and serves as an anchor for the
replacement teeth. This short procedure usually requires only
local anaesthesia. After your gums have healed, the replacement
teeth or dentures are securely attached to the posts.

What are the benefits of dental implants?
Dental implants provide support for natural looking replacement
teeth or dentures.

Other benefits include:

Improved biting pressure
Healthy teeth are able to absorb enormous amounts of biting
pressure per square millimetre If you’ve worn dentures for a long time, that pressure may be diminished significantly, to one-tenth that of natural teeth. Dental implants can often restore the amount of pressure that can be withstood to nearly the same level as healthy natural teeth.

Comfort and fit
Because your replacement teeth are anchored securely to the implants in your jawbone, they can’t slip and slide like unsecured dentures can. When dentures aren’t secure enough, they often cause sores in the mouth and an annoying clicking sound.

Longevity and reliability
With proper oral hygiene and care, scientifically tested and
approved dental implant systems have been shown to last as
long as 20 years or more with few complications.

Increased self-confidence
Because dental implants function remarkably like natural teeth,
most people who have them experience a renewed sense of
self-confidence once they realize they can chew, talk, laugh and
smile again with confidence.

What risks are involved?
Dental implant surgery has proved to be successful for hundreds
of thousands of people over the years. Negative effects such as
bleeding, infection, injury to the nerves or sinus cavity, or
incomplete healing of the bone around the implant occasionally
occur – however, some discomfort, swelling and inflammation of
the gums are normal responses to oral surgery and may be
present in varying degrees.

If you have questions about your individual situation or
want to discuss what is considered normal in the healing
process, we will be happy to address your concerns.
Please contact us.