For some oral issues, such as missing or damaged teeth, dental implants may be used as a permanent or longer-term solution. The procedure for dental implants involves the insertion of metal implants into the jawbone, serving as artificial tooth roots. After the implants heal and fuse with the jawbone, the dentist can then attach artificial teeth to them. This makes implants a durable and functional alternative to other treatments for missing teeth, such as dentures or bridgework.
What to Expect
As with the rest of our treatments, each case is treated with individualised care. To begin with, our dentists will always consult with you in order to evaluate your specific goals, as well as explore your medical history. The dentist will then proceed with performing medical imaging, e.g. X-rays and other scans, to better assess your jawbone health and suitability for implantation.
Once you and your dentist decide on a treatment plan, you will proceed into the placement procedure. During this session, the dentist will surgically insert the dental implant post or posts into the jawbone. These will act as the artificial tooth root(s), onto which the crown(s) will be attached.
After the initial placement, you will need to wait a number of months in order for the jawbone to heal. The healing process is very important in this procedure, as this is the stage where osseointegration occurs. This means that as the jawbone heals, the implant posts will fuse to it to provide a stable base for the artificial teeth. This healing process will typically take 3-6 months, depending on your jawbone health.
After the healing process is completed and osseointegration has been achieved, the dentist will then begin the fitting of the artificial tooth itself to the implant. A connector part, called an “abutment”, is first attached to the implant. Then, the dentist is able to attach the artificial tooth or teeth to the implant(s).
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