About Dental Implant surgery
Why implant treatment?
Dental implant placement combines delicate minor surgery and modern dental techniques to replace badly broken teeth, a single missing tooth, a group of teeth or all teeth. The roots of missing teeth are replaced with a special screw (dental implant) and a crown is later connected to the implant. Dental implants look, work and feel like natural teeth and can be used in adults, regardless of age and medical history.
Millions of people worldwide have dental implants. They are the natural choice where teeth are missing, require extensive restoration or need to be removed. In some situations implants are the only viable option, such as when conventional dentistry has failed or the patient has lost teeth for various reasons. Quite simply, dental implants are the next best thing to natural teeth.
Even the best fitting denture can only function at 15 – 20% of the efficiency of natural teeth. The other alternatives, such as bridges, have serious shortcomings, as adjacent teeth need to be cut down for support. Dental implants are free standing and do not require adjacent teeth for support. Implants also stimulate the bone and gums to remain healthy.
Dental implants have been highly successful for over 20 years, reporting a 90 – 95% success rate over 10 years. In the unlikely event of failure, removal is a fairly simple process. After a time of healing, a new implant is put in place.
The treatment process:
For implant treatment you will require the following doctors to complete your treatment and to maintain your implant.
- General Dentist
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
- In some cases, a specialist Prosthodontist
To see the specialist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon regarding implant treatment, you will require a referral from your dentist or doctor, along with a 2D x-ray called an OPG. Once you have this, you will then book in a consultation with the specialist to discuss the best treatment plan for your situation.
What to expect at the consultation:
- This appointment will take approximately 1 hour.
- Your initial time will be spent with the surgeon discussing your treatment plan.
You will then be seen by a nurse who will organise a 3D Cone Beam x-ray, a digital scan of your teeth and photographs. The appointment with the nurse is necessary for the surgeon to be able to plan your case for the best possible results and document your progress. - You will then spend time with a receptionist to discuss the estimate for your treatment and any further appointments or surgery bookings.
Your surgery timeframe will vary depending on other requirements for your treatment and this can be discussed with your surgeon.
Once your surgery is complete you can expect to see the surgeon and nurse 7-10 days post-surgery for an x-ray and clean of the surgical site. You will then see the surgeon approximately 3-6 months after this for an implant stability check. Once your surgeon deems your implant stable, you will be sent back to your restorative doctor for the final crown to be placed. You will then see the surgeon for annual appointments to ensure the implant’s success.
If you have any questions regarding your implant treatment or wish to discuss this at your consultation, please contact our staff.