Dental Implants

Dental Implants are artificial tooth root replacements (made of titanium) that are permanently fixed into the bone. Implants offer an alternative to removable dentures or can provide a permanent anchor for crowns or bridgework.

They can replace one or more teeth that have been lost due to periodontal (gum) disease, injury or extraction. When used instead of traditional bridgework, implants can actually preserve more natural tooth structure as they do not rely on neighboring teeth for support.

Sometimes you will require a bone graft or gum graft before placement of your implant to ensure that enough bone can support your implant. Your periodontist will let you know if this is necessary.

Dental implants can look and feel like natural teeth and with a combination of daily home care and professional monitoring, implants can last a lifetime.

The implants which are used by our periodontists are the most commonly used around Australia and many other western countries. This means that if you are in another state or overseas, and you have a problem, there is a good chance the dentist you visit will work with the same system and be able to assist you.

 

Procedure

The procedure takes approximately half an hour to 45 minutes per implant.

The ideal implant candidate should have generally good health, whose oral tissues are free of gum disease. Since implants are placed into the bone it is necessary to determine the amount of bone the periodontist has to work with. This will involve X-rays being taken. If it is determined that there is not enough bone in which to place the implant, then a bone regeneration (bone regrowth) procedure may be recommended. If this is the case, this will further extend the treatment time by six months. If there is adequate bone an appointment will be made for implant placement.

 

On the day of surgery

Implant placement or implant surgery can be carried out under local anaesthetic. The gum is folded back to expose the jaw bone. A titanium screw (implant) is surgically placed into the bone and covered by a healing cap (protective cap). The gum tissues are then put back in place with sutures. These sutures will then need to be removed 7-10 days after the surgery.

 

Success rates and complications

The implant systems used by our practice have a success rate ranging from 90-95% depending on the area of placement. If an implant is lost during the healing stage (8-12 weeks) then another implant can be placed in the original site 6-8 weeks later. The success rate however can drop to 80% for the second implant. If the second implant fails then a bridge or denture are indicated.

In the long-term there are few complications with implant dentistry however, infections of implants do occur. The incidence of these are higher in people who smoke, have uncontrolled diabetes or have poor general health. Treatment is available for these infections.

 

Follow up appointments

Another appointment will follow approximately 8 weeks after placement. This is a necessary appointment so as to check that the implant and bone have nicely integrated. At this appointment the healing cap may need to be changed. This is done under a local anaesthetic and takes about 15 minutes.

If all is deemed to fine you will then be referred back to your general dentist to have the crown bridgework completed. Your dentist or periodontist may suggest that a temporary crown is needed to allow for the gum to heal and form a natural looking contour/shape. This is usually indicated in areas where aesthetics are of primary concern i.e. your front teeth.