Dental Implants
Am I a Candidate for Dental Implants?
What are dental implants?
A dental implant is a surgical procedure where a titanium post is placed into your jawbone beneath the gum line. This post then acts as an anchor for a replacement tooth or teeth.
Who can benefit?
Anyone who has lost a tooth or multiple teeth and wants a long-lasting, stable solution can benefit.
How long does it take?
The process can take a few months from consultation to final placement of the replacement tooth, as time is needed for the jawbone to heal around the implant.
How is it done?
The process begins with a consultation and examination to determine if you're a good candidate for implants. Before we can proceed with the dental implant, it's essential to evaluate the condition of your gum (soft tissues) and bone in terms of quality and volume. This assessment involves dental examinations, photographs, dental casts, dental x-rays, and advanced digital planning through CBCT / CT radiographic scans and intraoral surface scans.
If all conditions are optimal, dental implants can be used to replace missing teeth, and an artificial prosthesis may be placed in a single procedure.
However, if conditions are less than ideal, such as when soft tissue and bone grafting techniques are needed to prepare the implant site, the overall treatment timeline may extend to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
Generally, we allow a healing and osseointegration period (where the implant fuses with the surrounding bone) of at least 8 weeks. After this period, we take an impression for the construction of the prosthesis. The impression may be digital (a surface scan) or analogue (impression material) depending on the nature of the case and the definitive crown or other component is attached to the submerged implant fixture.