Dental Implants
Replacement of missing teeth using an implant-supported artificial tooth
What is dental implants?
A dental implant is a small titanium screw placed into the jawbone to serve as an artificial tooth root. Bone grows onto its surface over the following months and locks it in place, and a crown is then attached on top. Nothing is done to the neighbouring teeth, which is the main way it differs from the alternatives.
The work is split across months instead of being done in a day, because that fusion between bone and implant cannot be hurried. Expect a planning visit, the placement, a wait of three to six months, and then the visits that make and fit the crown.
Not everyone is a candidate immediately. There has to be enough bone in height and width, and where there is not, bone is grafted and given time to heal first. Gum disease must be treated beforehand. Smoking and poorly controlled diabetes both raise the risk of failure appreciably, and your dentist will want the blood sugar in range before proceeding.
What it involves
Placement is done in the dental chair under local anaesthetic as a day procedure, and you go home within the hour. Sedation can be arranged if you would prefer it.
Planning comes first. A three-dimensional scan of the jaw shows the bone height and width and the position of the nerve and the sinus, and the implant position is worked out from it before the day.
On the day, the gum is numbed and a small flap is lifted to expose the bone. The site is prepared with a graded series of drills at low speed under constant irrigation, and the implant is turned into place to a measured tightness. The gum is then closed over it, or around a healing cap, with a few stitches. A single implant takes roughly 45 to 90 minutes.
After three to six months of healing, a short second appointment attaches the connecting abutment. Impressions or a digital scan are taken, and the crown is fitted a week or two later, with the bite checked and adjusted.
Recovery
Swelling and discomfort build over the first 48 hours, peak on about day two and settle over three to five days. Cold packs on the first day and ordinary painkillers are usually enough, and most people are back at desk work the next day.
Eat soft, cool food for the first week and chew on the other side. Keep the area clean as instructed, avoid smoking entirely while it heals, and skip the gym and heavy lifting for a week. Stitches come out at about seven to ten days, or dissolve.
The long part is the wait for the bone to fuse, three to six months depending on the site and on whether bone was grafted. A temporary tooth can usually be provided for a visible gap during that time. Once the crown is fitted you eat normally, and reviews follow at six to twelve month intervals.
Questions about dental implants
How long does the whole process take from start to finish?
Plan for three to six months in most cases, and longer where bone has to be built up first. The sequence is a planning visit with a three-dimensional scan, the placement itself, then a wait while bone fuses to the implant, then two or three short visits to make and fit the crown. The wait is not padding; it is the period in which the bone locks on, and shortening it is what causes failures. Where bone grafting is needed, add a further three to six months before placement. A temporary tooth can usually be provided for a visible gap throughout.
Does placing an implant hurt?
The placement is done under local anaesthetic, and during it you should feel pressure and no sharp pain. Sedation is available if the idea of the procedure is what worries you. Afterwards, swelling and soreness build over 48 hours, peak on about day two and settle over three to five days; cold packs and ordinary painkillers handle it, and most people return to desk work the day after. Eat soft food on the other side for a week. Pain that increases after day three, or swelling that spreads, should be reported to your dentist.
Do implants last for life?
Many last decades, and none of them come with a guarantee. The implant itself cannot decay, so what determines its life is the health of the bone and gum around it. Inflammation from plaque left at the gum margin causes bone loss over the years and is the commonest late cause of failure. Smoking raises that risk substantially, as does uncontrolled diabetes. Daily cleaning around the implant with the technique your dentist shows you, plus a professional clean and a review every six to twelve months, is what protects it. The crown on top may need replacing before the implant does.
Other dental treatments
Treatment used to remove infection or inflammation from inside a tooth and preserve the natural tooth
Day CareAssessment and treatment of wisdom teeth that are impacted, painful, infected or causing other problems
Day CareTalk to a care coordinator about dental implants
Leave a number and a care coordinator calls you back with what the treatment involves and which hospital it would be at. They book a consult only if you want one