The dental implant process

26th Jun 2018

THE DENTAL IMPLANT PROCESS

At Abbey House Dental, we do believe that there is no better alternative to your natural teeth. That’s why we will always push preventative care, so you can preserve your home-grown smile for as long as possible. However, we understand that sometimes life throws things at us and our natural teeth are no longer suitable, through either breaking or falling out. If this occurs, we can offer you dental implants. Thanks to the process of fusing the titanium screw to your jawbone through a minor surgical procedure, dental implants are irremovable unlike dentures. They are a permanent solution to replacing missing or broken teeth.

Your journey to a transformed smile begins with your initial consultation with us. This first step is exceptionally important as this is where we assess your teeth and jaw, answer any worries or concerns you may have and map out your treatment plan. During your consultation, our principal dentist will take a 3D scan of your mouth and jawbone to examine whether it is strong enough to hold and support the implant. This is a key part of the treatment, as a weak jawbone will not be able to handle the treatment. Also, a mould will be taken of your mouth to ensure your dental implant is the perfect size.

Once your mouth has been assessed and the x-rays examined, we can determine if you’re suitable to have the treatment. Once we deduct that you are, the next step is the surgical implantation. This is an easy, minor surgical operation completed under local anaesthetic. If you’re particularly nervous about the treatment, we always advise you speak to us about this as sedation can be an option for you.
The surgery itself consists of our dental surgeon inserting the titanium screw directly into your jawbone, through an incision in your gums. The titanium screw is the base of the dental implant, which holds the porcelain cap. The cap is the tooth replacement seen above your gums and is added at a later point.

Post insertion comes the most important part of the entire process – the bonding. This is where we allow the jawbone to fuse to your implant. The success rate of the treatment is dependent on how strongly the two have bonded together. This vital step can take anywhere between 6 weeks and 6 months, as it depends on the strength of the patient’s jawbone. As the dental implants are fusing to the jawbone, we can fit temporary dentures or crowns on the implant, as to eliminate any discomfort on your part.
Once the fusing is complete, we can place your porcelain dental implant onto the titanium screw. These porcelain caps have been shape and colour matched to your existing teeth and mouth shape, ensuring a natural and subtle look.

The final step is your long-term care and maintenance. Although tooth implants are an incredible replacement for broken or damaged natural teeth, they do still require an element of maintenance, just like you would with your own teeth. And the requirements are just the same as with your own teeth; brushing twice a day and flossing once a day. Once your treatment is complete, it is essential that you attend all following check-ups and hygienist appointments.

If you’re interested in booking a consultation for dental implants at Abbey House Dental, Stone, then you can call us on 01785 818037.