DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dental implant therapy has been around for many years and has a proven track record. Improvements in materials and surgical techniques have made dental implants the gold standard treatment in many instances for the replacement of missing teeth.

What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is essentially a substitute for a missing tooth root. It is commonly cylinder or screw shaped. Each implant is carefully and precisely drilled into the location of the intended tooth and provides a foundation for long-term support of replacement teeth.

Almost all dental implants in use today are made from titanium alloy. These materials have been shown to be well-tolerated by bone. The terms ‘osseointegrated implants’ and ‘endosseous implants’ are widely used to describe dental implants that can develop and maintain a close union with bone in order to support replacement teeth.

Who is a Suitable Candidate for Dental Implants?
Implants can be used to replace a single tooth, multiple missing teeth or to replace teeth in cases with complete tooth loss. Therefore almost any situation can potentially be treated with this modality. However, various factors need to be taken into consideration such as a bone volume and quality, tooth and jaw relationships, oral habits and general medical health. Your dental surgeon will assess your suitability for treatment with these implants.

How is the Treatment Carried Out?
The treatment is carried out by a team of restorative specialists and surgeons working in close collaboration.

Phase 1: Treatment Planning
Thorough assessment of your medical health, oral health, the way your teeth fit together and bone volume will be done to produce an individualized treatment plan.

Phase 2: Surgical Treatment
A minor surgical procedure is carried out to place titanium fixtures into bone. If bone and/or soft tissue is insufficient, there may also be a need for additional bone or soft tissue grafting procedures.

Phase 3: Restorative Treatment
After integration of the implant fixtures to bone, ‘new permanent teeth’ will be designed and fabricated.