Implant Dentistry

If you have missing teeth, one of the options is to replace that space is with implants.

Basically an implant has three parts; a screw that is placed inside the bone, a connector (abutment) that connects the inside world to the outside world and crown that sits on top of the connector.

1. Single Missing Tooth

In the first visit of implant placement, you gum is gently raised and a screw made of titanium placed inside you jaw under either local anaesthetic or IV sedation (sleep dentistry). The implant is either

1.buried inside the jaw for three months (requiring a second surgery to expose the implant) or
2.a special connector (healing abutment) is placed on top so that the gum heals around the connector (therefore not requiring a second surgery to expose the implant)

You have to then wait three months for the bone to grown around the implant and grab hold of it (osseointegration).

The next stage generally is either placing the healing abutment (second stage surgery) or taking a mould (impression) for the crown to be placed on top of the implant.

The third visit is when the crown is cemented or screwed onto the implant

2. Multiple Missing Teeth

If there are multiple missing teeth, then we can place lesser number of implants which then supports multiple teeth such as bridges or dentures

3. All Teeth Missing

In case of no teeth in the mouth at all, we either

1.place 2 or 4 implants and a denture on top that is supported by these implants This allows stability of the denture) or
2.can place more implants that can support porcelain bridges.

The advantages of implants are that they are very long lasting. In single missing tooth cases, it prevents the destruction of adjacent teeth to place bridges. Also in a case of a bridge if something happened to one of the tooth then the whole bridge has to be replaced. In case of an implant it is an individual tooth and therefore can be managed appropriately.

If you would like more information on Dental Implants, Implant Dentistry, Tooth Implants, Missing Teeth, Sydney Implant Dentists, Sleep Dentistry, please contact Smile Concepts directly by clicking here or ringing 02 9267 7777