What you need to know about Implants.

What is an Implant

Dental implants have caused a revolutionary change in dentistry, and for our patients in Ipswich.

A dental implant is a small titanium fixture that is surgically inserted into the jaw bone, serving as a replacement for the roots of teeth that have been lost due to injury, disease or decay. They make an attractive alternative to dentures and bridges.

On top of the dental implant an abutment and ceramic crown is fabricated and cemented permanently. Implant retained ceramic crowns are almost impossible to distinguish from natural teeth.

Implants are strong, stable and secure so you can eat quite normally after treatment is complete. They provide an aesthetically pleasing result, blending with the adjacent teeth. By continuing good diet and dental hygiene, it is easy to keep the gum and teeth healthy.

What is Involved

There are several steps involved in placing an implant. Firstly you will be referred to see an Implant Specialist to have the jaw bone density assessed through scans and x-rays. The specialist will then perform surgery to insert the dental implant into the jaw. This is usually quick and easy and almost no discomfort is experienced.

Following a three month healing phase where the implant integrates with the jaw bone, the Implant Specialist will perform a second surgical procedure and expose the top of the implant. You will then be referred back to your dentist to have the ceramic crown and abutment fabricated, which will attach to the top of the implant.

This takes several appointments and involves taking impressions; removing the healing cap, taking x-rays, and shade selection. The crown takes several weeks to fabricate and at the final appointment, the crown is fixed with a micro screw to the internal thread inside the implant.

Types of dental Implants

There are several types of dental implants:

• Single Tooth Implants — used to replace a single missing tooth.
• Fixed Bridge Implants — used to replace several missing teeth with all the teeth contained in one unit.
• Implant Retained Denture — used to stabilise a conventional denture by anchoring it to several implants in the jaw.

Care and Maintenance of your dental implant

With long term studies over more than three decades and over a million patients treated, implants are highly successful — with a 95% success rate. With good oral hygiene and regular check-ups this will help ensure a long lasting solution.

For more immediate information on effective dental implants in Ipswich, contact Limestone Dental Group today!