Replacing missing teeth has become much more economical and convenient thanks to modern dental innovation.
Dental implants are one of the best options you can choose to restore missing teeth.
And replacing missing teeth is critical to your dental health.
If you have missing teeth, at Caringbah Dental Care we want you to know everything possible about replacement solutions, including implants!
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are titanium or metal posts surgically inserted into the jaw to serve as the root of the tooth.
The finished dental implant has three parts:
- Dental implant – A post inserted into the jawbone to serve as an artificial root.
- Abutment – Connects the implant to the replacement tooth (crown).
- Dental crown – Tooth-coloured replacement tooth.
A missing tooth means more than an empty space in your smile.
It can lead to serious dental issues such as:
- Bite difficulty
- Shifting out of a position of remaining teeth
- Disrupted distribution of pressure during eating
- Not enough support on your cheeks, giving a hollowed look to your face
Dental implants are a popular dental restoration option because of their many benefits such as:
- Improves biting and chewing capacity
- Provides stability in the mouth
- Permanence and durability
- Improved oral health
- Looks and feels like your natural tooth
- Improved facial appearance
The procedure begins with a local anaesthetic. This numbs the implant site and the area around it. Conscious or partial sedation may also be available for complicated cases or anxious patients.
Dental implants require a strong jaw. Patients who are missing jawbone, for any reason, may have to have a bone graft procedure before an implant can be placed.
After the anaesthetic has taken effect, the implant site is prepared and the gums are surgically opened.
Your dentist will use a series of drills to create a hole in the jawbone for the implant. If adjustments are unneeded, the pilot hole is simply drilled deeper. As the hole is being drilled, the dentist can flush the area with water or saline to keep the area cool and prevent overheating.
When the initial hole is finished, the dentist uses a series of increasingly larger drill bits until the hole is about 4 mm in diameter (in most cases).
Finally, the implant is placed. This can cause be a bit uncomfortable but the team at Caringbah are expert at minimising the discomfort. The surgical site is sealed using an implant cap and stitches.
The stitches remain in place for 7 to 10 days, after which they will be removed. Sometimes, the gums are stitched so that they cover the implant cap as the site heals and the gum tissue will later be trimmed back when the abutment is placed. The implant is given 3 to 6 months for osseointegration (fusion with the jaw) before the abutment and crown are placed.
In some cases, a temporary restoration is placed.
Treatment is completed on a second visit, after osseointegration is complete and the abutment and prosthesis is custom-made.
After the implant site is healed and stable, the rest of the restoration can be placed. The restoration can be a crown, bridge, or denture. The implant cap is removed and replaced with an abutment and dental prosthesis on top.
In most cases, this is a crown that screws on to the abutment or is glued in place. Removable restorations that support dentures may have clips or snaps.
Patients who have undergone dental implant surgery report that after the anaesthetic wears off the pain is something like a dull ache in their jaw and it is normally completely gone within a week.
Once the dental implant is complete, patients can treat the prosthetic just as they would a normal tooth and the prosthetic looks and feels just like natural teeth.
But once the procedure, across the two visits, is done, you have a permanent, fully functional replacement for your missing tooth!
Caringbah Cares about your Dental Health!
Caringbah Dental Care is a family-friendly dental clinic in Caringbah, Sutherland Shire with dentists offering a combined clinical experience of over 50 years!
We are conveniently located in the heart of Caringbah suburb and situated within 5 minutes walk from public transports such as train, bus, and taxi as well as free council car parks.
We offer a complete range of general and emergency treatments, major dental treatments, cosmetic treatments, children’s dental treatment, and nitrous oxide or oral sedation methods.
*Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.