How we provide this service
Replacing a tooth can be accomplished with a dental implant. A dental implant restores the mouth to optimal function, stabilising the surrounding bone, tissue and teeth by substituting the root structure of the missing tooth. This helps to prevent further serious complications that can arise if the missing tooth is left untreated. It usually requires multiple appointments to complete.
The process of having a dental implant depends on whether there is still a tooth present or not. The process is usually more straightforward if the tooth is still present as the tooth maintains the bone in the area and ensures that there Is adequate space to place the Implant.
Step 1 - Consultation and records collection
Dental implants are a highly technical and personalised form of treatment, and we want you to explain your goals to us in detail. At your initial consultation, we will assess your general health, your oral health (including gum disease which is a significant risk factor for implant failure), the overall condition of your mouth and the specific area of concern to ensure you are suitable for Implant treatment.
We need you to have a 3D bone scan using our in-house CBCT machine to assess the quality and quantity of your jawbone and identify the location of relevant anatomical structures such as nerves or sinuses. This is to ensure that you have enough healthy bone to surround the implant, if not, you may require bone augmentation to help build-up the area around the implant.
Once all the records have been analysed, we will inform you of the possibilities and discuss the treatment plan options specific to you along with the associated costs.
Step 2 - Planning
The key to long term implant success is in the planning. We utilise the latest in-house 3D intra-oral scanning machine to take a digital mould of your teeth along with photos so that we can superimpose all the layers together into our high-tech software to determine the best position for the implant to help with 3D guided surgery.
3D-guided surgery
The digital scan of your jaw and the 3D x-ray are superimposed and the exact position of the proposed Implant is identified. This allows us to perform a virtual and simulated procedure before proceeding with the actual one. A computer-generated 3D printed surgical guide is created from the information gathered from the simulation to assist in the precise placement of the dental implants. This allows Dr. Sourial to do a trial virtual run and master whatever steps are necessary to ensure the surgery is a success. The margin for error is reduced when we plan out the precise positions in advance thus reducing the risk of nerve damage or other complications.
Step 3 - Placement
With planning complete, you are ready for your implant surgery. This is usually performed under local anaesthetic but can be done under either a sedation or General Anaesthetic depending on your preference. Recovery is minimal, with only mild-moderate swelling or discomfort.
The implant will be placed in your jaw in a minor surgical procedure. It will sometimes be covered with gum tissue and left for 2-3 months. In this time, the implant will fully integrate into your jawbone. A temporary tooth can also be provided to fill the space if desired.
If a tooth is failing, it will usually be extracted first and then depending on the situation, the extraction site may either be left to heal for a few weeks or sometimes an implant can be placed immediately into the socket.
Step 4 - Healing
Your dental implants will take approximately 2-3 months to become fully fused to your jawbone in a process called osseointegration. The next step will be to check that the implant has fully healed and then to take a scan of your dental implant for fabrication of the ceramic crown which will be placed over the implant.
Step 5 -Teeth
A couple of weeks later, a post will be screwed into the implant with a ceramic crown secured to It, allowing the gum tissue to grow around it like a natural tooth. With your implant placement complete, your tooth is restored to optimal shape and function, while continuing to stabilise, protect, and preserve the surrounding teeth and tissue.
Teeth in One Day
In some situations, it is possible to remove the existing tooth, place an implant and then place a provisional crown or bridge straight away over the top of it so that you don't need to walk around with a temporary tooth. This is a very specialised technique and requires a lot of factors to be favourable to make It possible. It is mostly done with the All-on-4 procedure, when replacing multiple missing teeth but can also be done in a single tooth situation.
The benefit of an immediate implant technique is that it reduces the number of surgeries required and when combined with a socket-shield technique can provide some of the most aesthetic long-term results with almost no pain or swelling afterwards.