A simple guide to dental implants

Many adult dental patients have lost a tooth or teeth in the course of their lifetime either due to extraction, decay or injury. This means that a lot of people are looking for a simple way to restore missing teeth without the use of wearing bridges or dentures.

One common complaint that many people have about these prosthetics is that they simply do not offer the same bite strength that their original teeth did. So, there has been a push for the strength and function of the bite to be restored via prosthetics. This has happened and now you can have your missing teeth replaced with oral implants.

Our team at Spa Dental Sydney is always happy to meet with patients and offer our assessment relating to dental implants Sydney, as before having one fitted you will need to have a few things checked out. But if we deem you suitable, these simple fittings can make a big difference in your daily life.

But what exactly is involved with having dental implants Sydney fitted and is the process difficult to undergo? Read on to find out.

The assessment

First things first, when you want to have dental implants Sydney fitted you will need to attend an initial assessment or consultation with our team. During this, we will take X-rays of your jaws to assess whether or not they are healthy and thick enough to support an oral implant. We will also check the overall health of your mouth, assessing you for tooth decay and gum disease. If it’s all fine, a fitting will be booked.

The fitting

The fitting of oral implants sounds more intimidating than it actually is. We will first numb the gums in the area where the implant is going to be fitted and will make a small incision to expose the bone underneath. Once we have access, we will drill a small hole into the jawbone and will fit the implant in place. This entire process can take up to 2 hours. Once the implant is fitted, we will sew the gum up around the implant and the process will be complete.

Aftercare

When you are at home after the oral implant fitting you will need to keep the implant site free from debris to prevent infection. We advise our patients to do this through the use of salt water. Do not brush the implant site with a toothbrush until we deem it to be OK to do so. If you suspect that you have a dental infection, you should book an emergency appointment with our team. During the fusing process which is required for the prosthetics to be fitted takes (around 3 to 6 months) you will need to visit our dental surgery many times so we can assess if the implant is fusing correctly.

The fitting of the prosthetics

If it all goes well you will then be able to have the prosthetic tooth or teeth attached. This is a simple process during which we simply screw the prosthetics into place.

This part of the procedure can take as little as an hour and can allow you to walk into our surgery with one smile and leave with another one.

Daily care

To ensure that your oral implants last as long as predicted, which should be around 15 to 20 years, you will need to avoid lifestyle habits such as smoking or drinking excessive quantities of alcohol. You also need to care for your prosthetic teeth as though they were natural ones and you need to see our team twice a year so we can assess the health of the implant.

DISCLAIMER

All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.