Tooth loss can be devastating.
Visually, it can impact the appearance of your smile.
Functionally, speaking and eating problems may occur, other surrounding teeth may shift, or you may experience bone loss.
With dental implants, these issues are a thing of the past.
What is an implant?
A dental implant is essentially a threaded post that replaces a tooth root – the unseen portion of the tooth.
They can be used to replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, or all teeth.
Click to Enlarge
Benefits of Implants
Natural appearance
When well made, implant supported crowns can look and feel like natural teeth.
Designed to be permanent
Implants offer the best long-term solution for replacing missing teeth. Decades of use have shown the best systems to have over a 95% success rate.
Titanium surface fuses to bone
Bone cells fuse directly to the implant surface to form an incredibly strong and durable anchor to the jaw bone. Once fully healed, the implants rock solid stability allows your bite forces can be transferred through to the surrounding bone. This provides you with natural full function to your new tooth, allowing you to eat what you want without worries.
A dental implant is a tooth root replacement
The attachment of the implant surface to the surrounding bone mimics a tooth, to stimulate and protect the surrounding jaw bone. It acts to stimulate the growth of natural bone and prevent jaw bone loss that would otherwise occur if the implant wasn’t there. This helps to keep your jaw bone and surrounding teeth stable for life, preserving your appearance and confidence.
Easy to care for
Implants don’t need any special care or attention beyond regular flossing and brushing.
A great investment
A dental implant is more costly than the alternatives initially, but they are a wonderful investment in your smile in the long run because of their longevity.
Prevent damage to surrounding teeth
Doesn’t require surrounding teeth to be prepared to to take on a higher load
Support surrounding teeth by keeping them in their stable position and taking bite force
What if I wait to replace my teeth?
Delaying treatment to replace your missing tooth may lead to further complications including drifting of surrounding teeth, bite collapse, uneven wear on surrounding teeth, and loss of jaw bone.
It may be tempting to postpone treatment, but we don’t recommend waiting.
Uses for implants
A dental implant is a customisable solution for replacing one, multiple or all of your teeth.
Implants replace the root portion of teeth. The root is the part of the tooth that’s normally not seen below your gums. Once they’re healed to the surrounding bone, they’re effectively just small, ultra strong anchorage points. As such, they can be used in many different ways to support a wide range of appliances with many applications.
Dental implants and dental bridges are two common solutions that are used to replace single missing teeth. Dental implants are inserted into your jawbone while dental bridges join an artificial tooth permanently to the teeth either side of the gap. Take a look at this comparison to better understand the difference between your two options for replacing a single tooth.
Click to enlarge
Dental implants and Removable partial dentures are two common solutions that are used to replace multiple missing teeth.
When multiple teeth need replacing, a tooth-supported dental bridge will overload the supporting teeth on either side of the larger gap. Therefore it’s not generally a good idea to fill a larger gap with a tooth supported bridge.
Implants on the other hand are quite capable of filling a larger gap when correctly planned for and designed.
Dental implants are inserted into your jawbone on either side of the gap, and permanently join an artificial tooth to crowns supported by these implants.
Partial dentures are removable devices that rest on both the teeth and the gums in the area of the missing teeth.
Take a look at this comparison to better understand the difference between your two options for replacing multiple teeth.
Click to enlarge
Dental implants and dentures can work together to dramatically increase your chewing function.
An ‘Overdenture’ is very similar to a traditional denture with one major exception: it snaps onto underlying dental implants placed into the jaw. It can be taken out for easy cleaning.
In their simplest form, they are an easy and affordable option that combines the stability of implants with the economy of dentures.
Your existing dentures may be able to be retrofitted with attachment points for implants. Alternatively, we can redesign your denture to be lighter, more natural in appearance, and cover less of your soft tissues to improve sensation and taste.
Two to five implants can be placed to support an entire arch with an incredible level of stability
The commonest form of this denture that we complete at Melbourne Dentist is a two-implant overdenture for the lower jaw. This treatment is especially important for the lower jaw as lower dentures tend to be far less stable.
In fact this should be considered the first choice standard of care for lower dentures.
Overdentures are less often seen in the upper jaw due to the large surface area and suction effect that the roof of the mouth offers. However, an upper overdenture allows the removal of plastic that covers the roof of your mouth and can take up a similar amount of space as your natural teeth did. This can markedly improve your enjoyment of food.
As little as 4 implants can be used to secure a brand new set of teeth, and provide a permanent and fixed solution to a complex dental problem.
The new set of teeth can be placed within a few days of the implants being placed, because the implants are effectively splinted together to provide a shared and even load.
This “immediate” set of teeth is not able to be used as a permanent solution and will require replacement with a more durable device once the implants have fully healed. This “immediate” set of teeth can still come in very handy though, as a spare set. They may be used in the future when repairs are required on your permanent set. The need for two sets of devices does however increase your overall long term cost.
Loading your freshly placed implants with bite forces so soon after they are placed can slightly increase the risk of failure of these implants. A more conservative approach is to delay the placement of the new set of teeth until the implants have completely healed. This will also lower your overall cost considerably, as only one permanent set of new teeth will need to be made.
If your jaw bone is healthy enough, and your budget allows, it may be wise to spread the load over even more implants. Traditionally, 6 implants are considered ideal in the upper jaw, and 5 implants in the lower jaw.
Many different options are available for both the immediate and permanent devices. We currently favor the OsteonMedical Nexus Plus+ solution for our premium devices. Their strength and versatility is second to none.
Because there are so many options available to replace your full denture with a fixed device, overall costs vary greatly… you may have noticed a wide range of costs quoted in your research thus far. Knowing that this is such a complex area, we offer a free consultation service to help you decide on what is the best option for you.
Click to enlarge
Single missing tooth
Dental implants and dental bridges are two common solutions that are used to replace single missing teeth. Dental implants are inserted into your jawbone while dental bridges join an artificial tooth permanently to the teeth either side of the gap. Take a look at this comparison to better understand the difference between your two options for replacing a single tooth.
Click to enlarge
Implant Bridges
Dental implants and Removable partial dentures are two common solutions that are used to replace multiple missing teeth.
When multiple teeth need replacing, a tooth-supported dental bridge will overload the supporting teeth on either side of the larger gap. Therefore it’s not generally a good idea to fill a larger gap with a tooth supported bridge.
Implants on the other hand are quite capable of filling a larger gap when correctly planned for and designed.
Dental implants are inserted into your jawbone on either side of the gap, and permanently join an artificial tooth to crowns supported by these implants.
Partial dentures are removable devices that rest on both the teeth and the gums in the area of the missing teeth.
Take a look at this comparison to better understand the difference between your two options for replacing multiple teeth.
Implants to retain dentures
Dental implants and dentures can work together to dramatically increase your chewing function.
An ‘Overdenture’ is very similar to a traditional denture with one major exception: it snaps onto underlying dental implants placed into the jaw. It can be taken out for easy cleaning.
In their simplest form, they are an easy and affordable option that combines the stability of implants with the economy of dentures.
Your existing dentures may be able to be retrofitted with attachment points for implants. Alternatively, we can redesign your denture to be lighter, more natural in appearance, and cover less of your soft tissues to improve sensation and taste.
Two to five implants can be placed to support an entire arch with an incredible level of stability
The commonest form of this denture that we complete at Melbourne Dentist is a two-implant overdenture for the lower jaw. This treatment is especially important for the lower jaw as lower dentures tend to be far less stable.
In fact this should be considered the first choice standard of care for lower dentures.
Overdentures are less often seen in the upper jaw due to the large surface area and suction effect that the roof of the mouth offers. However, an upper overdenture allows the removal of plastic that covers the roof of your mouth and can take up a similar amount of space as your natural teeth did. This can markedly improve your enjoyment of food.
Implants to replace dentures
As little as 4 implants can be used to secure a brand new set of teeth, and provide a permanent and fixed solution to a complex dental problem.
The new set of teeth can be placed within a few days of the implants being placed, because the implants are effectively splinted together to provide a shared and even load.
This “immediate” set of teeth is not able to be used as a permanent solution and will require replacement with a more durable device once the implants have fully healed. This “immediate” set of teeth can still come in very handy though, as a spare set. They may be used in the future when repairs are required on your permanent set. The need for two sets of devices does however increase your overall long term cost.
Loading your freshly placed implants with bite forces so soon after they are placed can slightly increase the risk of failure of these implants. A more conservative approach is to delay the placement of the new set of teeth until the implants have completely healed. This will also lower your overall cost considerably, as only one permanent set of new teeth will need to be made.
If your jaw bone is healthy enough, and your budget allows, it may be wise to spread the load over even more implants. Traditionally, 6 implants are considered ideal in the upper jaw, and 5 implants in the lower jaw.
Many different options are available for both the immediate and permanent devices. We currently favor the OsteonMedical Nexus Plus+ solution for our premium devices. Their strength and versatility is second to none.
Because there are so many options available to replace your full denture with a fixed device, overall costs vary greatly… you may have noticed a wide range of costs quoted in your research thus far. Knowing that this is such a complex area, we offer a free consultation service to help you decide on what is the best option for you.
Implant timeline
Click to enlarge
Getting to know you
Perform a full evaluation of your gums and existing teeth
Ensure that your risk factors are covered off to be sure you are a good candidate for implants – save you time and money
Prerequisite procedures
3D scans taken to assess the supporting jawbone
In some instances, you may require a preparatory procedure before implants are placed to reduce any risk factors and ensure you get the best outcome possible. These treatments may include:
- Gum care. Implants should not be placed if gum disease is present anywhere in your mouth. The bacteria involved in this silent and incredibly common disease can be transported to your implant and cause its early loss.
- Bone grafts. Good healthy bone is essential to place an implant into. After a tooth is lost, the bone beneath the gums can soften and erode away, particularly if the tooth has been missing for a while. So sometimes its necessary to enhance the bone in the area where the implant’s to be placed, so it has the right environment around it to ensure its success.
Placing the implant
The time taken for your procedure depends on how many implants are to be placed. 3D planning has significantly improved treatment times and post-procedure discomfort.
A single implant is commonly placed in around 40 minutes, and you’re likely to find that the process is far less demanding than a regular dental filling procedure. For this reason, many people opt to have the procedure done in a dental chair.
Of course, you could opt for the process to be done under light sedation, or even a quick general anaesthetic – particularly if multiple implants are being placed.
Healing period
It takes about 2 – 3 months for an implant to become fully attached to its surrounding bone.
At the end of the healing period, a very quick and painless procedure is carried out to ensure your implant is firmly fixed in place.
While waiting for the implant to heal, you have a number of options when dealing with the gap left by the missing tooth.
- Leave the gap
If the gap’s not visible, you may consider not placing anything in the area during healing. This is the cheapest and most predictable path, as the implant is free to heal without any interference from biting forces
- Wear a removable device
Most people struggle with a visible gap in their smile – even if its only for a few months. The traditional approach to manage this was to have a simple removable device made that looks like a tooth’s in place at speaking distance. - Attach a provisional false tooth to the teeth either side of the gap
It’s common to see people struggle with the idea of a removable device to fill a gap. For this reason, we’re regularly asked to come up with a solution that’s comfortably and firmly fixed in place so that a removable device isn’t needed. This is readily possible, particularly if the teeth either side of the gap also require rebuilding. But these options can definitely increase treatment complexity and costs. However, their major benefit to you is that they do not allow any pressure to be placed onto the implant during its delicate healing phase. Placing biting pressure directly on the implant while the surrounding bone is trying to attach to it can definitely reduce its longevity. - Place a provisional crown
When multiple implants are placed, a provisional appliance may be able to be placed on top of these with only limited increase in risk to their proper healing.
But the splinting effect that makes this possible for multiple implants, is not present with a single implant. So the risk of poor healing when a provisional crown is placed directly onto a healing implant can be significant. For this reason, we are very selective about carrying out this procedure
Placing your restoration
Once your implant is fully healed we can use it to support whatever appliance we’ve planned for.
Sometimes provisional “trial” appliances are placed and these can be produced in a few days if necessary.
Permanent restorations that are made from materials such as titanium, zirconia and porcelain are often best not rushed. These will generally take 3 – 6 weeks to produce, depending on their complexity.
Want to Know More?
Would you like any further information about anything you’ve read on this page? Leave your details below and I’ll get back to you shortly.
(Note: I hate spam and I will never use these details for any other reason than to provide you with the information that you seek)
