Dental implant treatment involves several stages that take place over three to twelve months.
The dentist will perform a full oral examination and discuss the dental implant treatment and its alternatives including bridges and dentures. Models and x-rays will also be taken.
Implant placement is a minor surgical procedure that can take place in a dental clinic under local anesthesia. If during the assessment, it is deemed that bone is insufficient, then bone regeneration can be carried out prior to this stage or at the same time of implant placement.
Implants can take from six weeks to six months to fuse the patient’s bone. During this time a temporary denture or bridge can be worn if necessary. Otherwise the patient can resume their daily life without any difficulty.
Once successfully integrated with the bone, the implants can support multiple different restorations ranging from a single crown, bridge or a removable denture.
Following the completion of dental implant treatment, the patient must regularly and thoroughly clean the new teeth. Regular dental visits every 6 months are essential so that the health of the soft tissue, bone levels and integrity of the restorations can be reviewed.