What is a Dental Implant?

February 6, 2020

 

Do you have missing teeth and find it hard to chew your food? A dental implant is your alternative solution to restore your natural teeth function.

Dental implant restorations have been used in the dental industry for many years. They enable our patients to replace single or multiple missing teeth and restore their smiles with natural-looking restorations.

What is a dental implant?

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root made from surgical-grade titanium. It is surgically inserted into your jawbone to support or mount a:

• Individual crown
• Dental bridge
• Full-arch tooth replacement
• Overdenture

Why are dental implants a treatment option for missing teeth?

The implant will integrate with your jawbone over a period of 3-4 months following placement . This acts as an artificial tooth root, and secures the restoration attached to the implant so it acts as a natural tooth.

During your first consultation with your dentist, our team will take extra-oral radiographs, an OPG and CT scan and intra-oral radiographs of your mouth as required. Your dentist will then conduct a comprehensive analysis and determine the appropriate implant treatment option for you.

At Dental Implants and Aesthetics, we offer several dental implant treatment options.

Single Dental Implant

The implant

Single-tooth implants can be used in people who are missing one or more teeth. An implant is surgically placed in an opening that your dentist makes in the jawbone. After the implant integrates (attaches) to your bone, it acts as a new “root” for the crown that will replace your missing tooth.

For this procedure to work, there must be enough bone in the jaw. The bone has to be strong enough to hold and support the implant. If there is not enough bone, it may need to be added with a procedure called bone augmentation or bone grafting. In addition, natural teeth and supporting tissues near where the implant will be placed must be in good health. After 3-4 months and confirmation of integration then a crown is fabricated to match your existing teeth in colour and shape.

The abutment

The abutment is the part that inserts into the implant. It can be made of titanium, gold or porcelain. It is attached to the implant with a screw. This part connects the implant to the crown. It is shaped like a natural tooth that has been cut down to receive a crown.

The restoration

The restoration (the part that looks like a tooth) is a crown. It usually is made of porcelain fused to a metal alloy (PFM). It also can be all metal or all porcelain. The crown is screwed or cemented onto the abutment. If the crown is screwed to the abutment, the screw hole will be covered with restorative material such as tooth-coloured filling material.

Some of the advantages of having an implant crown include:

• Improved speech
• Increased tooth lifespan
• Comfort

This procedure starts $3000.

Implant bridge

Your dentist will recommend an implant bridge procedure if you have lost more than two teeth or if you have no posterior tooth remaining for a traditional dental bridge to be inserted. Depending on your case, an implant bridge procedure can cost from $10,000.

At Dental Implants and Aesthetics, we will match the colour and shape of the bridge to your surrounding teeth. This ensures you have a functional and aesthetically pleasing smile.

During the first step of the procedure, your dentist will insert two or more implants into your jaw where your natural teeth are missing. They may place a provisional (or temporary) bridge while the area is healing – then are 3-4months will move to restoration phase.

After the healing phase is complete you will come in for a test to confirm integration, followed by impressions of your mouth for the dental abutment and crown to be fabricated.

Our practice uses custom-made abutment designs to increase your comfort and accommodate the shape and contour of your gums.

Lastly, the bridge is either cemented or screwed onto the abutment by your dentist, completing the procedure.

Full arch implant restorations

A full arch restoration involves the replacement of all the teeth in your upper (maxilla) or lower (mandible) jaw. Your dentist will recommend this treatment option if you have lost all your natural teeth in one or both arches.

During your first consultation with your dentist, he or she will take a variety of intra-oral and extra-oral images of your mouth. From these pictures your dentist will be able to decide how many implants are required and on which arch.

The restoration procedure requires the insertion of prosthetic teeth onto a series of dental implants, where your old teeth have been removed or are missing.

Depending on how many implants you need, your dentist will insert 6-8 implants into your jaw. This supports a prosthesis with 12-14 teeth.

At Dental Implants and Aesthetics, a full arch implant restoration ranges from around $25,000. The treatment requires you to attend multiple appointments over an extended period.

Book and Appointment

If you would like to restore your natural smile, you should first consult with your dentist and discuss your dental implant treatment options. You can book an appointment online 24/7 or contact us today.