If you are missing a tooth, or know that one of your teeth is likely to need extraction in the near future then you are probably wondering about the best way to replace it. Perhaps you have already considered having dental implants in Kent, but aren’t quite sure what is involved? The procedure is very straightforward, and although it can take a little longer to have a conventional implant placed compared to having a bridge, the benefits make it well worthwhile.
The Steps Involved in Having a Dental Implant
The first step is to simply book a consultation with our implant specialist to find out if this is the best treatment for you. This is your chance to find out more about the surgery, the costs involved, and to ask any questions you may have.
If you decide to take it further then you’ll need to return to the surgery for impressions, dental x-rays and a CT scan. These are vital as they enable our dentists to see if you have enough health bone to have an implant, and to construct a surgical guide that shows exactly where the implant will be placed. Traditional implants need to be surrounded by 3mm of good quality bone, but if this isn’t there then you may need a bone graft to build up the bone. The CT scan also shows the location of all the important structures in your mouth, such as nerves and sinus cavities, and enables the implant surgery to be accurately planned. This ensures your implant is placed in the optimal position for stability and aesthetics.
Implant surgery does not take very long, and the actual placement of a single implant will be less than an hour. Many people are comfortable with just a local anaesthetic, but if you feel you’d like a little more help then ask about extra sedation. You don’t need to worry about being left without a tooth, as we will provide you with a temporary prosthesis while your implant heals. You may feel some discomfort for a couple of days afterwards, but you will almost certainly be able to go back to work the next day.
Implants generally require at least three months to osseointegrate with your jawbone. This is where new bone cells grow on and around the titanium post which has been specially treated to seed up this process. Once the healing is complete you can be fitted with your permanent crown that should look exactly like your natural teeth.
Dental implants are a great treatment, so if you’d like to know more then we’d love to see you at our surgery for your free consultation. You can book this by calling 01474 537191, or you can request a call back at a time convenient for you by visiting our website at www.parrockdental.co.uk.