Dental Implants

Dental Implants

At The Park Dental Clinic our Implantologist is highly experienced and can guide you through the process of placing implants every step of the way. Whether you have one missing tooth or several missing teeth or tired of your troublesome dentures then please contact us for a no obligation assessment. Further information please see below.

What are dental implants?
A dental implant is a titanium metal rod which is placed into the jawbone. It is used to support one or more false teeth. In practice, both the false teeth and their supporting rod are known as 'implants'.

Are implants safe and how long will they last?
Implants are a well-established, tried-and-tested treatment. Over 95 per cent of modern implants should last for many years with the right care.

I have some of my own teeth. Can I still have implants?
Yes. You can have any number of teeth replaced with implants - from one single tooth to a complete set.

Can implants always be used to replace missing teeth?
It depends on the state of the bone in your jaw. Your dentist will arrange for a number of special tests to find out the amount of bone still there. If there is not enough, or if it isn't healthy enough, it may not be possible to place implants without grafting bone into the area first.

Do implants hurt?
Placing the implants needs a small operation. This can be done using a simple local anaesthetic, and sometimes with sedation if you are very nervous. Sometimes the dentist needs to use a general anaesthetic for complex cases. You will not feel any pain at the time, but you may feel some discomfort during the week after the surgery. This is usually due to having stitches, and the normal healing process.

How long does treatment take?
Your dentist will be able to give you a rough timetable before the treatment starts. Usually the permanent teeth are fitted 6 to 9 months after the implants are put in, but many implant systems now allow the time to be as short as 3 months. Some teeth can now even be fitted at the same time as the implants (known as immediate implants) but you should check with your dentist to see whether these are suitable for you.

What about after care of implants?
Your dentist may give you some pain relief after the surgery, or check whether you have them at home to take over the next few days if you need them. Your dentist may also prescribe antibiotics. Don't smoke, exercise or drive for the rest of the day. Don't rinse the area and only eat soft foods. However, it is important that you keep your mouth clean by brushing but do not poke the implant site. You can use a chlorhexidine mouthwash every day during the first week after surgery (you can get these from supermarkets and chemists).