Dental Implants

Dental Implants

Dental Implants are an option you may wish to consider to replace a missing tooth or teeth. A dental implant can be likened to having a full replacement tooth, both the visible crown and the root, placed directly back into your jaw. They are secure, durable, functional and beautiful.

What Is A Dental Implant?

The term “Dental Implant” refers to a type of dental prosthesis (false tooth or teeth) that can be surgically implanted into the upper or lower jaw bone to replace one or more missing teeth.

A dental implant replacing one tooth will typically have three components:

  • An “Abutment”, which is connected to the top of the fixture and forms the foundation for the final restoration
  • The “Crown” or “Prosthesis”, which may be either cemented to the fixture or held into place with a small gold screw.

How Do Tooth Implants Work?

Implants work by recreating a natural tooth as closely as possible. In the case of a single tooth implant:

The fixture is implanted directly into the jaw and fuses to the bone. It becomes a replacement tooth root.
The abutment replaces the dentine or core of the natural tooth’s crown
A crown made of a precious metal alloy covered with tooth-coloured porcelain becomes a replacement for enamel layer of the natural tooth crown.

How Are Dental Implants Placed?

The placement of the dental fixture is a surgical procedure, while the placement of the overlying abutment and crown, bridge or denture is very similar to the placement of the same types of restorations that are not supported by fixtures.

Both procedures are explained on this page.

How Long Does It Take To Get Teeth Implants?

Every case is different. An uncomplicated case might be completed within six months. Complex treatments can take several years to complete.

Why Are Dental Implants Used?

Implants are used to replace missing teeth. They are an alternative to dental bridges or dentures, and have significant advantages over both. However, there are also potential disadvantages that need to be considered.

Dental Implants Vs Dentures

Why People Might Choose Dental Implants:

  • A denture is generally less stable and retentive than an implant. This can make it uncomfortable to wear and more difficult to eat. Dentures can affect the clarity of speech and the ability to taste foods. It is potentially embarrassing if a denture is easily displaced while speaking or during a meal.
  • A denture can feel bulky to the tongue: not everyone can easily adapt to this extra bulk in their mouths
  • Acrylic denture teeth are softer than natural teeth and can wear down much faster. Dentures may require more maintenance than implants, which are usually restored with porcelain crowns
  • Acrylic denture teeth may not be as aesthetically pleasing as porcelain crowns

Why People Might Choose Dentures:

  • The placement of a dental implant is a surgical procedure, requiring significant healing time and some discomfort
  • The cost of having a dental implant placed is significantly greater than having a denture made
  • Dentures can be made quickly and delivered within weeks, rather than the months required to place a dental implant
  • An implant cannot be removed for daily cleaning

Dental Implants Vs Dental Bridges

Why People Might Choose Dental Implants:

  • The placement of Dental Implants does not require the removal of enamel and dentine from adjacent teeth: implants are far more tooth-friendly than bridges.
  • It’s easier to clean around a single tooth implant than it is to clean around a bridge that replaces a single tooth, which puts the natural teeth supporting bridge at greater risk of having a persistent layer of plaque present, which may, in turn, lead to an increased risk of developing tooth decay

Why People Might Choose A Dental Bridge:

  • Surgery (usually) isn’t required to place a dental bridge
  • Placement of a bridge takes far less time than placing a dental implant (2-4 weeks, compared to >6 months)
  • A single-tooth implant costs 2-3x more than a single-tooth bridge

Dental Implants At Corinna Dental

If you require dental implants, you will most likely be treated by

  • Dr Steve Marshall
  • Dr Caitlin Frampton Reid

You will be referred to a specialist periodontist or oral surgeon, who will be responsible for placing the titanium fixture/s into the jaw. In most cases, the overlying crown, bridge or denture are designed and placed in our rooms.

Are All Dental Implant Cases Straightforward?

Unfortunately no. There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration, every one of which can potentially be less than ideal. This is why your dentist will spend time taking a detailed medical history, doing a comprehensive examination and using several diagnostic tools to plan each implant case.

Every patient who receives a Dental Implant will need to have a customised treatment plan: there is no such thing as “one size fits all” when it comes to replacing a natural tooth with an implant.

Can Anyone Have Dental Implants?

Unfortunately no. Not everyone is a candidate for this type of treatment, and not everyone selects this option when presented with alternatives.

The following people may find that they are not suited to dental implants:

  • People who are active smokers
  • People who have active gum disease
  • People who have lost significant amounts of bone structure
  • People who are medically-compromised

People under the age of 30 years can have dental implants, but there may be some special considerations for their treatment.

Dental Implant Safety

Because the placement of an implant fixture requires surgery, there are inherent risks that you need to be aware of before you agree to treatment. Your dentist will explain all potential risks to you in detail during the planning phase of your treatment. You are encouraged to ask questions and are welcome to seek a second opinion if you wish.

Naturally, all practitioners and staff at Corinna Dental take your safety very seriously and follow strict protocols and standards to minimise all potential complications related to the placement of dental implants.

Is It Difficult To Take Care Of Dental Implants?

Dental Implants cannot be removed for cleaning but are designed to be similar in shape and size to natural teeth. In most cases, brushing and flossing are all that is needed to keep a single tooth Implant free of plaque.

Sometimes the design of the crown or bridge creates spaces that are more difficult to clean: in this case, our dentists and hygienists will show you the best way to keep these spaces properly clean.

Would You Like To Know More About The Suitability Of Dental Implants For You?

Please call the Corinna Dental practice location of your choice and request a consultation appointment with one of our dentists.

FAQs

Following your dental implant fixture placement, you’ll be given detailed instructions about how to take care of the surgical site to keep it comfortable and to promote healing.

Instructions provided to you by your dentist will be specific for you, and should be followed even if they differ from the information posted on this page.

Please note that this post-surgical care information contains general guidelines only. If you are unsure of how to proceed, please call the practice for specific instructions.

The surgical site will need time to heal, so you need to avoid doing anything that is likely to disturb or put pressure on this area.

  • For the first few days, it’s wise to stick to a soft diet, avoiding hot, crunchy or sticky foods.
  • Later in the week, you can eat more solid foods, but avoid chewing hard, crunchy or sticky foods on the side that has just had surgery
  • If food does settle in the surgical area, remove it gently, without disturbing the surgical site. You might find gentle rinsing is the best approach.
  • Your dentist may recommend a warm salt-water rinse in the first few days. Rinse gently, not vigorously. You may also be given a syringe to help you direct the saltwater gently onto the surgical site.
  • If you have stitches in place, please avoid doing anything that is likely to pull or snag them.
  • Your dentist will remove these in about one week.
  • Maintain normal tooth-cleaning activities on teeth distant from the surgical site. Your dentist will probably suggest that you avoid brushing and flossing close to the surgical site until you have returned for your 1-week review appointment.
  • Once the surgical site has closed over and the stitches have been removed, you can eat, drink and clean normally
  • If your dentist has prescribed antibiotics, please take them according to directions and please complete the full course.
  • Your dentist will recommend over-the-counter analgesics (pain killers) for pain management.
  • Please take these only as recommended.
  • If you are experiencing severe or significant pain, please contact your dentist.
  • Never use another person’s prescribed analgesics
  • Severe pain
  • Swelling of any kind
  • Persistent bleeding
  • The appearance of pus or other signs of infection

One of the most frequent questions we receive about dental implants is “how much do dental implants cost?”. The honest answer is, “That depends.”

We can, of course, provide a ballpark figure over-the-phone if dental implants are on your radar. But each individual’s case has the potential to be unique, and final costs vary greatly from person to person.

It is impossible to give an accurate estimate without the individual attending the practice for a consultation.

Situations which may increase the cost of a dental implant placement include;

  • The number of fixtures required
  • Whether any special fixtures or abutments will be needed
  • The type of prosthesis that will be placed onto the fixture/s
  • Whether additional treatments are required to prepare the surgical site for fixture placement (for example, will the site need a bone graft so that there’s enough bone to hold the fixture firmly in place?)
  • Whether a specialist’s involvement will be required for one or more parts of treatment
  • Whether additional services are required after the dental implant is finished (for example, the construction of a nightguard to protect implant/s and teeth from the forces of clenching and grinding)

It’s often helpful to know that, since implants are placed in several stages, the fee is split into several corresponding stages, so you won’t need to pay for the service up front all at once.

If you are considering a dental implant to replace one or more missing teeth, please call the practice to make an appointment for a consultation.

Once again, it depends.

Dental insurance policies vary quite a lot when it comes to coverage of services relating to the placement and maintenance of dental implants.

If you are considering dental implants, we can provide you with an estimate of fees and the associated item numbers after the consultation and planning process. To find out how much your insurance policy will cover, you can take the list of item numbers and ask your insurer to let you know your likely out-of-pocket payment.

We have HICAPs facilities in our rooms, and can process your claim for you as you pay for each stage of treatment.

Our Dental Services

Some of the dental services available in our two locations.

Why Choose Us?

Highest Service Standards for Our Dentistry in Deakin and Woden