Dental
Implants

What Is A Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a small titanium post placed in the jawbone where a tooth root used to be. Over the following months, the bone bonds to the surface of the implant, a process called osseointegration. Once it is stable, a crown is attached on top. Where several teeth are missing, two or more implants can support a bridge or hold a denture firmly in place.

Could You Be A Suitable Candidate?

Heavy smoking and untreated gum disease can both lower the chances of success, so any inflamed or bleeding gums are treated before an implant is placed. If the bone has thinned since a tooth was lost, bone grafting may be needed, which is one reason it helps to speak to a dentist sooner rather than years after an extraction.

What Does The Treatment Process Look Like?

1. Consultation and planning: your gums and bone are assessed, and the options and costs are explained.
2. Placement: the implant is placed under local anaesthetic during a surgical appointment.
3. Healing: the bone bonds with the implant over roughly three to six months.
4. Restoration: once the implant is stable, the final crown or bridge is fitted.

Where the bone allows, a tooth can sometimes be attached much sooner. This is known as immediate loading, an approach Dr Moloi trained in at ILAPEO in Brazil.

What Should You Realistically Expect?

Implants need the same daily brushing and cleaning between teeth as natural teeth, and the gum around each one is checked at your next examination. With good care, many implants last for decades, although no outcome can be guaranteed. If an implant turns out not to be suitable, a fixed bridge or a well-fitted denture can still restore your bite.