Dental implants

What an implant is

A small titanium post placed into the jawbone where the root of the missing tooth used to be. Over a few months the bone grows around it and locks it in place. A crown is then attached on top.

Because it replaces the root as well as the visible tooth, an implant keeps the jawbone working. Bone that has nothing to support tends to shrink away over the years, which is what gives long-term gaps their sunken look.

How long it takes

Several months from start to finish, though most of that is spent waiting for the bone to heal around the post. The stages are:

• Assessment and imaging. Imaging shows how much bone there is to work with.
• Placing the post. The titanium post goes into the jawbone, where the root used to be.
• Healing. The long part. Bone grows around the post and locks it in place.
• The crown. Attached on top once the post is solid.

If thin bone needs building up with a graft first, that adds to the timeline.

It's a slower route than a bridge. However, it doesn't involve touching the teeth on either side and is a more permanent solution.

Implant, bridge or denture

• Implant — nothing done to neighboring teeth, preserves bone, longest process, highest upfront cost
• Bridge — faster and usually cheaper, but the teeth on either side are cut down to carry it, and usually requires more frequent replacement
• Partial denture — least stable day to day, though it’s the cheapest and quickest option

Which option is right for you depends on how much bone is there, the state of the neighboring teeth, your general health, and your budget. Dr. Lee will discuss the options with you.

Looking after them

Brush and floss them like natural teeth and keep up regular checkups. Implants can't decay, but the gum and bone around them can become inflamed and cause failure of the implant.

Cost

Implants are broken into stages, and each stage is paid for as it happens, so the cost is spread over several months.