Implant Surgery

Dental implants have become the gold standard in replacing missing teeth.

Implant based treatment typically involves two processes, the surgical placement of the titanium implant, followed by the prosthetic phase where the crown of the tooth is fabricated.

Your oral & maxillofacial surgeon will be responsible for the placement of the implant itself, and any other associated surgical procedures required to achieve this such as augmenting or grafting of bone or soft tissues if required. They will work closely with your dental practitioner who will fabricate the crown or multiple teeth which fit on the implant. Often they will provide your surgeon with a surgical stent that assists the surgeon place your implant in a position that the restorative dentist deems most favourable. Your surgeon will determine if the local structures permit such placement.

The benefits of implant placement may include

• Restoration of function and chewing,
• Cosmetic benefits of replacing a missing tooth including support to structures such as the lips and facial profile
• Prevention of adjacent teeth moving into these sites with long term drift
• Reduced stress on other teeth in bruxers (‘grinders’)
• Elimination of sites which otherwise may trap food

At your consultation, your surgeon will arrange 3D imaging to determine the feasibility of proposed treatment, including the best implant size and length and whether any other surgery is required to enable their placement.

Occasionally, due to jaw bone loss after previous tooth removal, there is not enough bone to support an implant. Your surgeon is highly trained to discuss options which usually permit a way around this problem.

Implant rehabilitation and surgery is a complicated field of dentistry. Implant position is very important and errors can lead to failure and complications which can be difficult to rectify. Oral & maxillofacial surgeons are the surgical branch of dentistry, and most capable to deal with this.

Your implant surgery is usually conducted as a day surgery procedure. The discomfort following this is usually less than that associated with the dental extraction that preceded it.