Having a good understanding of the process involved with having a dental implant placed can make the experience more relaxing. There will be multiple visits to our practice throughout your implant journey. Being able to arrive at each appointment with a better understanding of what will happen will make the experience as stress-free as possible. In addition to making this information available on our website, your dentist will explain the next stage at each of your appointments.

Your dental implant journey consists of 4 stages. Each especially thought out so that all aspects of dental care are taken into consideration.

Stage 1: Assessment

At your first appointment with our specialist there will be a very detailed assessment of your teeth, including the gaps. This will include:

• A discussion of your dental history.
• A conversation about your aims and wishes to do with the tooth/teeth in question that need replacing.
• An oral health check. This will allow us to see if your mouth is healthy enough to support the implant.

When this has been completed, an X-ray and CT scan are usually performed. This is done so that we can see if you are suitable for the treatment.

We are then able to discuss the various available treatment options. We explain how the implants work, any costs that are required, as well as a detailed explanation about the different stages of your treatment. Treatment times can vary between 6 weeks and 9 months depending on the situation and seriousness of the case.

It is also possible that a model of your teeth will need to be made. This will allow us to analyse treatment options and make sure that you’re getting the best possible treatment available for your mouth.

Stage 2: Surgery

If it has been determined that your jawbone has degraded, then they currently cannot support the implants. However, there are alternative methods that can be used to fix this, such as longer implants, or bone grafting. If the latter is needed, more time will be added to your overall treatment. This is because the bone graft would need time to grow and bond with your jawbone.

If all of the preparations are complete, then we’re ready to begin the placement of your implant. We know that surgery can sound daunting, but we’ll do everything possible to make sure that you feel comfortable before anything takes place.

The procedure is performed by our experienced implant surgeon and is completed with the utmost of care, precision, and detail. For a simple implant, the actual surgery will only take around 20 minutes. However, the appointment itself will be longer to ensure that the local anaesthetic has time to work.

The jawbone has few nerves, so a local anaesthetic should be sufficient to numb the pain effectively. Additionally, you should experience very little discomfort during and after treatment. Many patients who have this treatment say that having a root filling or tooth extraction is far more uncomfortable, some have even expressed surprise at how little they felt during the procedure.

Stage 3: Prosthetic Fitting

Over the course of a few weeks, there will be a few appointments for you to attend. These special appointments allow the technicians that are working on your new tooth to craft it with the utmost care and detail.

The appointments will include impressions being taken of your current teeth. This will allow the technicians to accurately shape the tooth so that it fits into position properly. We may also provide the option for you to visit the laboratory for you to choose the exact shade and colour.

Your mouth will be healing around your new implant, so it is important that these appointments are made. This will allow us to monitor the gap for any possible changes.

After your implant has fully healed and the laboratory has crafted the prosthetic crown, it will need to be attached. This is done by removing the protective screw or cap from the top of the implant and fitting the crown in its place.

After a few weeks of enjoying your new smile, we will have another appointment to confirm that the implant is functioning well for you.

See more transformed smiles in our Smile Gallery

 

Stage 4: Aftercare

 

Just like your other teeth, your dental implants require cleaning with the utmost care. This means that flossing, brushing twice daily, and having regular trips to your dentist are suggested. This will also promote healthy gums and significantly reduce the chance of getting gum disease.

 

We may also want to see you on an annual basis. We would use these appointments to check the implant, clean it, and take photographs to monitor progress.

Dental implants at Unique Smiles

Because implants are a big step, it’s important that you choose the right dentist. Here at Unique Smiles, we offer a professional and personalised service for all our patients. We guarantee that you won’t regret choosing us as your implant specialists. Book a dental implant consultation with our principal dentist Dr Bhavesh Nathwani by calling our team on 01789 400111.