Dental Implants - Process

If you’re missing one or more of your teeth and would prefer not to have a bridge or full or partial dentures, you might consider asking your dentist whether you’d be a good candidate for dental implants.

In this month’s blog the team at College Dental Surgeries explain the process involved in getting dental implants.The dental implant process is a multi-stage, 6 to 12-month procedure to replace tooth roots with titanium posts, supporting permanent, custom-made artificial teeth. It involves a pre-operative consultation, surgical implant placement, a 3–6 month healing period, and finally, the fitting of the abutment and crown, bridge or denture.

To benefit from dental implants, you must be in good health (aside from missing teeth) and have a fully developed and healthy jawbone – healthy gums and a healthy jawbone are needed to support the dental implants. If there is not sufficient bone to place the dental implants it may be possible to have a bone graft prior to the dental implant treatment, increasing the treatment time.Key Stages

Key Stages of the Dental Implant Process

  1. Consultation & Assessment: The process begins with a thorough examination, including 3D CT scans and X-rays to evaluate jawbone health and determine suitability.
  2. Preliminary Procedures (If Needed): If the jawbone is insufficient, bone grafting may be required to increase bone volume, which can take 3–6 months to heal. Any damaged teeth are extracted during this phase.
  3. Implant Placement Surgery: Under local anaesthetic, the dentist makes an incision in the gum, drills a space in the bone, and inserts the titanium implant, usually covering it with stitches.
  4. Healing & Osseointegration (3–6 Months): The jawbone grows around the implant in a process called osseointegration. During this time, a temporary denture or bridge may be worn.
  5. Abutment Placement: Once healed, a small connector (abutment) is attached to the implant to hold the new tooth.
  6. Final Restoration: Custom-made crowns,bridges or dentures are fabricated and permanently secured to the abutment, completing the restoration of the smile.Restoration

If you would like to restore your smile, call College Dental Surgeries on 01622 752340 and book a dental implant consultation appointment.