Dental Implants
Dental Implants
A dental implant is a small fixed titanium screw that is surgically inserted into the site of tooth loss. Over a period of months, our dental implants are then left to fuse with the jawbone – creating a solid foundation for your new tooth. Once this is complete, a porcelain crown or bridge is secured to your implant, and with good care should last for many years!
The latest techniques in placing dental implants have made them a reliable and effective replacement for missing teeth. Dental implants are a new generation of teeth that now can become your third set of teeth.
Dental implants can be used to replace one tooth or an entire arch of teeth.
Dental implants have great advantages, including:
Improved aesthetics.
Dental implants feel and look like your own teeth.
Improved comfort and convenience.
Because they are fixed, implants eliminate the discomfort of removable dentures which can make chewing difficult. Dental implants work like your own teeth, allowing you to eat your favourite foods and enjoy them with confidence and no pain or the need for messy adhesives to keep them in place.
Improved self-esteem.
Dental implants give you back your smile which can give you a boost of confidence. They help you feel better about yourself.
Improved speech.
With poor-fitting dentures can cause problems with your speech, for instance, to mumble or slur your words. With dental implants, you will have no trouble with your speech as they will be like your own teeth.
Improved oral health.
Dental implants don’t require cutting other teeth, as a tooth-supported bridge does. Dental implants also allow easier access between teeth, improving oral hygiene that leads to long-term oral health.
Durability.
Implants are very durable and will last many years. With good care, many implants last a lifetime.
Can Anyone Get Dental Implants?
Any individual healthy enough to undergo a routine dental extraction or oral surgery can be considered for a dental implant. Patients must have healthy gums and enough bone to support the implant. They also must be committed to good oral hygiene and regular dental check-up and clean.
An individual who is suffering or has suffered from uncontrolled chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, patients using medication for Osteoporosis, patients who have had radiation therapy to the head/neck area, advanced gum disease or heavy smokers need to be evaluated on an individual basis. If you are considering implants, talk to your dentist to see if they are right for you.
What is the success rate of dental implants?
The success rate of dental implants generally depends on the quantity and quality of the supporting bone. However, dental implants have shown a high success rate of up to 97% and with good care, implants can last a lifetime.
Does insurance cover the cost of dental implants?
Dental implants are considered as a major dental treatment and the rebate for them is capped to different limits by different insurance providers. After a comprehensive consultation and taking a 3D scan of your jawbones, your dentist can provide you with a detailed treatment plan which you can use to communicate with your insurer.
Does insurance cover the cost of dental implants?
Did you know that you can apply for the Early Release of your superannuation to pay for your, or your family member’s dental and orthodontic treatments?
We are happy to introduce SuperCare – an external services provider – that can assist you to make an application via the Compassionate Release of Superannuation (CRS) Program, operated by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to cover dental and orthodontic costs.
SuperCare can help facilitate funding for most dental procedures, including:
- Implants and Dentures
- Oral and Maxillofacial surgery
- Clear Aligners
- Root Canal
- Crowns
- General Dentistry
Click the link below to find out more.
What Is Involved In Getting A Dental Implant?
The first step in the dental implant process is collecting information and creating an individualized treatment plan by your dentist. Then a small titanium post is placed into the bone in the place of your missing tooth. As the jawbone heals, it grows around the titanium post, anchoring it securely in the jaw. The healing process can take from 6 to 12 weeks.
Once the implant has become integrated with the jawbone, a small connector post called an abutment is attached to the post to securely hold the new tooth. Your dentist will then take impressions of your teeth, take your natural tooth shade and creates a model of your bite. A replacement tooth, called a crown, will be made and then attached to the abutment. The process of making a crown can take up to two weeks.
Instead of one or more individual crowns, some patients may have attachments placed on the implant that retain and support a removable denture.
Do I need a bone graft and why?
Bone grafting is used to replace and improve the bone contours around implants. As bone is an implant’s best friend, we sometimes need more of it to improve the longevity, aesthetics and long-term comfort for our patient. When one loses a tooth, nature is very quick to begin the process of atrophy. Bone grafting aims is to encourage your own body to create mature and solid bone in a position where it otherwise wouldn’t have. Two types of grafts are used, artificial bone or osteoinductive/conductive material. Your dentist will explain to you what option is suitable for you.
What is Sinus Lifting?
A sinus means an air-filled space encapsulated within the bone. There is a sinus above the apices of our molar teeth in the upper jaw called maxillary sinus. When the upper molar teeth are lost. 2 things can happen that complicate replacing them by a dental implant; loss of the volume of jaw bone because of tooth loss and also a downward expansion of the maxillary sinus.
A great way to increase this volume is to lift the floor of the sinus back up to where it was. This process is called a sinus lift.
The careful lifting of the sinus membrane leaves a cavity that can easily be filled with bone, artificial bone or osteoinductive/conductive material. Implants can often be placed simultaneously with a very high success rate.
This is a very common procedure as the posterior maxilla is very quick to give up its bone volume after tooth loss.
How painful is a dental implant surgery?
Most people who have received dental implants say that there is very little discomfort involved in the procedure. Local anesthesia can be used during the procedure, and most patients report that implants involve less pain than a tooth extraction. At Blue Tooth Dental, we offer conscious sedation (twilight sedation) for implant surgeries if you wish to be sedated during the procedure.
After the anesthetic wears off, mild soreness can be treated with over-the-counter pain killers, such as Nurofen or Panadol.
How should I care for my dental implants?
Dental implants require the same care as real teeth, including brushing, flossing, rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash, and regular dental check-ups and cleans.
Contact Blue Tooth Dental today and one of our friendly staff members will be more than happy to assist you.
Real Patients, Real Results.
