Unlike dentures and bridges, dental implants don’t damage the neighbouring teeth by grinding down the teeth to fix the appliance.
Dental implants are made of titanium, the same material used by Orthopaedic surgeons in hip and knee replacements and are biocompatible with bone and the body. The titanium implant integrates or adheres to the bone beneath the gums, a phenomenon known as osseointegration and is biocompatible. Once the implant has integrated with the bone, a tooth form can be fixed on top to restore appearance, chewing function and prevent tilting of surrounding teeth and collapse of the bite.
To achieve the best long-term results, dental implants require thorough planning, including moulds of your teeth, photos, and a 3D xray to see if there is enough bone to support a dental implant. Once the planning is completed by the dentist, a consultation appointment will be organised to go over the plan and discussed whether you are suitable for a dental implant.
The implant placement is often able to be performed at Collins Dental Group by Dr Kate Collins and usually takes around 1–2 hours to place. Alternatively a referral to a gum specialist will be arranged if your case is more complex.
