Dentist Gladesville

The Initial Consultation: Laying the Groundwork

The journey towards receiving dental implants begins with an initial consultation. During this phase, a dental professional will conduct a thorough examination of your oral health. This is crucial for assessing the suitability of implants for your specific case. The assessment typically includes dental X-rays or CT scans to evaluate the density and quality of your jawbone. Here, the focus is on ensuring great oral health before proceeding, as a healthy jawbone is essential for the successful integration of the implants.

Planning and Preparation: Tailored Treatment Plans

Once you are deemed a suitable candidate for tooth implants, the next step involves detailed treatment planning. Dentists use precise imaging to create a surgical plan that helps in accurately positioning the implants in the jawbone. This meticulous planning is designed to align with the unique contours of your mouth and the specific location of missing teeth, ensuring that the final outcome not only looks natural but also functions effectively.

Surgical Procedure: Implant Placement

The actual implantation process is the next step. This surgery is performed under local anaesthesia, and if needed, sedation can be provided to keep you comfortable and anxiety-free throughout the procedure. The dentist will create a minor cut in the gum to reveal the bone for inserting the dental implant, typically a titanium post selected for its strength and compatibility with the bone. This material's biocompatibility facilitates seamless integration, known as osseointegration. This phase is critical as it lays the foundational support for the new tooth.

Healing and Osseointegration: The Integration Phase

Following the implant placement, the healing phase commences, lasting for several months. During this time, the tooth implant will fuse with the jawbone in a natural process called osseointegration. It's imperative during this phase to maintain great oral health to facilitate proper healing and integration. Patients are recommended to adhere to a soft diet and maintain meticulous oral hygiene to avoid any complications.

Abutment Placement and Prosthetic Attachment: Final Steps

Once the implant has successfully integrated with the bone, an additional minor surgery might be required to place an abutment — which serves as a link between the implant and the crown. Once the gums have healed around the dental abutment, impressions of the oral cavity are captured to craft the final prosthetic tooth. Subsequently, the crown, meticulously designed to mimic the natural colour and shape of your teeth, is affixed onto the abutment.