What an implant actually is
An implant is a small titanium post that takes the place of a natural tooth root. Bone grows directly onto its surface in a process called osseointegration, which is what gives an implant its stability. Once integrated, your restorative dentist attaches an abutment and a crown.
Because the implant stands on its own, the healthy teeth on either side are left untouched. That is the central advantage over a conventional bridge, which requires those neighbouring teeth to be reduced.
Planning the site
Implant surgery is a planning exercise before it is a surgical one. A cone beam CT scan gives us the height, width and density of bone at the site, and the position of the sinus and nerve. From that we work backwards from where the tooth needs to sit, not from where the bone happens to be.
If the site is short of bone, grafting comes first and the implant follows once the graft has matured. Where the anatomy allows it, extraction, grafting and implant placement can sometimes be combined into a single appointment.
Timeline
Integration usually takes three to six months, depending on the site and whether grafting was needed. You are not without a tooth during that time. A temporary is arranged so the space is never left visibly open in the aesthetic zone.
We place and restore in partnership with your general dentist, and we coordinate the handover so the sequence is clear to everyone from the start.
Implants are often the right answer when
- A single tooth is missing or cannot be saved
- A bridge would mean cutting down healthy adjacent teeth
- A denture has become loose as the ridge has resorbed
- Several teeth in one arch are failing at once
Nothing on this page replaces an examination. What is right for you depends on your imaging, your medical history and what you want out of the result. We will set all of that out at the consultation, in plain language.
