Implant Placement

Having a tooth restored with an implant involves several appointments

Implant treatment can make a huge impact, especially if restoring a smile and replacing several missing teeth. Depending on the amount of teeth being replaced, the treatment can take up to a year. However the end result can last a life time.

Assessment

The first thing we’ll do is check your bone density. We carry out 3D x-rays and intra-oral scans to review your bone volume and also to look for any other oral health issues that might affect your implant treatment. Once we’ve reviewed your suitability for the treatment, we’ll create your treatment plan.

Implant placement

Before we start the treatment, we make sure you are always comfortable and relaxed. We offer sedation for any nervous patients to help you through the treatment.

We place the implant under local anaesthetic, reducing any discomfort. Over a few months, the implant will bond with the bone, a process known as osseo-integration. We provide a temporary bridge to protect the implant as it heals.

When the implant has fused, we carry out a simple procedure to expose the top of the implant. We wait for the gum tissue to heal and then take digital scans of your mouth. These scans are then used to create your beautifully life-like replacement tooth.

Replacing the tooth

At The Bush Dental Clinic, we have an on-site Cerec machine which means we can create ceramic restorations at our practice. There’s no need for us to send our impressions and scans off to an external dental lab to have the restorations made. The 3D scans we take using our intra-oral camera are sent the machine where the replacement tooth is made from a block of ceramic using CAD/CAM technology.

We polish the crown and then fit it onto the abutment that is fixed onto the implant. We make sure you are happy with the end result.

Aftercare

Care of the mouth after implant placement

1. Do not rinse or spit out for the rest of the day, as it will prolong the bleeding.
2. You can eat and drink as normal once the anaesthetic has worn off but keep to a soft diet and avoid the surgical area.
3. If you have stitches they will usually be dissolving unless advised. These will fall out in approximately 5-14 days.
4. Keep your fingers and tongue away from the wound.
5. You can expect some minor oozing and blood stained saliva but if the wounds keeps on bleeding:
   • Make a pad out of the swabs and place it on the wound and bite firmly for half an hour.
   • If this does not work, repeat above
   • If the bleeding does not stop please contact me.
6. Start rinsing out with the mouthwash provided, up to four times, the following day.
7. You should expect some soreness, bruising and swelling which is normal and this may restrict your activities over the next few days. Ibuprofen (if you can take it) is the best painkiller.
8. If you smoke, try and avoid smoking for as long as you can or have as few cigarettes as you can for up to a week.
9. If you have been advised following an upper implant placement, do not blow your nose for 2 weeks.
10. If you have any numbness the following day, please contact the surgery.