Advancements in dental technology and oral surgery in recent years have made the dental implant increasingly popular. Though it may sound a bit scary, a dental implant is actually quite a conservative procedure!

The dental implant’s effectiveness in replacing a lost, missing, damaged or deteriorated tooth is unparalleled. It’s a versatile procedure with many applications. The cost is now not much more than the lesser alternatives.

Dental implant procedures can be used to replace a single tooth, several teeth, or to create an implant-supported denture or bridge.

Unlike a conventional crown or bridge, a dental implant replaces both the tooth and its root. It looks and feels natural, and it’s strong and durable. The dental implant doesn’t rely on surrounding teeth for support, and no healthy tooth structure has to be altered in the process.

There are two steps to dental implant procedures: the insertion of the implant (an artificial “tooth root”) into the jaw bone; and the placement of the crown or implant-supported denture or bridge.

The insertion of the implant is crucial. This procedure is performed by a specialist oral or periodontal surgeon, under a local anesthetic.

Your dentist will liaise closely with the oral/periodontal surgeon to ensure the correct positioning and angulations of the implant. (There are excellent local oral and periodontal surgeons we work with regularly.)

Once the implant has bonded, the procedure is completed with the placement of the crown or implant-supported denture or bridge. In special cases, the placement may be referred to as a prosthodontist.

The dental implant is highly effective – and conservative! – Alternative to crowns and bridges. In fact, it has the highest success rate of all tooth replacement techniques.