Dental implants are also known as implantology. De Necker Dentistry offers this surgical speciality to replace single or multiple missing teeth. Dental implants are a safe and permanent solution which supports a bridge, crown, denture or a facial prosthesis. This very simple procedure can boost your confidence and improve your looks.
Dental implants look and work like your original teeth. When you lose a tooth your jawbone can shrink and can cause your gums to recede. The opposing teeth are also affected so dental implants can help prevent this from happening.
Dental implants are man-made replacements for the tooth roots that have been lost or removed. They are stable and secure and behave like real roots by bonding naturally with the jawbone. Once the implant has taken place, a new ceramic tooth is fixed on top of the implant to complete the restoration, this is called a crown.
The dental implant procedure:
A highly qualified and experienced dentist will conduct an examination of your mouth and take x-rays.
2. Placing the implant
A local anaesthetic is administered in order to place the implant in the bone. Several drilling steps are followed during a short and virtually pain-free procedure.
3. Completing the implant procedure
To complete the implant procedure, a cover screw is placed which this seals off the implant. The gum is then stitched up with absorbable sutures, which is known as a ‘two-stage’ procedure. Later, the implant will have to be exposed again in order to take an impression and finalise the implant with a crown. Alternatively, a healing abutment is placed; this is a one-stage procedure as the gum will not have to be cut open again.
The implant will take a few months to bond naturally with the jawbone.
5. Preparing for the final crown
Once the bonding to the bone has taken place, the implant is “exposed” (made visible) for an impression to be taken. The healing abutment is replaced in the mouth and a shade guide is used to ensure that the crown colour matches your natural teeth.
6. The crown manufacturing process
The impression is then sent to the in-house De Necker dental laboratory where the patient’s crown is made.
7. Final stage: Fitting of your crown
The healing abutment is removed and a custom abutment is then fitted to the implant (which has been made by our dental laboratory). The abutment and the crown are then torqued down (to ensure that the crown will not loosen).
Multiple teeth missing
In the case where multiple teeth are missing (more than one implant placed), the above steps are followed but your final restoration may be a bridge.
All teeth missing
Dental implants are a solution in the case where all your teeth are missing. Implants are placed using the above steps but instead of crowns, ball abutments (small adapters that enable you to “click” your denture in and out) are placed on the implants. These ball abutments enable you to have a removable denture but with far more stability.