With all surgical treatments such as dental implants, the first step is to have a consultation so you can learn more about implants. Your implant consultation will be conducted by Katie who has many years of experience in placing dental implants. Our consultation includes a thorough 16 point clinical examination of your mouth. This includes looking at your teeth, soft tissues, gums, jaw joint and reviewing your mouth for signs of oral cancer. The straightness of your teeth and your bite are considered, and spaces and missing teeth are assessed. We also will look at your existing treatment, fillings, crowns, bridges etc. If you have dentures we will check them for comfort, fit and function.
Routinely we will look at the appearance, colour and shape of your teeth to make sure your smile remains attractive.
The area you are interested in having implants in will be reviewed in detail, including discussing all of your options for replacement of missing teeth. There will be the opportunity to ask any questions you might have about dental implants, and at the end of this appointment, you will receive a full, bespoke written treatment plan to give you a clear idea to get your smile back on track.
During this treatment, your x-rays are discussed, and a 3D scan is arranged. You can choose to have a scan at home or even at work during your lunch break. The scan results will help the dentist to see the exact volume of bone you have available, as well as the position of vital structures such nerves and your air sinuses. If you wish, you can choose to have it in surgery. At this stage, we also offer Finance options so you can choose an affordable payment plan such as 0% for first 12 months.
Depending on what treatment you require, your next appointment may be to perform a surgery to place implants in the jaw. Temporary teeth to restore the gap may also be provided at this stage. These temporary teeth usually are sturdy enough to last for 3-4 months, while the implant heals and fuses with the jaw.
As the implant heals and the implant fuses to the bone, we can continue your treatment. During this session, we will expose, or uncover the implant and place a new cover into the top of the implant. This allows us to access the top of the implant, and to encourage the gum to heal around it in a favourable position. This is a simple procedure under local anaesthetic and has minimal recovery time.
Following this stage, we can then take an impression, or model of the top of the implant and surrounding teeth and gums. We also take the shade of your teeth to ensure the best possible match to your existing teeth. During this appointment, you can also request the shape of the teeth so we can curate the artificial tooth as natural and beautiful as possible.
During this appointment, we aim to fit your custom made crown on your implant; implant crowns can be held on with a small screw or can be cemented in place. During this visit, we will take time to guarantee the perfect fit of your custom-designed crown, and we will check the fit against the neighbouring teeth, the bite and most importantly, the appearance. You will leave this appointment with your new beautiful smile. Your dentist will also take some photographs and explain how to care for the implant.
Around 3 months after your new smile is fitted, we arrange a complimentary review appointment. This is a review of your implant to ensure it is settling in well and you are happy with the area. We will also take an x-ray if required and often some new photographs to allow us both to review the improvement to your smile.
