Southampton's Centre For Dental Implant Excellence.
Southampton's Centre For Dental Implant Excellence.
Southampton's Centre For Dental Implant Excellence.
Southampton's Centre For Dental Implant Excellence.
Our warm and very welcoming patient care team will discuss your concerns and wishes for treatment. Usually this will be folowed by a consultation with our implant dentist, Dr John Caldwell. John will listen to you, carefully examine you to gather the required information prior to creating a bespoke range of treatment options. He may suggest an in house CBCT digital 3D bone scan to assess your suitablity for dental implants. He can then create a treatment proposal based on your individual needs and wishes.
Dental implants are placed under local anaesthetic, so the procedure is not painful. Just like with any other dental procedure, local anaesthetic takes away any painful sensation for several hours so that you can comfortably undergo the procedure. We can also undertake the procedure with local anaesthetic and sedation.
It is normal to experience some discomfort for up to 10 days following the implant placement procedure. After 2 weeks we will arrange a review appointment so that we can check on the healing, make adjustments and if needed to remove your stitches.
Once your bone has grown on to the implant (a process called osseointegration) the risk of complications when attaching teeth to the implants (referred to as ‘loading’) decreases. This healing period typically takes 2 to 3 months.
Following the healing period, we will bring you in to recheck the success of your implant surgery. Implant integration success rates in healthy non-smoking patients is more than 95% and it is at this stage that we are able to confirm whether your implants have integrated successfully.
Dental implants can last forever but this is not always the case. It is best to make your decision on the assumption that you will need some form of maintenance of your implant and restoration in your lifetime – the younger you are, the more likely this will be.
Complications related to dental implants can be categorised as short
and long term, and biological or mechanical.
In the short run, it takes a few months for your body to grow bone onto the implant surface – a process known as osseointegration. The success rate is excellent, in excess of 95% if certain protocols are followed.
In the long run, biological problems can cause the development of gum disease around your implant. This is more likely to happen if you smoke, have gum disease (periodontitis), do not clean your implants thoroughly and regularly (with toothbrushes and interdental brushes), do not visit your dentist and hygienist regularly or have certain medical conditions (for example diabetes).
Mechanical complications can lead to chipping, staining and wear of your restoration. Over time, as with anything manmade, more extensive maintenance may be needed, such as replacing the crown/bridge/denture. Dentures are often cheaper than ceramic restorations such as crowns and bridge, but the softer materials will need replacing more frequently.
If the implant under the gum is healthy, then replacing the restoration on top is normally straightforward but can be costly and should be factored into your decision.
Contact us at Hilltop Dental Practice on 023 8077 5900 to find out more about any of our treatments or book a consultation with one of our experienced clinicians.