Dental Implants

Have you lost a tooth?  Maybe you had decay on a tooth and it was not possible to save it? There are several options to replace a missing tooth but dental implants are generally considered the best option. A dental implant is an artificial root made of titanium metal. It is inserted into the jawbone to replace the root of the natural tooth. A replacement tooth or crown is attached to the implant. The implant acts as an anchor to hold the crown in place. If you are missing several teeth, a fixed bridge can often be placed to span between two or more implants.

If you are in good general health, have healthy gums and have enough bone in the jaw to hold an implant, dental implants might be right for you. If your jawbone has shrunk or if it has not developed normally, you may be able to have a bone graft to build up the bone. A bone graft is a way of adding new bone to your jawbone. Your dentist or dental specialist will tell you if bone grafting can be done.

Dental implant surgery can offer a welcome alternative to dentures or bridges that do not fit well or, where there are not enough teeth present to do bridges.

You are a good candidate for a dental implant if you:

• Are in good health
• Have healthy oral tissues
• Have one or more missing teeth
• Have enough bone to secure the implant or are able to have a bone graft
• Are willing to commit several months to the process
• Are committed to taking care of the implanted teeth with regular brushing and flossing

You may not be a good candidate if:

• You do not have enough bone to place an implant and bone grafting is not an option
• You have a health condition that may affect bone healing
• A fixed bridge may provide a better aesthetic option

Although we don’t provide implant placement surgery at Viva Dental Victoria, we do restore your implant with a crown after the implant has been placed and is healed.  Implant placement is a delicate surgical procedure so we can refer you to a local dental specialist with advanced training in this type of surgery.  We will then work with the specialist to ensure that the implant meets the criteria we need to place a successful restoration.

There are several options to replace missing teeth including, implants, bridges and dentures.  Implants offer some distinct advantages over bridges including:

• There is no need to trim down the teeth adjacent to the gap is with bridges
• Implants are about 95% successful and can last a lifetime while bridges last only 10 - 20 years.
• May be problems with food impaction under bridges

However, in certain situations, a bridge may be a better choice than an implant. Some examples include when:

• there is insufficient bone present for an implant and bone grafting is not feasible
• medical issues preclude placing implants
• a bridge may be more aesthetic due to extensive bone loss
• the teeth adjacent to the gap require crowns anyway
• implant cost is an issue

The longevity of any type of restoration depends on many factors including diet, oral hygiene practices, clenching and grinding, position of the restoration in the mouth, and general oral health and lifestyle.

• Your dentist or specialist will review your medical history and carefully examine your mouth

• X-rays and possibly a 3D image of your jaw and teeth will be taken to find out if dental implants are right for you

• During the first stage of surgery, your dental specialist will put a dental implant into your jawbone beneath the gum tissue. The gum tissue is then stitched back into place. As the tissue heals, the implant will bond with the bone and attach to the gum. It can take several months to heal

• After several months, when the tissue has healed, your dentist will attach an abutment and replacement tooth (porcelain crown) to the implant.  An abutment is a post that connects the crown to the implant

• It may take several appointments to fabricate and properly fit the crown to the abutment

• In some cases, the first and second stages of implant surgery may be done in one single stage

• When replacing several teeth or all of your teeth, a fixed bridge is anchored to your dental implants. A bridge is a dental restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth by spanning an area that has no teeth. The bridge is held firmly in place by dental implants on each side of the missing tooth or teeth



• Implants can cost more than other kinds of replacement teeth and might not be covered by your dental plan. But in most cases, this is a one-time cost, unlike other kinds of tooth replacement procedures

Like any surgery, dental implant surgery poses some health risks. Although problems are rare, they do occur.  Usually, they are minor and easily treated. Some risks include:

• Infection at the implant site
• Injury or damage to surrounding structures, such as other teeth or blood vessels
• Nerve damage, which can cause pain, numbness or tingling in your natural teeth, gums, lips or chin
• Sinus problems if dental implants placed in the upper jaw protrude into one of your sinus cavities