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Often, people can be put off by the term 'dental implants', fearing an invasive surgery. However, with dental implants, you will never have to worry about losing another tooth, no longer having to take out dentures and even changing a gap in your smile. So, just what are dental implants?

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are man-made roots that are delicately placed where your tooth used to be. Radically advancing technology means that this once cumbersome process can be done pain-free and if properly taken care of, can last decades. Unlike bridge or denture work, dental implants don't rely on neighbouring teeth for support and as they are made from titanium, are resistant to tooth decay. You can rest assured that at Seapoint Clinic, we use only the highest quality materials with long tern studies and data behind them. Unlike cheaper materials, our implants won't deteriorate over time.

Are Dental Implants For Everyone?

Incredibly, modern dentistry enables us to find a solution for everyone we see. We find that many patients have been told they are unsuitable in the past. We have several different types of implants designed for different types of situations to suit people from all walks of life. However, it is important to note that there must be enough bone in the jaw and the bone must be strong enough to both hold and support the implant. If there is not enough bone in the jaw, we can stimulate and grow bone in a procedure known as bone regeneration. Also useful in these situations are mini dental implants, in which with minimal remaining bone are placed with local anesthetic in a mere one hour.

What many people don't realise is that there is no age limit when it comes to an implant procedure. Here at Seapoint Clinic we welcome patients of all ages, from 18 to 90 and above getting dental implants following an accident, tooth extractions or general tooth loss. If you would once again like to smile with confidence, eat in comfort and prevent further tooth loss, dental implants are the ideal solution for you.

The Next Step...

Once you're ready to proceed, our team of highly qualified professionals will place you under local anesthetic, we recommend slight sedation to ensure you don't feel the slightest bit of discomfort throughout the procedure. Your complete comfort is our number one priority. Once you are comfortably numb, we gently lift the gum back to where the implant will be placed and make a small hole. The implant is then carefully secured into place and allowed to heal. On average, it takes your body about 12 weeks to fully fuse with the dental implant and become strong. Some clinics prefer a shorter recovery period, but we find that you have a better chance of completing a full recovery with a more patient approach as opposed to being rushed towards the end result. In the case of poor quality foundations, this may take longer, however considering that you will now have a tooth for life, is well worth the wait. We have a wide range of implants and can cater for patients with various requirements, be sure to check our Dental Implants Frequently Asked Questions for further information.