Fitting dental implants involves drilling into the part of the jawbone where the tooth is missing, and placing there the titanium screw which will form the artificial root of your prosthetic tooth. It might sound painful, but don’t worry! – the team at Harwood Dental Practice always use a local anaesthetic when performing this part of the treatment! If, however, you are a particularly nervous patient, we can offer dental sedation to ensure you are as comfortable as possible throughout the procedure. But rest assured – dental implants are a minor surgical procedure that has been performed for many years with an excellent success rate.
There are very rarely problems associated with this treatment, and they can boast a success rate of 98%. In rare circumstances, however, some of the problems that can sometimes occur with dental implants are:
Peri–implantitis – this is the destructive inflammatory process that occasionally affects the soft and hard tissues surrounding dental implants. The best way to prevent peri-implantitis is to maintain a good oral health care regime, and to visit the dental hygienist regularly after your implants have been placed. You should also avoid smoking as this can increase the risk of peri-implantitis developing.
Pain after the implants have been placed – a small level of discomfort is not unusual in the first couple of weeks following dental implant treatment, and can be managed with inexpensive, over-the-counter painkillers. If the pain continues after this point or increases in severity, however, please contact us as soon possible, as this may signify an underlying problem. Discomfort after implant placement is normal – excessive pain is not.
Your replacement teeth will be like natural teeth in more than just appearance – tooth implants will also need regular care and maintenance. If you maintain a good oral health care regime, they can last for over a decade, with the metal implant roots by Straumann®, they can last a lifetime.
You can view our pricing by visiting our prices page.
Most people are perfectly suitable candidates, but there are some rare exceptions – unfortunately, smokers and those with significant bone loss may not be suitable. This is something we will assess in an initial dental implant consultation.
