Hi, I’m Dr Michael Cai, the principal dentist of Pitt St Dental Centre here in Sydney CBD.
One of our long term patients, Sofia from Milsons Point, visited our clinic last Monday. She came in for her regular check up and clean with one of our hygienists. On her way out, we bumped into each other in the lift, and she asked me about getting dental implants for her dad, as he has a few missing teeth.
I explained the process with her, and she said, “ok, that doesn’t sound very traumatic. Let’s book my dad in.”
For people with a missing tooth or a few missing teeth, it is a very common question, so I decided to make a quick video sharing with you what I shared with Sofia.
We will start with a comprehensive examination. We will be taking some x-rays to determine the shape and the size of the jawbone, as well as the gum condition because they are what’s supporting the dental implants. We have a CBCT onsite to take 3D x-rays. This means you don’t need to make a separate appointment to see a radiologist, it can all be done conveniently in the same appointment, saving you time.
In most cases, if the tooth is still there and needs to be removed, what we do is we are able to take the tooth out and place the implant at the same time. This is better because it’s just one surgery. It costs less, it’s more efficient, and you’re without teeth for a shorter period of time. The surgery itself can be performed under local anaesthetics or you can be sedated for the procedure.
But if the tooth is removed, what we need to do is to place the screw in the jawbone and let it heal for about six to twelve weeks. This is a process called osseointegration, where the bone grows around the implant and locks it in. During this visit, we will also give you a temporary crown so you won’t walk out without a tooth. If that’s not possible, we’ll give you a temporary restoration, either a plate or some sort of retainer, to ensure you look good during the healing period.
Once the implant is secured in the bone, you will come back in, where we will do a scan and get a crown made that’s attached to the implant.
So the whole process takes four visits:
- The first visit is the consultation to get all the diagnostic data and do all the planning.
- The second visit is for the surgery to place the screw.
- The third visit is a few months later to do the scan to get the teeth made.
- The final visit is for the fitting.
Then, of course, regular maintenance is very important to ensure that the implants will last for a long, long time.
I hope you found this video useful. If you have a missing tooth or a few missing teeth, are based in Sydney, and are considering dental implants, we would love to look after you. Here at Pitt Street Dental Centre, we have done thousands of dental implants over the years, so you will be in experienced hands.
Simply call us on +61 2 8000 1832, complete the form on our website, or send us a DM on social media, and we’ll help you organise a smile consultation. See you in the next video.
