Implants

Dental implants have the potential to be life-changing, restoring your ability to chew, bite and speak – they’re widely considered to be the next best thing to a real tooth.

A dental implant mimics the role of a real tooth root and is surgically inserted into your jawbone, securing a replacement tooth, bridges or set of removable dentures in place. Dental implants are a viable option for replacing a single missing tooth, or multiple missing teeth and are a popular option for those with ill-fitting dentures, offering a much better degree of stability.

Here at Oatlands Dental Lounge, we offer a variety of implant treatments to suit a range of needs.

What are dental implants?

A dental implant is made of three elements:

• A titanium fixture: that fuses into the jaw.
• An abutment: which forms a small post protruding above the gum line.
• A restoration: the tooth-like element that provides chewing, biting and aesthetic function. This could be a bridge, dentures or a crown.

Whilst dental implants are always made from titanium, the quality can differ depending on the specific brand a dental practice uses. Here at Oatlands Dental Lounge, we’re proud to use implants made by globally prestigious and market-leading brand Straumann, who have the backup of multiple clinical and scientific studies. Straumann is used by a number of the world’s most respected dental implant providers.

What are the benefits of dental implants?

• Improving your smile: the new restoration that sits on top of your dental implant will feel and function like a real tooth. As implants are placed directly into your jawbone it helps to reduce further bone loss which occurs following a dental extraction.
• Eat with ease and confidence: enjoy a broader diversity of foods including tougher foods that may have previously been off limits. You will also find you’re able to break down foods without pain or irritation to your gums and that your food tastes better.
• Improved quality of life: by restoring your chewing ability, resolving speech problems, and improving the appearance of your smile, many patients find their confidence and well-being levels soar.
• Reliable treatment: dental implants have an excellent success rate of 95%.

What is the procedure behind dental implants?

• Consultation: During your initial consultation, our implant dentists will examine your teeth and gums to determine if you have sufficient and healthy bones to support dental implants and to check your periodontal health is satisfactory. Please see the FAQs below for information on suitability for treatment.
• Assessment: Treatment planning is a crucial stage of the implant’s journey. You will have a full assessment, (covering both dental and medical aspects), 3D imaging, model planning and detailed design prior to any implant procedure.
• Placing the implant:  Your implant will be inserted into the jawbone, and left to heal for a period of around 3-6 months. Your dental implant will grow around your jawbone during this time, and the duration of this depends on the quality of bone present where the implants were placed. At Oatlands Dental Lounge, we offer a Guided Surgery implant, which is digitally planned. This is a highly accurate method of implant placement, reducing common risks by predetermining the optimum position and exact depth and angle of the implant in advance.
• Placing your restoration:  Using the digital scans and moulds taken at your previous appointment, our laboratory will create a bespoke restoration that restores aesthetics and function to your smile. The placement of the restoration depends on whether it is a single tooth or multiple teeth being replaced.

FAQs