What stages are involved in having a Dental Implant….

There are many stages involved when having a dental implant placed however not all of these stages involve you being in the dental chair. The stages are listed below so you know what will be required and when.

Stage 1 – Treatment Coordinator appointment

The first stage of your journey will be with one of our fabulous treatment coordinators. They will discuss with you all about what Dental Implants are, and how they help get your smile back. You can ask questions about the procedure and also costs, to help you decide if an implant is right for you.
They will also discuss the following stages of your journey too.

Stage 2 – Implant Consultation

At this appointment, Emma will assess the health of your teeth and gums, and discuss the options that might be right for you, to replace your missing teeth. If you are suitable, and you are happy that an Implant is the dental treatment for you, we will then arrange further appointments to gather all the clinical information we need to design your treatment plan.

Stage 3 – Diagnostics Appointment

At this stage we will take lots of photos, a full mouth intra oral scan with our dedicated state of the art scanner, and a CBCT dental x ray. All this information is then used to plan where we need to place the dental implant, and assess where there is enough bone to support the implant. This stage allows you to see what your Implant will look like at the end of treatment.

Our state of the art digital scanner captures all the details of your teeth and soft tissues, providing us with all the information we need. Its very quick and really comfortable. You’re able to take a look straight after so you can see all the details of your teeth and mouth.

A CBCT scanner is a big 3D x ray of your teeth and jaws. It enables Emma to assess your bone structure and the health of your other teeth. Emma can then plan your case accurately and provide you with a 3D design of your new tooth, before she starts your treatment. This level of planning and precision ensures your procedure is very safe

Stage 4 – Discussion Appointment

Emma will provide for you a full bespoke treatment plan, with all the results from the appointment above. This will enable you to ensure you are completely happy with the treatment planned. She will go through everything with you at this appointment, and you are encouraged to ask any questions you might have about your dental implants. You will be numb for a few hours after the procedure, and will need to take some pain relief to reduce the discomfort. You will have stitches placed, and these will be removed 7-14 days after your surgery, depending on whether you need a bone graft or not. This will be discussed in the previous visit, as it depends on your individual needs,

Stage 5 – Implant Placement

This appointment is the surgery appointment. You can have the procedure under local anesthetic alone, or with sedation if you prefer. Emma will have discussed both options with you at your last visit.
After this visit, you may or may not have a temporary solution in place-this might be a denture, or it may be a bridge. This will be in place until you have your crown fitted onto your implant.

“Implant placement requires a small surgical procedure, and is completed at Newby Dental Practice”

This appointment will be a bit longer than the others, and you will be given detailed instructions of how to look after the area, once the implant is placed.

Stage 6 – Exposure, or cap replacement appointment

To ensure your gum heals well around your new implant, an appointment is arranged to change the cap in the implant, to encourage improved gum healing and shape. This appointment is usually between 6-12 weeks after your surgery, again this depends on if you have required a bone graft in the area.

Example of a healing cap on a dental implant

Stage 7 – Scanning Appointment

After 2 weeks of this further healing, we will arrange to rescan your mouth, teeth and implant, as well as taking further photos. This is so that we can arrange for your new crown to be made for your implant.

Stage 8 – Crown Fit appointment

At this stage the final crown will be fitted to your implant. In some cases a provisional crown will be required for a short period of time, if this is the case, Emma will have discussed this with you at your initial appointment. You will then be taught how to look after your new beautiful tooth and a visit with the hygienist will be arranged to help you with any problems you might have.

Custom made crown fits precisely onto the dental implant

Stage 9 – Review appointment

A further visit is then required for Emma to check how you are getting on with your new implant. This may be done at the same time as seeing the hygienist.

Stage 10 – Ongoing visits

We encourage anyone who has had dental implants placed to see a hygienist at least every year. This ensures that the gum and bone around the implant is kept healthy. You should also ensure you visit the dentist at least yearly too, to monitor your new implant in the mouth and with x-rays, to check that it is stable in the bone.

It takes around 10-12 visits for a dental implant to be placed. This is much more for implant retained dentures, as the deter needs more visits to be made.
You also need ongoing visits to monitor and provide preventative treatments and advice for your new tooth, to ensure it lasts as long as possible

A dental implant is far more than just a dental treatment, its an investment in your new smile!
We’re here to make you smile