Dental
Implants

DENTAL IMPLANTS

A missing tooth can cause a lot of unexpected problems. From a cosmetic point of view, there can be a gap in your smile, which may cause you to be self-conscious or embarrassed. From a structural point of view drifting or movement of your remaining teeth can lead to alignment issues, uneven wear and speech problems.

But, don’t worry! Missing teeth is not something you have to live with. At Coogee Plaza dental, our dental implants are almost as good as the real thing. They are long-lasting and have the functionality, feel and appearance of natural teeth. Our dental implants are custom made for each patient ensuring they match perfectly with their own teeth.

What is a dental implant?

The implant consists of two parts: the implant itself, and the crown that’s fitted on top.

The implant: acts as the root of the tooth. It looks like a ‘screw’ or ‘post’ which is made from highly durable Titanium alloy. Titanium is one of the most biocompatible materials and once the post is implanted into your jawbone it becomes integrated into your bone through Osseo integration. A process whereby your bone naturally fuses around the surface of your new implant, which is why they are so long-lasting.

The crown: once the implant has fused with your jawbone, usually 8 weeks to 6 months after the procedure, a crown is attached to the implant’s screw to create your new tooth. The crown is made from porcelain fused to metal, and is colour and shape matched to your own teeth, so there’s no telling them apart from your real teeth.

The experienced team at Coogee Plaza Dental are committed to helping our patients find a long-term tooth replacement solution that suits their needs.

Single Tooth Implants

A single tooth implant may be an option for you if you have a gap due to permanent tooth missing from birth or due to an extraction caused by:

• Trauma
• Infection
• Failed root canal treatment
• Tooth or root fracture
• A crown that keeps falling out (not enough tooth left to hold it in place).

A correctly sized and properly fitted implant-supported tooth reduces lateral movement of your teeth, ‘drifting’ of neighbouring teeth or over eruption of the opposite teeth. Also, because there is continued loading on your jaw from the implant, there is a far lower risk of resorption shrinking in the underlying jaw bone, which can happen following an extraction.

With advances in technology and success, implant-supported crowns have a very high long- term success rate (close to 98%) with good oral hygiene and dental care.

At Coogee Plaza Dental, we can match your single tooth implants to your natural teeth, so even you will find it hard to tell which is which.

Multiple Teeth Implants

If you have multiple missing teeth, loose teeth, a poorly fitted partial denture, a failing tooth-supported bridge or not enough teeth to support a bridge, you may be a candidate for multiple teeth implants.

Multiple teeth implants can solve issues where you may not be able to chew properly or are limited in what you can eat with your denture. If you want to eat that apple or steak again, or if you are sick of food getting stuck under your denture, you might like to consider a multiple teeth implants.

As with single implants, multiple teeth implants can be implanted without any damage to other healthy neighbouring teeth and can last a lifetime with good dental hygiene and regular check-ups.

Dental Implant Procedure /Process

To assess if dental implants are the right solution for you, you will need to book an appointment at our clinic where one of our dentists will carry out a bone quality assessment. Through this the health of your teeth, bone and gums are assessed using x-rays and a CT scan to identify any gum disease or cavities that need to be treated prior to fitting the implant.

If you are a candidate for dental implants, you will go through the following process:

• Local anaesthetic will be used to numb the area of your implant and the immediately surrounding area. If you need it, sedation options are available to help you through this process.
• Sometimes, you may need bone or soft tissue grafting if either the bone, gum or soft issue are deficient or there is a
• A hole will then be drilled into the bone and a titanium dental implant placed into it
• Your gum will then be closed around the implant and we will leave the site to heal for 8 – 12 weeks. During this time, the implant will integrate into your bone, forming a strong foundation for your new tooth.
• At your next appointment, the implant is uncovered and an extension called a post is attached. The implant and post act as the anchor for your new tooth.
• After the gum tissue around the post has healed, impressions (moulds) are taken and a custom-made crown that suits your natural teeth in size, shape and colour is created. The crown is finally fitted securely to the implanted base.
• The implant process can take up to 6 months with healing

Dental implant costs can vary, depending on the extent of the procedure. To find out if you are eligible for dental implants, to discuss dental implant costs or to book your dental implants, call our friendly and helpful team today.