580 Glen Huntly RoadSimplified guide to having dental implants fitted
Most people have heard of the restorative and cosmetic procedure known as oral implantation. Affixed to the jaw via surgery, the implants themselves are small titanium screws that fuse to the surrounding jawbone over a period of 3 to 6 months. When they are fused in place, a prosthetic tooth or set of teeth are attached to the top of them and you are then left with a realistic looking prosthetic that will not move and will allow you to bite into and chew food. 
It’s easy to see why this option is so popular!
When you come to High Dental to discuss having dental implants Melbourne fitted with our team, we will assess your suitability and will always discuss exactly what is involved at each step of the treatment. We will aim to use jargon-free language and answer your questions fully, so you can understand exactly what is involved in the process.
But what exactly is involved in having dental implants Melbourne fitted? Here is a brief guide from our team.
The assessment
When you want to have dental implants Melbourne fitted, you need to attend a consultation with our team. This will involve us taking an X-ray of your upper and lower jaw and assessing the condition of the teeth you have in your mouth and your gums. If you have active gum disease or tooth decay, these will need to be treated before we proceed. The X-ray is to assess the strength and stability of your jawbone and if all is well, we will book you in for the fitting.
The fitting of the implants
Many people are concerned that when they have oral implants fitted, the process will be uncomfortable, but rest assured it isn’t. Much like having a filling, our team will of course numb the area with a local anaesthetic or, if you are a nervous patient, we will offer you sedation. Then we will make the incision into the gum line in the pre-chosen area, peeling the gum back. We will then begin to gently drill into the jawbone to make a hole for the implant. Once the implant is in place, the gum will be sewn up around the implant and the treatment will be completed. The process will take around 1 to 2 hours per implant.
Caring for the implants
Caring for the implants is very straightforward. You will need to avoid putting pressure onto them as this can cause them to move or fuse at an unusual angle, but you will need to keep the site of the implants clean. Our team recommends that you rinse the area as many times a day as required with lukewarm salt water, which will help to reduce the swelling.
Prosthetics
Around 3 to 6 months after your implants have been fitted you will be called into the surgery and our team will begin fitting the prosthetic tooth or teeth. The prosthetics will be colour matched to blend in with the surrounding natural teeth although, if you are having a set of dentures fitted, they can be as white and bright as you want them to be! The process of fitting the prosthetic teeth takes between 1 to 2 hours and once in place, the prosthetics will not move.
Life-long care
One of the reasons why implants are so popular is because they are easy to care for. Once they have fused and the prosthetics are placed, you simply need to brush them and floss them as you would your natural teeth, and attend biannual check-ups with our team.
DISCLAIMER
All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.