Dental implants, full restorations
At our clinic, Smile Care Cosmetic Centre, the addition of dental implants in Plymouth has been an exciting one, giving our patients the opportunity to restore lost teeth that once would have been challenging. Let’s find out more.
How are dental implants in Plymouth installed?
Oral implants are a multi-session treatment. During the first appointment, the gum at the implant site is opened, exposing the underlying jawbone. A hole is then drilled into the bone and the implant is placed, with the gum being closed over the implant with either surgical glue or sutures. Over the next 4 to 12 months, the implant that is being supported by the gum tissues fuses to the surrounding bone. This is referred to as osseointegration and is a key part of making oral implants a viable treatment.
After the implant is fully fused in place, confirmed by X-ray, a prosthetic crown can be installed on top, this is known as loading. After the implant is loaded, you’ll be able to use it as any other tooth. The crown is held in place by a locking mechanism, known as a connector. It allows the treatment to occur in two steps, but also the flexibility to remove and swap the prosthetic if required without disrupting the titanium implant.
Aftercare and common complications
The most critical time during the integration phase is the period following when the implant is put into place. There is a small risk of infection after the implantation, so if you experience continued soreness or worsening reddening around the implantation site 3 days after the procedure, you should contact our clinic. Based on our findings, a course of antibiotics will probably be appropriate.
If you have a condition that reduces your immune response, you may be placed on antibiotics to minimise infection risk. Your rate of bone growth is affected by many factors, some genetic and some environmental. For instance, it is important that you do not smoke while your implant is integrating as this significantly slows down the healing process.
One of the key aspects of the screening process is to look for any underlying conditions or lifestyle choices that may affect successful treatment and reactively address them if you’re exploring further into having implants fitted. Exactly what steps need to be taken varies greatly from patient to patient, so for more information, we strongly recommend getting in contact with our clinic and asking for a full assessment.
Managing care cost
In order to make treatments as inclusive as possible, we provide interest-free credit and payment plans for all oral implants and many other procedures. This can work out to be in line with your regular finances, rather than a single significant expense.
If you have any further questions about our procedures or you think a family member could benefit from dental implants in Plymouth please feel free to get in contact with the surgery. We are glad to be back to normal service and are currently accepting new patients, and we would be happy to hear from you. So, call us today!
