There was a time when dental solutions consisted only of patient dentures, bridges, fillings or extractions and a visit to the dentist was considered a chore. Today however, everything has changed and with the incredible advances in technology, almost anything is possible. Those years of suffering with toothache or dentures that failed to fit properly have all altered for the better. Computers and smartphones have brought about a change in the way people go about our daily business and many people are more self aware than they were in the past. The advent of the selfie has made people more conscious of their smile, and the colour and shape of teeth is now extremely important. People want to be able to share their smiles with family and friends all over the world and to do this, they require a dentist with almost mystical powers.The dental implant Melbourne has developed and improved patients smiles by leaps and bounds over the past five decades and are now more routinely done than ever before.
What makes oral implants so special?
In the first instance, your teeth are there to provide you with a means of reducing our food properly so that your stomach can digest what it is fed. To do this, your jaws exert an enormous amount of pressure from the bottom and top. The problem up to now with artificial teeth is that creating a stable base to exert this pressure has not always been easy.Oral implants Melbourne provides the solution to this problem providing procedures for a variety of dental treatments. Each of these treatments produces the solution to that problem of stability and now allows patients to enjoy a natural action when eating and an aesthetically pleasing result when smiling.
What is involved?
The first step is to consult the dentist who will carry out a thorough examination of a patient’s teeth, gums and jawbone. Fortunately the latest technology allows the dentist to take X-rays, CT scans and intra-oral camera views of the inside of a patient’s mouth. This step is very thorough as it is important to obtain all of a patient’s medical information and a clear picture of teeth, gums and jawbone. This will allow for a comprehensive report to be produced to enable the dentist to make a properly informed assessment of the condition of the mouth and the possible solutions. The findings will be discussed in depth and a dental procedure plan will be produced for the patient to be able to decide on the preferred treatment. Once the decision has been made by the patient to have an implant, the next stage will be the actual procedure to set the implant in place.
The implant procedure
Implant procedures in Melbourne can be done for a single tooth, multiple teeth or a complete mouth of teeth. The problem tooth will be removed and then a small hole is drilled into the jawbone. A titanium post is then inserted into the hole acting in the same way that a root anchors a normal tooth. Titanium is used because it fuses easily with the bone. An abutment is then inserted into the post that provides the base for the crown or artificial tooth to rest on. Finally a crown is inserted onto the abutment. The crown is shaped and coloured to match the surrounding natural teeth. A procedure known as same day teeth can be done in certain cases and the patient can leave on the same day with the new tooth in place.
Different types of implant
If a patient has the need to replace more than one tooth but less than four a single implant can support a bridge of up to four teeth. Advances have now allowed for another procedure to be used to replace an entire mouth of teeth. This procedure is referred to as all-on-four and by using four implants correctly placed a full set of new teeth can be fitted that will remain stable. After care is straightforward and just like normal teeth proper brushing with a soft brush and regular flossing coupled with regular six monthly visits to the dentist will ensure many years of happy and healthy use.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
