Dental implant tooth replacement treatment is the most natural solution to replace missing teeth. The Smile Team Balwyn North dental rooms have helped patients to replace hundreds of missing teeth with a high success rate.
Quite simply, dental implants are the most natural feeling and looking option to replace missing teeth. They allow patients to bite confidently into apples, and to smile proudly without gaps. They feel very solid to chew on, and are beautiful to look at. Dental implant treatment is a fantastic advancement in modern dental care.
Key benefits of dental implant treatment at The Smile Team
Key benefit number 1 is that for the majority of patients dental implant treatment can be completed entirely by The Smile Team from start to finish. Dr Xue has completed a postgraduate university degree specifically in dental implants that very few dentists have undertaken. This means you will benefit from highly qualified care with an excellent in depth understanding of all aspects of dental implant treatment. This minimizes the need to attend and have consultations with multiple clinicians at multiple locations for different steps.
Key benefit number 2 is that for your dental implant treatment only the best genuine dental implant products will be used from start to finish from world leading brands. The Smile Team Balwyn North dental rooms only work with Straumann of Switzerland and Astra of Sweden. These are highly reputable and internationally recognised dental implant companies chosen for their decades of proven safety, patient care and success.
Key benefit number 3 is that through our expertise we will select only the very best dental implant crown manufacturing methods to be used to complete your dental implant treatment. This is because that although there are multiple ways to create any given dental implant crown, there are certain methods which have been proven to be more reliable than others. Our expertise and experience allows us to understand and select the longest lasting methods for you. This means that The Smile Team will provide you with a final crown that not only looks good now, but has the reliability to be working for you well into the future.
The Smile Team treatment steps
Dental implant treatment involves the placement of a biocompatible titanium post / screw into the jaw beneath the surface of the gum tissue. Following a period of integration, this screw can serve like a solid foundation for a tooth crown to be attached above the gums. Typically dental implant crowns have a layer of porcelain that can mimic the appearance of the surrounding white natural teeth. This visually pleasing layer of porcelain covers a base layer of metal which gives the crown its underlying strength for chewing.
Step 1. The Smile Team can help you carry out a thorough assessment of the area or areas with missing teeth. For certain patients an assessment can be beneficial prior to the removal of a diseased tooth. A modern 3D CBCT x-ray is necessary to accurately plan treatment.
Step 2. Following detailed planning, a surgical treatment procedure will take place to insert the dental implant screw into the bone in the space of the missing tooth or teeth. Utilizing the latest computer planning software we are able to accurately direct the dental implant to the right position. When required, artificial bone is used to help secure the dental implant.
Step 3. Once the dental implant integrates and is accepted by the bone, it can be restored. This is usually 2 to 6 months after implant placement. Impressions are taken of the dental implant and a crown is made that is attached to the dental implant.
Further considerations in dental implant treatment
Not all dental implants are the same. It takes careful planning and quality training to ensure a great long term outcome is achieved in dental implant treatment. Sometimes very quick fixes are touted in advertising on radio and print media. It’s important for patients to be aware that although the time frames may initially appealing, that long term success is a very important aspect of dental implant treatment that needs to be considered. Dental implant restorations require ongoing maintenance just like natural teeth in terms of maintaining them. Just as natural teeth can break and be lost to gum disease, so can dental implants. We promise to be up front with all risks involved and to keep you informed with your dental implant treatment.
Whether it’s a single tooth or multiple teeth, The Smile Team Balwyn North dental rooms have the experience to help you to achieve the best treatment outcomes. Dental Implants are a great alternative to having partial or full dentures.
FAQS
Will dental implant treatment be comfortable?
The majority of dental implant treatment can be carried out comfortably chairside without a general anaesthetic. In fact, most dental implant assessment and treatment appointments may be more comfortable than a filling appointment. In regard to the surgical implant treatment step there can be short term swelling and tenderness associated with the minor surgical procedure. Many patients are surprised by the comfort of the treatment, and the speed of healing after surgical treatment.
How do I know my dentist is dental implant qualified?
While any dentist can place dental implants, obviously those with greater training and in depth knowledge can help patients to achieve the best outcomes for the long term. Beyond just a weekend course, or periodic continuing education, Dr Bradley Xue’s commitment in obtaining the highest level of outcomes for patients has led him to obtain an additional rigorous multi-year University of Melbourne degree (Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry Implants) specifically in dental implants that only very few dentists in Melbourne have.
Are dental implants expensive?
It’s quite normal to consider the option for dental implants carefully. Every patient is different in terms of the value they place on both the appearance and nutritional benefits of having missing teeth replaced. Indeed, even within the same mouth there are key teeth that are more importance for the smile, chewing, and ultimately confidence.
Sometimes the difference in dental implant treatment fees comes down to the type of dental implants used and the bone grafting used. When considering dental implant treatment, it’s beneficial to ask your dentist what brand they are using. At The Smile Team we only use the most internationally well regarded implant brands (Straumann from Switzerland and Astra from Sweden) so that your implant has a well established safe track record from decades of quality research, rather than little known manufacturers with unknown reliability that may not be serviceable down the track. Likewise for artificial bone grafting cases The Smile Team only use the most widely researched and successful brand from Geistlich from Switzerland.
High quality products for our patients is paramount, particularly when these are products that are incorporated into the body.
Can I still have dental implants if I have been missing my teeth for a long time?
Jaw bone where teeth are missing are slowly shrinking. While ideally the best time to replace teeth and place a dental implant is within the first few months after tooth extraction, many patients can still receive the benefits of dental implant treatment many years after they have had their teeth extracted.
The determining factor comes down to whether there is enough jaw bone to safely place a dental implant. This can be determined by a simple 3D CBCT radiology image. Where there isn’t quite enough jaw bone, modern bone grafting techniques can often allow bone to be created to still allow dental implant treatment to proceed.
What is a bone graft?
A bone graft is typically required where there is not enough bone at the location of the missing tooth. This often occurs when the jaw bone is thin in the area or a lot of shrinkage has occurred after the removal of the tooth. Advancements in dental implant treatment in the past couple of decades mean that artificial jaw bone like cow bone can now be provided easily to substitute for the missing bone. Artificial bone grafting is widely accepted and considered a common procedure alongside dental implant placement.
For artificial bone grafting cases The Smile Team only use the most widely researched internationally, safe and successful brand of bone grafting from Geistlich of Switzerland.
How quickly can I have my dental implants and new teeth?
It is possible for some cases to benefit from teeth in a day instant dental implants which can create teeth for you on the same day. However, even though this may sound great, for the majority of patients the reality is that the best long lasting dental implants require more time to heal and integrate with the jaw before useful teeth are attached to them. Sometimes temporary teeth or temporary dentures may be required during healing periods after tooth extraction and dental implant placement.
Ultimately with dental implants it’s not a race to get teeth on the implants but rather create beautiful teeth that last a long time. For every patient careful assessment will be carried out to evaluate the possibilities to achieve the best individual outcomes.
Am I too young to have dental implants?
Individuals under 21 are not ideally suitable for dental implant treatment as their jaw bone is still growing and changing. Depending upon the location of the jaw requiring implant treatment, it’s generally better to wait until the mid 20’s where jaw growth changes become less. This is because while a dental implant becomes fixed in the jaw once it has been placed, the natural surrounding teeth are moving with any growth changes. This can then lead to the dental implant seeming out of position in relation to its neighbours. The Smile Team can help to determine whether your age is suitable for you to begin dental implant treatment.
Am I too old to have dental implants?
There is no age barrier to having dental implants. As long as an individual has good general health, and feels there is a worthwhile benefit to having implants, the success rate of dental implants can be just as good for older patients.
MEET OUR DENTISTS
Dr Julie Khuoc
Family and Cosmetic Dentist
“Being able to improve the health and appearance of my patient’s teeth gives them a lot of confidence in comfort, function and aesthetics. I love seeing this transformation.”
Dr Bradley Xue
Family and Cosmetic Dentist
“The most rewarding part of being a dentist is being able to create happy smiles and happy people”