Implant Dental Surgery

If one or more of your teeth are missing, there are a number of ways to replace them. An alternative to bridges, partials or complete dentures may be dental implants. Implants are used to replace missing roots and support artificial replacement teeth. They are comfortable and look like natural teeth.

OceanGrace Dental in Nanaimo can help you with all your implant needs. Talk to us today if you'd like to learn about how this procedure. 

What are dental implants?

A dental implant is an artificial root made of titanium metal. It is inserted into the jawbone to replace the root of the natural tooth. An artificial replacement tooth is attached to the implant. The implant acts as an anchor to hold the replacement tooth in place.

Who can get dental implants?

If you are in good general health, have healthy gums and have enough bone in the jaw to hold an implant, dental implants might be right for you. If your jawbone has shrunk or if it has not developed normally, you may be able to have a bone graft to build up the bone. A bone graft is a way of adding new bone to your jawbone. Dr. Longchamps will tell you if bone grafting is required.

How dental implants are done

• We will carefully examine your mouth and take x-rays of your head, jaw and teeth to find out if dental implants are right for you.
   
• During the first stage of surgery, Dr. Longchamps will insert a dental implant into your jawbone beneath the gum tissue. A healing abutment is placed in the implant to allow the gums to heal around it. The gum tissue is then stitched back into place. As the tissue heals, the implant will integrate with the bone and attach to the gum. It usually takes 4months to heal.
   
• During the second stage of surgery and once the tissue is healed, Dr. Longchamps will take an impression of the implant and fabricate a crown that will be inserted in the implant 2 weeks later.
   
• When replacing several teeth, a fixed bridge is anchored to your dental implants. A bridge is a dental restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth by spanning an area that has no teeth. The bridge is held firmly in place by dental implants on each side of the missing tooth or teeth.

Caring for my dental implant(s)

Because dental implants are placed in the jawbone, artificial replacement teeth attached to implants look and act much like natural teeth. Like natural teeth, implants need to be kept clean using a toothbrush and floss. Our team will show you the proper cleaning procedure for implants. Regular dental checkups are important so we can make sure that your bite is right and that your implants are not loose.