MULTIPLE DENTAL IMPLANTS
It is quite common for people to have lost a number of teeth. The causes can be varied and include trauma, gum disease, fracture of teeth due to grinding, and tooth decay. If the teeth were heavily filled or had crowns or bridges, then they were almost bound to fail at some point. This is normal.
The most important treatment at this stage is to stabilise the rest of the mouth. Implants should not be placed if there is ongoing disease elsewhere.
Dental implants are placed in various numbers and at various angles to provide the best solution. Some cases require different numbers of implants to others. It is better to place only enough to support the bridge and not an implant for every missing tooth in most cases. Implant bridges are very strong.
After a period of integration (the famous osseointegration phase) the implants are now fused with the bone and it is time to connect them to the bridges or crowns. Using just a small amount of local anaesthesia, the tops of the implants are exposed and the posts which support the final teeth are placed. After a week of gum remodelling around the posts (abutments) the surgical phase is complete.
Often it is possible for the posts to be connected to the implants at placement, so this stage is not needed. A temporary bridge can then be attached to the implants at the start or after this exposure stage. The healing time differs with differing bone densities
(Not always required)
Impressions are made and sent to the dental technician to construct the bridges. The dental implant bridge is sent back to the clinic after a couple of weeks and is cemented or screwed on to the abutments. Thus, the implants replace the lost teeth in both appearance and function.
Surgery time is dependent on how many dental implants are being inserted and whether any bone grafting is required. A small amount of discomfort and swelling is normal in the first week after surgery. After a week the stitches are removed and the gum returns to normal within a day or two
(Two visits, maybe three)
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