Dental Implants

A dental implant works like a natural tooth root. The titanium screw bonds with bone and anchors the artificial tooth into the jaw. Dental implants help to withstand greater bite pressure when compared to dentures, and do not require cutting and reshaping of neighbouring healthy teeth. For these reasons, dental implants are considered one of the best options for missing teeth.

Thorough health and dental assessments must be carried prior to treatment to make sure that you are a good candidate for dental implants. While most people can have implants, exceptions include:

• Age: children, adolescents and young adults who are still growing
• Bone Loss: a patient who lacks sufficient jawbone may need additional procedures to rebuild the jawbone
• Dental Health Problems: such as gum disease and decay need to be treated prior to implant treatments
• Other Health Problems: such as uncontrolled diabetes, smoking, alcohol or drug abuse will increase the risk of implant failures

The process of fitting a new dental implant is typically done in two stages and River Dental is able to do both:

• First Stage: also known as the “surgical phase”, involves the insertion of the titanium implant screw into the jaw bone. There is no tooth visible yet, as the implant needs 3 months or more for proper integration with the bone.
• Second Stage: also known as the “restorative phase”, involves the attachment of an artificial crown onto the implant screw, finally replacing your missing tooth.