Dental Implant Procedure

First Appointment
The first visit consists of a consultation. During this essential dental x-rays are obtained and the area where implants will be placed is evaluated to make sure that the quality of the bone is good and quantity of the surrounding bone is sufficient to support an implant.  A diagnostic impression is also taken.

Second Appointment

The implant is placed in the jaw bone and allowed to heal and incorporate with the surrounding bone. The time it takes for a dental implant to integrate with the hard tissues varies between 4-6 months.  Some of the main factors that can affect healing include the location of placement, general health of the patient, quality of bone , health of the surrounding area where implant is placed, type of dental implant used, and oral hygiene of the individual. All these factors can determine how fast and how well the implant will integrate.  After a dental implant is placed it can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months before the final restoration is completed.  Implant placement is completed with just local anesthesia and the whole procedure is performed under sterile conditions.

Types of Dental Implants

In implant dentistry, the most popular form of dental implant is the root implant. This type of dental implant is very effective and mirrors the size and shape of a patient's natural tooth. 

Many times, this implant will be as strong structurally as the original tooth's root. Once the dentist applies the local anesthesia, he or she makes an incision in the gum in order to gain access to the jawbone. 

The bone is then prepared, and the dental implant is inserted into the jawbone with care and precision. 

Finally, the dentist stitches the gums and, if necessary, prescribes an appropriate medication. During the osseointegration step, which lasts anywhere from three to eight months, the jawbone firmly attaches itself to the dental implant. Once osseointegration is complete, the patient returns to the dental office, where the dental implant is fitted with the new tooth.

Dental Implants Failure

Many factors are attributed to failure of a dental implant, either directly or indirectly. 

The cause is often related to a failure in the Osseointegration process (The growth action of bone tissue). For instance, if the implant is placed in a poor quality bone, or incorrect position,Osseointegration may not take place. 

Dental implants may break or become infected (like natural teeth).

Regrettably, dental implant failure is a common occurrence. even when proper procedures are followed, things can go wrong. When you're dealing with the human body, it isn't possible to have 100% predictable outcomes. But when treatment standards are compromised, it invites difficulty.

Some failure happens despite the best efforts of the dentist and the patient. But some are result of the natural tendency of both dentists and patients to look for the short-cuts.  Here some of the causes:

Why Replace Missing Teeth?

The effects of missing teeth can be quite detrimental to your long term oral and general health. Missing teeth are also known to be associated with old age and can make you look older than you are. Replacing missing teeth can dramatically improve your smile and the shape of your face. This greatly enhances both your dental health and self-esteem.

An Off-bite Relationship; having gaps where teeth are missing affects the way the jaw closes. The remaining teeth begin to tilt and drift into the gaps. In addition, food can become trapped in these spaces, increasing the risk of decay and gum disease. The tilting and drifting can also cause problems for the opposing teeth. An opposing tooth will begin to hyper erupt and begin to drift into the open space of the missing tooth, causing the opposing jaw-line to have bite relationship problems; thus beginning TMJ problems (problems with the jaw joint).

Jawbone Deterioration; As soon as a tooth is lost, either from gum disease or an extraction, the supporting bone in the jaw begins to dissolve.  This process is called resorption. The longer a tooth is missing, the greater the bone loss.

What is A Dental Implant

Today, the preferred method of tooth replacement is a dental implant. They replace missing tooth roots and form a stable foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel and function like natural teeth.
Dental implants also help preserve the remaining bone by providing the stimulation previously provided by the natural tooth roots.

Dental implants are similar to teeth in that they mimic the shape of the roots of teeth. They can be used to support individual teeth or to help anchor removable dentures.


Using local anaesthetic, the implants are surgically placed under the gum and into the bone. The healing period for dental implants vary depending on the location and the health of the bone. 

The healing period for dental implants vary depending on the location and the health of the bone. It can be as little as six weeks or as much as six months. Some form of aesthetic temporization is always placed in visible areas. Once the Implant is biologically attached to the bone ,a post (abutment) is connected on to the implant.

Dental Implants & Osseointegration

Osseointegration is a biologic concept. It refers to the formation of a direct interface between an implant and bone, without intervening soft tissue,i.e. the incorporation within living bone of an inanimate component. This is in essence an anchorage mechanism - nothing more, nothing less. such reliable anchorage allows the attachment of prosthetic to the bone by means of using fixtures (dental implants). 

This phenomenon was first observed in the early 20th century, and dental surgeons realized the implications of osseointegration very quickly. Only certain materials can undergo osseointegration, with titanium being one of the most popular choices for procedures in which osseointegration is the goal. With other materials, the tissue will fail to grow into and around the implant, and it will not anchor.