Dental Implants
I have been awarded the Diplomate and part of the Ambassador Circle (Singapore) for The International Congress of Oral Implantologists and am dedicated towards seeking and furthering both my scientific and clinical knowledge in Dental Implantology.
Implants serve as a permanent alternative to a real tooth - set into the gum-line with a screw to mimic the root of a real tooth, implants look, act and feel as definitive as the real thing. As well as providing a cosmetic solution to fill gaps in the mouth, implants slow down bone loss and preserve the tooth tissue. Affordable, permanent and convincingly authentic they are the absolute one time solution to a missing tooth. If an implant has a screw-thread on its outer surface it can be screwed into position and if it does not, it is usually tapped into place.
The main aim during installation of any implant is to achieve immediate close contact with the surrounding bone. This creates an initial stability, which over time is steadily enhanced by further growth of bone into microscopic roughnesses on the implant surface.
Dental implants offer a permanent solution for missing teeth. A dental implant is essentially a substitute for a natural root and commonly it is screw or cylinder shaped. Each implant is placed into a socket carefully drilled at the precise location of the intended tooth. Often the implant can be placed at the same time as removal of the tooth all on the same day.
In order to support replacement teeth, dental implants normally have some form of internal screw thread or post space that allows a variety of components to be fitted. Once fitted, these components provide the foundation for long-term support of crowns, bridges or dentures.
SINGLE/ MULTIPLE IMPLANTS
A dental implant has many benefits over the alternative options such as a bridge or a denture.
• Dental implants are permanent
• Implants do not need to removed unlike a denture
• Adjacent teeth need not be damaged unlike a conventional bridge
• Implants preserve remaining bone height
• Extremely high aesthetics - closely approaching that of natural teeth
• An alternative to root canal treatment and especially 'repeat' root canal work
Unlike having an extraction, the placement of a dental implant is a quick and relatively painless procedure. There is usually less bleeding, discomfort and a shorter recovery.
Should you need to have an extraction, do remember to ask whether the extraction and implant can be done on the same very day ! Sometimes it is possible for a crown to be placed on the newly placed implant immediately. Else there is an option of a temporary bridge or denture to be used during the healing phase of the implant. The healing phase for dental implants is typically in the range of 4 months for the upper jaw and about 6 months for the lower jaw. In certain cases, it is possible to place implants without cutting the gums.
Two or more teeth can be replaced either by single implants or by joining 2 more implants together. Should you need full mouth implants, 6 to 9 implants can be joined together so that you can have a cost effective solution for both optimal function and optimal aesthetics !
On occasions, additional surgical procedures eg: bone grafts or sinus lift might be needed.
Most dental implants are made of titanium. However I also do ceramic dental implants. Please click HERE if you wish to know more about this.
IMPLANT RETAINED DENTURES
Dental implants can be used to secure dentures firmly without the need for sticky adhesives ! The options are to have either 2 conventional implants or 4 Implants. This is usually dependent on the amount and level of bone in your mouth.
On the day of implant placement, expect only 10 to 15 minutes time for the actual implant surgery treatment for each jaw.
** Please do note that in some instances, patients will not be able to use their denture immediately. This is usually to allow some time for initial bony healing to take place.