0141 427 4530

Free Nurse
Consultations

Implant Dentistry

---

Introduction

The dentists and specialists at The Scottish Centre for Excellence in Dentistry who carry out implant treatment have extensive experience in this field.  Some are also involved in the teaching and training of other dentists who wish to carry out implant treatment.

Dental implants are titanium posts which are carefully inserted into the jawbone where teeth are missing. These anchors act as tooth root substitutes.  The bone bonds with the titanium, creating a strong foundation for artificial teeth. Small posts are then attached to the implant, which protrude through the gums. These posts provide stable anchors for artificial replacement teeth.

Implants also help preserve facial structure, preventing bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing. If you are considering implants, your mouth must be examined thoroughly and your medical and dental history reviewed. If your mouth is not ideal for implants, ways of improving outcome, such as bone grafting, may be recommended.  Dental implants and bone grafts are performed in the centre with or without the use of intra-venous sedation. Once the implants are in place, they will serve you well for many years if you take care of them and keep your mouth healthy. This means taking the time for good oral hygiene (brushing and flossing) and keeping regular appointments with your dental specialists.

Single teeth

An implant can be used to replace a single missing tooth.  The main advantage of an implant over a bridge is that it does not involve any cutting down of healthy natural teeth.  The implant can often be placed at the time of the extraction and is usually carried out under local anaesthetic.

Fixed bridge

A fixed bridge can replace two or more teeth and may require only two or three implants.

Options when all teeth are missing

Fixed bridge – multiple implants are placed and a bridge is attached to them. Fixed denture – two to four implants are placed and a removable denture attached to a bar or ball and socket attachments

Teeth in an Hour™

In some cases where there is adequate bone, it can be possible to place the implants and the temporary or final bridge on the same visit.  A special type of CT guide is produced and a CT scan taken of the patient with the CT guide in place.  This information is loaded into a special software programmed which allows the virtual placement of implants on the computer screen. From this, a surgical guide is produced and used to place the implants in their pre-determined positions.  Our technician can also produce a temporary or final bridge before the implants are place using this technique.

Bone graft reconstruction

Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is resorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for placement of dental implants. Today, we have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

Bone grafting

Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. Where possible, bone is taken from elsewhere in your jaw and placed at the implant site. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.

Sinus Lift Procedure

The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. Sinuses are like empty rooms that have nothing in them. Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone. There is a solution and it’s called a sinus graft or sinus lift graft. The dental implant surgeon enters the sinus from where the upper teeth used to be. The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and donor bone is inserted into the floor of the sinus. Keep in mind that the floor of the sinus is the roof of the upper jaw. After several months of healing, the bone becomes part of the patient’s jaw and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone.

The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing dentures.

If enough bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus is available to stabilize the implant well, sinus augmentations and implant placement can sometimes be performed as a single procedure. If not enough bone is available, the Sinus Augmentation will have to be performed first, then the graft will have to mature for several months, depending upon the type of graft material used. Once the graft has matured, the implants can be placed.

Ridge Expansion

In severe cases, the dental ridge may have been resorbed and a bone graft is then placed to increase ridge height and/or width. This is a technique used to restore the lost bone dimension when the jaw ridge gets too thin to place conventional implants. In this procedure, the bony ridge of the jaw is literally expanded by mechanical means. Bone graft material can be placed and matured for a few months before placing the implant.

Soft tissue reconstruction

After loss of teeth, gum tissue can recede considerably.  In such cases, it can often be possible to carry out soft tissue surgery to recreate the tissue which has been lost.