Today there are many implant “systems” on the market, and we will choose the system most suitable for your particular situation
There are several stages involved in the implant reconstruction for a missing tooth.
STAGE 1
Place the implant.
Modern day dental implants are extremely predictable with a very good long term prognosis and very good aesthetics are achieved. Treatment is carried out under local anaesthetics and with possibly intravenous sedation .After surgery the implant placement is allowed to heal under the gum for up to four to six months.
STAGE 2
After the healing period, the implant is exposed and a healing abutment is placed. This is a simple procedure and is normally carried out under local anaesthetic.
STAGE 3
The gums are allowed to heal for two to three weeks at which time the final abutment(post) is placed and impressions taken. The dental technician then constructs a crown which is cemented onto the implant abutment. I will choose a colour and with the help of the technician make a crown with a shape as natural as can be achieved.
There are several important points to be aware of:
1 The Success Rate
There are three components to a single tooth implant, namely, the implant (the screw in the bone) the titanium abutment (post) and the porcelain crown. Each component has a different prognosis which is discussed below.
A The Implant
The success rate of an osseointergrated implant in the upper jaw is approximately 93% over a fifteen year time period. Most failures occur within the first six months of implant placement. Usually failures can be attributed to specific factors such as smoking or the need to graft the fixture site. Long term failure of the implant is extremely rare.
B The Titanium Abutment
The titanium abutment is secured onto the implant by means of a gold screw which should not come loose under normal conditions. A blow to the tooth may loosen this gold screw which will require removal of the crown, a new gold screw and a new crown will be refitted.
C The Crown
The crown is made of porcelain which is colour stable but after many years the colour of the crown may not match the adjacent teeth. This may require removal and the construction of a new one.
The joint between the crown and the titanium post is tucked underneath the gum and after fifteen to twenty years, this joint may become apparent. Should this occur, a new post and crown would need to be placed on the implant. Occasionally the cement bond between the crown and titanium post may fail and the crown may loosen. it is normally a relatively simple matter to re-cement the crown. A fee is normally charged for this service.
Advantages of an Implant Versus Conventional Dentistry
The implant and crown is a free-standing structure much like a natural tooth. The advantage there fore of this treatment over s removable denture is obvious. The implant is a fixed restoration and doesn’t have to be removed and the roof of the mouth is not covered by plastic or metal plate.
The advantage of the implant and crown over conventional fixed crown and bridgework lies in the fact that the adjacent teeth do not have to be prepared and drilled in order to support the fixed bridgework. In most cases, the aesthetics of the implant are almost as good as natural dentition.
Complications
Failure of an implant to osseointergrate is probably the most important complication.
Most failures are seen at the time of exposing the implant (after the six month healing period).
If an implant fails to fuse with the jaw it must be removed. The bone and soft tissue repair very rapidly and it is usually possible to place another implant in the same site after a few months healing.
The soft tissue (gum) contours around the implant may be slightly higher than around the adjacent teeth. Whilst every effort is made to regenerate and create soft tissue contours that mimic the natural dentition, this cannot always be achieved.
Heavy smoking can increase the risk of failure and you must be aware.
Maintenance
As with any dental prosthesis, regular check-ups are very important. Six months after the placement of the crown you will be recalled so that an x-ray can be taken to evaluate the response of the surrounding bone. The bite is also checked to ensure that the implant and crown are not being overloaded. Thereafter, the implant should be checked on an annual basis primarily to ensure that the forces placed onto this restoration are in harmony with the rest of the mouth. The importance of these regular check-ups cannot be over-emphasised and treatment should not commence unless you are prepared to maintain the restoration.
A fee will be charged for these regular check-ups (approximately $100.00)
It is important that if a patient receives treatment and moves to another area or country. That a dentist trained in the system can take over the maintenance of the patient.
This is the case with the Branemark system and Strauman systems. There are thousands of dental teams through out the world trained in the use of the system, as well as trained dentists in every city in New Zealand and Australia.
Fee Structure
There are several areas that comprise the total cost of a single tooth implant restoration.
It is important that you have some idea as to the breakdown of these fees.
Facility fee – over the next four to six months that it takes to replace your missing tooth, many hours will be spent in the surgery and a fee has to be charged for this time.
Components costs – there are many different components that make up the implant pillar. These include the fixture, the cover screw, the healing abutment, the final titanium post or abutment ,a protection cap, an impression coping, number of laboratory analogs and a gold cylinder.
Laboratory fees- several technical fees are charged for items such as special tray, surgical stent, try in suck-down and crown.
The implant is inserted using a totally sterile technique (Stage I Surgery).
Much of the equipment is disposable and only used once only, to ensure absolute sterility and quality control.
Finally, there is the fee for stage 1 and stage 2 surgery as well as a prosthetic fee for the design and construction of the crown.
You should confirm your surgical costs with your Oral Surgeon.
After consultation and examination, all visits associated with the proposed restorative treatment from commencement to completion, regardless of the number of visits.
Post operative monitoring, construction of the crown after the exposure of the implants.
Keep the existing denture functional whilst implants fuse to bone.
What these fees do NOT cover:
It is impossible for even the most experienced dentist to for see all eventualities. As a matter of principle, we have no wish to profit from the unexpected, however unexpected additional costs that I may incur should be covered by the patient.
Examples include:
*emergency visits to another dentist. I make every effort to be available to my patients in the event of an emergency, however, for a variety of reason it may be necessary to
seek help elsewhere and the fees involved are your responsibility.
*repairs or replacement of plastic denture or bridge. Should you lose or break the
prosthesis
laboratory fee will be passed on to you.
Unforeseen or unexpected additional treatment which may require extra components, customised prosthetic components or additional laboratory procedures.