Dental Implant Surgery is usually performed in 2 stages. Stage I involves the placement of the implant itself, followed by 4-6 months of healing to allow the jaw bone to ‘anchor’ to the implant. Stage II is a short procedure to expose the implant and attach a connector piece, known as an ‘abutment’. You are then referred back to your dentist or prosthodontist who then proceeds with the crown placement.

More complex surgery may involve bone grafting or the placement of more than one implant and is usually carried out as a day stay procedure under a general anaesthetic in a private hospital. Patients need to be in good overall health, have healthy gums and sufficient bone to help support an implant. Dental Implants aren’t necessarily for everyone and so your Surgeon will assess your suitability for this type of treatment.

Generally, the success rate of dental implants is more than 90% (and may reduce to approximately 80% if bone grafts are done or if there is low bone density). There is a risk that implants may not “take” or fuse to your bone. This is disappointing for everyone, but there is often the ability to try again after the bone has had time to heal. Most of the time, implant failure will be noted early, and within the 3 to 6 months healing period, but also may fail months or years later. This often occurs due to gum disease called peri-implantitis  and so you will need to maintain the implant with a high level of oral hygiene and regular check-ups with your dentist avoid this complication.