Dental Implants

Dental Implants Ratoath Dental New advances in dentistry make it possible to replace one or more missing teeth permanently without touching adjacent teeth. The end result is so good that only you would ever know that you had lost a tooth. A dental implant is a Titanium artificial root that is placed in the jaw bone where the tooth used to be. It is then left for a few months to heal and integrate with the bone before it can be loaded and carry a crown or artificial tooth. The surgical process is usually done under local anaesthetic here in the practice by Dr Lochlan Walsh our Periodontist. Sedation can be used but it is usually not required. The success rate of implants is now so high that you can expect them to last a lifetime.

How many implants would I need? If you are missing a single tooth then one implant and a crown can replace it. If you are missing several teeth then implant supported bridges can replace them. If you are missing all of your teeth an implant supported full bridge or full denture can replace them. Such a denture would be far more stable than a conventional tissue retained denture.

Would I be suitable for implants? The ideal candidate for dental implants is a healthy non smoker with excellent oral hygiene and good quality bone in the area of the space. However most of these issues can be addressed at the assessment visit.

Does the process hurt? Placing an implant is like the reverse of extracting a tooth. Some post operative bruising and moderate pain is to be expected but this can usually be perfectly controlled with analgesic medicines.

What does an implant cost? The cost of an implant is usually €2,500 complete. This is tax allowable.