Questions about dental implants answered by our team
Are you looking for a long-lasting way to conceal that gap in your smile, without irritating your gum line? If so, you have probably come across oral implants.
When you come to Coptfold Dental, our team may be able to offer you dental implants Brentwood and will oversee every aspect of the aftercare to ensure that the treatment goes off without a hitch.
In the following brief article, our team answers common questions that we receive about the fitting and aftercare process associated with dental implants Brentwood.
Does the fitting hurt?
In a word, no, although it is easy to see why so many patients would associate the fitting of dental implants Brentwood with being uncomfortable! Our team will ensure that local anaesthetic is used, so you will not feel any incisions being made by our team. If you are a nervous patient, we can also offer you sedation, which will help you to feel relaxed whilst we fit the implants.
When you are at home after the surgery and the anaesthetic is wearing off, the discomfort associated with the implants should be manageable with over-the-counter pain relief like paracetamol.
Will I need stitches?
Yes, once you have had your oral implant fitted to your jaw, we will need to sew the gum together to ensure that the implant stays in place. The stitches are usually not dissolvable and will need to be removed by our team after the fitting in around 14 days.
How do I keep the implant site clean?
As strange as it sounds, when you have had oral implants fitted, our team does not recommend initially using a toothbrush to keep the site clean. There will be stitches and the site is likely to be inflamed, so the use of the toothbrush will simply cause discomfort. Rather than this, we often state that patients should use lukewarm saltwater as required to keep the implant site free from debris or food. This will prevent infection and will help the site to heal quickly, as salt is a natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.
Will there be more check-ups?
Yes, there will be after you have had oral implants fitted; our team will need to see you initially to remove any stitches and to check for signs of infection or rejection. There will be additional check-ups during the fusing period, where we will track the process of osseointegration to ensure that it is going smoothly and that there are no issues with the surrounding teeth that can cause it to slow, such as abscesses or impacted teeth.
If we do notice one of the aforementioned issues, we will have to treat it to ensure that the fusing is successful.
When are the prosthetic teeth fitted?
In general, the prosthetic teeth will be attached to your oral implants in around 3 to 6 months after they have been fitted. But this may vary based on your age, general health and of course, how quickly new bone is laid down. It is worth noting that if our team discovers that after 12 months there have been no signs of the implants fusing to the bone, we will consider the treatment a failure and will discuss other restorative options.