How long after a dental implant is placed can it be used to anchor my new teeth?

Three months in the lower jaw and six months in the upper jaw is the minimum wait before construction of the new dental prosthesis that will be supported by the implants. In recent years, however, there has been a movement within the profession to accelerate this process. In selected patients, it is possible to accelerate the treatment process. Again this will depend on your dental surgeon's assessment.

Does it hurt to have dental implants placed?

The actual procedure to surgically place a dental implant is done under a local or general anaesthetic and is generally not at all painful. When the anesthesia wears off about three or four hours later, you might expect some discomfort. The level of discomfort is quite different from patient to patient, but most patients do not have significant problems. Some patients do have varying degrees of pain or discomfort which may last for several days. Swelling and black & blueing may also develope.

What happens if I have dental implants and they are rejected?

Occasionally dental implants do fail or, as some people say, they are rejected. In many instances, they can be replaced with another implant, usually of a slightly larger size. This can be a frustrating experience and costly in terms of both time and money. Make sure you properly understand the consequence of failure, your dental practitioner will always be happy to discuss the conssquences and risks of treatment.

Sometimes, if you fail to maintain good oral hygiene a condition known as peri-implantitis can occur. This is a localised inflammatory response to the implant, similar to gum disease and if left untreated may cause rejection and failure of the implant.