How is it done?

Well, in a nutshell an implant is a piece of titanium placed into the jaw bone that mimics a tooth. It feels as natural as a normal tooth. Initially, a complete medical and dental history has to be taken and the surgeon and restorative dentist must assess you to ensure that your jaw will be suitable for an implant. This first stage on the left is the implants being placed into a top jaw. The long protruding pieces are templates used so that the surgeon can properly orientate the long axis of the implant.

After the implants have been placed, a special cap-like screw called the healing abutment is placed so that it protrudes from the gum, this prevents the gum from healing over the implant and allows the cosmetic dentist access to the implant proper. This healing stage may take many weeks, depending on your circumstances you may have to have a denture temporarily to mask the appearance of the the healing abutment(s). If you are contemplating implants, you should discuss this carefully with your dentist.

Once your dentist is satisfied with the healing around the implant, the healing abutment is removed and a crown abutment is placed. It is this piece, screwed onto the implant, that will support the porcelain or gold crown that will replace the missing tooth. Again, the abutment is made of titanium for strength and for relative biological inertness. The laboratories will construct the crown that will eventually go onto the implant.

Finally, after all that - you will end up with a very, very realistic tooth that is almost indistinguishable from the real thing - just like a bought one, huh? One of the best things about implants is the way they feel like "the real thing". However, implant surgery and subsequent cosmetic dental surgery is not cheap and you should discuss costs with your dental surgeon carefully.