How we try to ensure that your implant procedure is successful

Detailed planning and preparation leads to high success rates.

A lot has been written about dental implants and the benefits that they offer to patients who have lost natural teeth. Less though, perhaps, has been written about how diligent planning and preparation is essential to give your implant the best chance of success.

At the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre in Derby, we spend a significant amount of time ensuring that our patients are fully prepared and ready to receive their dental implants before starting the actual procedure.

Consultation

Once a patient has expressed an interest to have a dental implant placed at our practice, they will be invited in for an initial consultation. At this, the options will be discussed and we try to gain a full understanding of the patient’s needs and their expectations.

It is also an excellent opportunity for questions to be asked and answered. By ensuring that we spend time with our patients prior to any procedure being performed, both parties can be happy that they are fully informed about both the procedure and the patient.

Prior Health

One factor which will be discussed with the patient is their general health. Whilst the vast majority of patients will have no problems with the placement of implants, certain medical conditions or medications may potentially raise issues which need to be addressed.

Emphasis will also be placed on ensuring that the patient is in as good health as possible prior to the procedure. Smokers and drinkers especially, will need to stop for a period of time before (and after) the implant placement as these are both factors which present a high risk for the implants.

We will also check the patient’s general oral health, especially for signs of gum disease which can also threaten the implant. Any indication of gum disease will need to be treated prior to the implant procedure.

X Rays and Scans

Once the patient has decided to go ahead and they are in generally good health to receive the implant, x-rays, scans and impressions will be taken. These have two purposes; firstly to provide us with information to send to a dental laboratory for the preparation of the crown which will be attached as the final part of the procedure, but also to ensure precise and exact placement of the implant itself.

This is an important stage as accurate placement is essential to emulate the natural tooth as closely as possible and also to ensure the longevity of the implant. Inaccurate placement by inexperienced clinicians is a primary cause of implant failure.

Follow Up Care

It should go without saying that, following the implant, it needs to be monitored carefully through routine visits to our Derby implant centre. This enables us not only to monitor the implant itself but to check for signs of other problems such as gingivitis which can progress to more serious gum disease and eventually threaten the implant itself.

Of course, it is only reasonable to expect the patient to take responsibility too, for example by ensuring a thorough and regular cleaning regime as will be advised in our consultation sessions.

Our aim, through careful placement and diligent aftercare, is to provide you with an implant which brings many years of service, allowing you to eat, speak and smile as you would with a natural tooth.

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