IMPLANT SERVICES

Amit is pleased to take on any implant case, from the most basic to the most advanced. Simple implants are cases where there is sufficient bone volume and quality to retain the implant and only one or two implants are required. In these cases, implants offer a significant benefit to the patient over bridgework, which requires the grinding down of adjacent, otherwise healthy teeth, or removable partial dentures.

Ideal for patients with failing dentition who are otherwise facing wearing complete dentures, or who are unable to tolerate their dentures for any reason, including low self-confidence. Also called ‘teeth in a day’, this procedure involves placing four to six implants in each arch and then fitting a prototype bridge. The entire procedure is completed in one day.  The protoype bridge is worn for three to six months during healing and is fixed in place until the patient’s permanent bridge is produced. The ‘miraculous’ result for the patient is that they walk in with no teeth or failing teeth and walk out with a brand-new set.

Some full mouth implant patients are not suitable for regular dental implants, due to insufficient bone volume or quality to adequately retain the implants. In these cases, there are several options, including sinus lift and large bone block grafting, however a third option is to use zygomatic implants. Amit is one of a handful of surgeons in the country who is experienced enough to place zygomatic implants predictably.  These implants are slightly longer and engage into the cheek bone to secure teeth.  This allows the patient to avoid the additional surgery associated with sinus lifts and bone grafting and reduces the time till the patient has fixed teeth by over 6 months.

When planning implants for the back of the upper jaw, we sometimes find that the sinus has expanded and there is not enough bone available for implant placement. In these cases, we have the option to lift the sinus and rebuild the jawbone by filling the space created with bone.  This bone regenerates over the following months, after which the implants can be placed. In most cases, it is possible to place the implant at the same time as the sinus lift.

In cases where there is insufficient bone volume to place an implant, we can offer a block bone graft procedure.  For this, we remove a small block of bone from the back of the jaw (where the wisdom teeth would be) or the chin and transfer it to the proposed implant site, making the bone volume enough to place a dental implant. There is usually a four to six month healing period to ensure that the bone graft has fully matured before placing the implant.