Dental implants are biocompatible titanium posts that are surgically inserted into the jaw to act as strong and sturdy tooth roots. Being biocompatible means that there is very little risk of your body rejecting the dental implant.

Dental implants are suitable for people of all ages who want to replace missing teeth. However, this treatment does rely on there being adequate jawbone density to place the implant.

However, in cases where there is not adequate jawbone material, Dr Kassim can perform bone augmentation or bone grafting depending on your needs.

During the procedure local anaesthetic will be used, so you will be numb and will feel NO pain. You will naturally feel some pain afterwards but most people describe this as mild. Dr Kassim will advise what medication to take to help minimise any discomfort.

Implants, like natural teeth, can get gum disease. It is therefore important that you maintain optimal oral hygiene to keep the gum around the implant, and the rest of your teeth, healthy.

You will need annual check ups of your implant. This may be done by your regular dentist or Dr Kassim depending on individual circumstances. This enables us to monitor implant health and if there are any issues the earlier they are diagnosed the easier they are to treat.

Each patient is different. However, the average healing time for dental implants is between 3 to 6 months. This time is determined by a number of factors such as:

• Your overall health
• Your oral health
• Your body’s natural ability to heal
• Whether the implant is placed in the upper or lower jaw (if it’s in the upper jaw, it’ll take longer to heal)

Smoking—smoking adversely affects your body’s ability to heal. It is strongly recommended that you stop smoking a couple of weeks prior to surgery.