Dental implants

Losing a tooth is never a small matter: beyond appearance, it unbalances the way you chew and, over time, leads to progressive loss of jawbone. A dental implant is today the closest solution there is to a natural tooth.

What is a dental implant?

An implant is a titanium screw fixed into the bone, taking the place of a natural tooth root. It replaces a missing tooth without touching the neighbouring teeth.

Its length and diameter are matched to the volume of bone available, established beforehand by digital X-ray imaging.

Osseointegration: the key phase

Once placed, the implant needs a period of osseointegration which can take two to six months. Unlike a tooth, the implant has to fuse literally with the bone before it can function.

Loading it with a crown is therefore delayed. In some favourable cases, however, a temporary crown can be fitted on the day of placement.

The advantages of implant dentistry

Implant dentistry represents a genuine advance in the quality of life of thousands of people. It makes it possible:

• to avoid needlessly sacrificing healthy teeth, as a bridge requires;
• to avoid wearing a removable denture with clasps;
• to enjoy the comfort of natural teeth with complete peace of mind;
• to restore a flawless appearance;
• to avoid the bone loss that follows the extraction of a tooth.

Who is it for?

A dental implant is the optimal solution whether one, several or all of the teeth are missing. Almost anyone can therefore benefit from a replacement that looks and functions exactly like natural teeth.

A preliminary assessment — general health, bone quality and volume, oral hygiene — confirms that implants are appropriate and allows the procedure to be planned.