The only way to replace a lost root.
Implantology is an exceptionally demanding branch of dentistry. The Halfway Dental Practice endeavours to provide all treatment procedures to the highest standard of technical excellence. To this end implantology in this practice is provided by the team of Andre van der Merwe and Johan Meyer. Andre specialises in the surgical aspect of implantology and Johan has many years experience working with implantologists to provide the restorative crown, bridge or denture that completes the procedure. Teeth are lost due to decay, gum disease, old age or through trauma and need to be replaced for both functional and aesthetic reasons. The most common way to replace missing teeth are either with a denture or a fixed bridge. Dental implants have been around since 1950 and implants are now becoming the treatment of choice as it is the only way to replace the root of a missing tooth. A dental implant is a titanium replacement of the root portion of your natural tooth. The implant is anchored into your jaw-bone so that it can support a crown or bridge or secure a denture firmly in place.
The gum where the implant is to be placed is cut and lifted and a small hole is drilled into the bone at the precise location of the intended implant. The implant is fitted into this socket and the gum is stitched back over the implant. This area is left to heal and for the implant to integrate with the bone over a period of 8 to 20 weeks. After the healing period, the gum is again lifted and the implant can then be used as a base for a crown, a multi-unit bridge, a partial denture or even a full denture.
The ADI aims to provide the public with an improved understanding of the benefits of implantology. For more details visit : www.adi.org.uk/public/implant/patientinfo.pdf www.adi.org.uk/public/implant/index.htm