Summary of stages for routine dental implants

1. Diagnosis and treatment planning after which it may be necessary to carry out repairs or treatment to any remaining teeth.

2. Implant placement is usually followed by a period of healing lasting from 6 weeks to 6 months. Often the implants are completely hidden beneath the gum, however one-stage procedures where the implant is visible from the time of placement are also commonplace. Stitches are normally removed 7 to 10 days after the implant placement.

3. Several visits may be needed over the next few weeks to adjust temporary teeth or dentures and to monitor healing.

4. Once the implants have healed uneventfully for the required time, they are uncovered if necessary and made ready to connect the teeth. Sometimes the time allowed for implants to integrate may be increased or decreased to suit the local bone conditions and the overall quality of healing.

5. In some cases the first teeth fitted to your implants are not the final ones, but replicas of the intended design. This stage can be used to assess the implants, control early loading and in areas where aesthetics are more critical, also gives the gums time to mature around each implant before final teeth are fitted.

6. Final teeth are commonly fitted between 3 and 9 months after the implants were first placed. The way that the teeth fit together is carefully adjusted so that they do not interfere with each other.

7. Regular examination and hygiene appointments are then all that is required to maintain the health of the mouth, teeth and implants.