What are dental implants?

Dental implants are artificial anchors, often in the form of titanium screws, placed into the jawbone of a patient. A dental implant is used to support a dental crown, bridge, or denture in order to replace missing teeth.

How long can dental implants last?

Dental implants can last over 20 years, depending on the dental hygiene of the patient and position of the implant in the jawbone.

Is getting dental implants painful?

Patients receiving a dental implant usually receive local anaesthesia to numb the mouth. This makes sure that the incision and placement of the implant in the jaw does not hurt. Some swelling or tenderness after the procedure is normal. Your dentist or dental specialist may prescribe painkillers as required.

How long does a dental implant take to heal?

Dental implant surgery takes about an hour. After you are discharged, the healing process takes up to six months during which the jawbone will fuse to support your dental implant. This means that for a patient to be a suitable candidate for dental implant surgery, there must be adequate jawbone to support the implant.

Recent Questions

How would you know if your teeth are suitable for crowns/ maryland bridge/ traditional bridge/ veneers (photo)?

Hello, it depends on the case. Your dentist needs to assess your dental situation AND discuss what you hope to achieve with the look and function of your teeth to make a suitable choice. Each choice has its pros and cons, which should be discussed with you as part of the consultation process. Taking a cookie cutter approach in dentistry is not a useful approach because it assumes that all patients are identical in terms of clinical situation, budget and desires. Ultimately, this is a question that only your dentist can answer, therefore, you should consult your dentist on this.

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Answered By

Dr Jaclyn Toh

Dentist

I have had two missing bottom teeth since birth, are there any non-invasive procedures to help close up the gap without drilling and implanting fake teeth?

From the images provided, the lower lateral incisors seem to be congenitally missing. There are some crucial photos that we would need in order to make a diagnosis ( i. e. a lateral cephalomogram, and tracing to arrive at a skeletal diagnosis, Profile and extra oral photos to observe the soft tissue profile.) As the above is missing, it would be difficult for us to commit to a suggested treatment option.

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Answered By

Human

Recent Sessions

Consult a Dental Surgeon: Dental Implants

Ended on March 26, 2021

About Dr Gerald Tan

Dr Gerald Tan graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Dental Surgery from the Faculty of Dentistry, the National University of Singapore in 2003.

As of 2020, he is one of only two dental surgeons in Singapore who is recognized with membership in the prestigious Joint Dental Faculties, Royal College of Surgeons of England, he is one of only 10 dental surgeons in Singapore conferred with a fellowship in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists USA. And lastly, as of 2020, he is one of only 2 dental surgeons in Singapore conferred with a fellowship in the Pierre Fauchard Academy USA.

Since graduating in 2003, Dr Tan has travelled to over 35 cities all around the globe and has attended over 100 postgraduate dental seminars, symposiums, exhibitions, courses, and internships at the best and most well-respected dental clinics in the world.

Dental Implants

Ended on June 17, 2020

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hostedBy

An Dental Pte Ltd will be hosting a webinar on the 29th of May 2020 to answer your questions.

Dr Marlene Teo obtained Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) with Honours, a prestige only attained by five others before her within NUS's 64 years of history. At NUS she has obtained a total of 11 academic and clinical medals including the Lee Kuan Yew gold medal, the Trautman Silver Medal and the Dr FAC Oehlers Gold Medal, all awards given to the top-performing student. Dr Teo went on to get her Masters in Periodontology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Within that year she was one of four finalists in the Orban competition and was given the North Carolina-AADR Turner Research award.

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