How Often Should You Get a Dental Check-up and Cleaning?
Every 6 months is the common average, but the right interval depends on your gums and teeth. Here is what happens in the visit and how to care for your teeth afterwards.
Read articleDental Implants Step by Step: Stages and Healing Time
A dental implant is a small artificial root, usually made of titanium, placed in the jawbone where a tooth is missing, with a crown attached once it has fused with the bone. Treatment usually takes 3 to 6 months, and longer if bone grafting is needed. It suits most healthy adults, provided the gums are healthy and there is enough bone, or bone can be rebuilt.
What is a dental implant made of?
An implant has three parts: the implant itself, a small screw placed in the bone that acts as the root; the abutment, which connects the implant to the tooth; and the crown, which matches a natural tooth in shape and colour.
Implants can replace a single tooth, several teeth with an implant-supported bridge, or secure a full denture so it does not move when you eat or speak.
Who is a good candidate for implants?
Implants generally suit adults whose jaw has finished growing, with healthy gums and enough bone, who can commit to daily care and follow-up. Some situations need careful assessment or preparation first:
- Smokers: smoking slows healing and raises the risk of implant failure. Stopping before surgery and at least throughout healing is advised, and quitting for good is best.
- People with diabetes: well-controlled diabetes does not usually rule out implants, but poorly controlled diabetes raises the risk of infection and slow healing, so it is brought under control first with your doctor.
- People taking osteoporosis medicines, medicines affecting immunity or blood thinners, or who have had radiotherapy to the head and neck: tell your dentist so the case can be assessed.
- Untreated gum disease: treated before implant placement to protect the new implant.
- Pregnancy: non-urgent surgery is postponed until after delivery.
What are the stages, and how long does it take?
Each plan is individual, but it usually follows these stages:
- Examination and planning: a clinical exam and a 3D jaw scan (CBCT) to measure the bone and plan the implant position precisely.
- Extraction if needed: in selected cases the implant is placed in the same visit as the extraction.
- Implant surgery: usually under local anaesthetic, typically taking less than an hour for a single implant.
- Osseointegration (fusion with the bone): roughly 3 to 6 months, often shorter in the lower jaw than the upper. A temporary tooth may be worn for appearance.
- Placing the abutment and taking impressions, then fitting the final crown and adjusting the bite.
- In selected cases with good bone, a temporary tooth may be fitted early; your dentist decides after assessment.
When is bone grafting needed?
After a tooth is lost, the bone in that area gradually shrinks, especially if years have passed. If there is not enough bone height or width, the dentist adds grafting material to rebuild it, either before the implant or in the same visit.
In the upper back jaw, some people need a sinus lift to create room for the implant. Grafting is common and usually safe, but it can add a few months to treatment.
How long do implants last, and how do they compare with a bridge?
A well-cared-for implant can last many years and often a lifetime, while the crown on top may need renewing after some years of wear. The main threat is inflammation around the implant (peri-implantitis) from poor cleaning or smoking, so it needs daily brushing, cleaning around it with floss or small brushes, and regular check-ups.
A bridge replaces a missing tooth with a crown suspended between the two neighbouring teeth, which are filed down to support it. It is quicker and needs no surgery, but it means filing teeth that may be healthy, and it does not stop bone shrinking under the gap. An implant leaves neighbouring teeth untouched but takes longer and needs enough bone. Your dentist can help you compare based on your case.
Frequently asked questions
Are dental implants painful?
The surgery is done under local anaesthetic, so you should not feel pain during it. Afterwards there is usually mild discomfort and swelling for a few days, and your dentist will advise suitable pain relief and instructions.
Is there an upper age limit for implants?
There is no upper age limit as long as your general health and bone allow it. In young people, treatment usually waits until the jaw has finished growing.
Can the body reject an implant?
Allergy to titanium is very rare. However, an implant sometimes fails to fuse with the bone, which is more likely with smoking, poorly controlled diabetes and poor oral care; in that case it can often be tried again after healing.
What can I eat after implant surgery?
In the first days, eat soft, lukewarm foods and avoid chewing on the implant side or very hot drinks. Follow your dentist's instructions on cleaning and rinsing.
When to see a doctor
If you have lost one or more teeth, it is better to have them assessed early, before the bone shrinks or neighbouring teeth drift into the gap. If you already have an implant, see a dentist if you notice bleeding or swelling around it, pus, pain when chewing or a loose crown, and after surgery if swelling increases after the third day or you develop a fever. You can book a consultation at Medical Care Clinics, where our dental team will assess your bone and gums and explain the suitable options and expected treatment time.
This article is general health education and does not replace a medical examination. Every case needs its own assessment by a doctor.
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