Dental implants in London, ON

How implants work

An implant replaces the whole tooth, root included, and it does it in three separate parts. A small titanium post goes into the jaw where the root used to be. Over the following months the bone grows onto its surface and locks it in place — a process called osseointegration, and the reason implants feel solid rather than fitted. A connector then sits on top of the post, and a custom crown goes on the connector.

The advantage over a bridge is what it doesn’t do. A bridge spans a gap by being cemented to the healthy teeth either side, which means grinding those teeth down to take it. An implant stands on its own and leaves its neighbours untouched. It also keeps the jawbone working: bone that no longer has a root to support gradually shrinks away, and an implant is the only replacement that stops that.

What happens, and over what timescale

This is not a single appointment, and anyone who tells you otherwise is glossing. The healing is what takes the time, and it cannot be hurried.

• Assessment and imaging. Digital X-rays and scanning to check the bone is deep enough and to see exactly where the nerve and sinus sit. This is also where we find out whether you need anything doing first.
• A written plan. Stages, timeline and cost, before anything is booked. Implant treatment has several separate stages and you should be able to see all of them, and what each costs, at the start.
• Placing the post. Done under local anaesthetic. Most people are surprised by how straightforward this appointment is — it is generally more comfortable afterwards than an extraction.
• Healing. Months rather than weeks, while the bone integrates. You are not left with a gap in the meantime if it is a visible tooth — we will discuss a temporary.
• The crown. Once the post is solid, we take an impression or scan and fit a crown made to match the teeth around it.

Is an implant right for you?

Most healthy adults with enough bone are candidates, but the honest answer needs an exam and an X-ray. A few things genuinely affect the odds and are worth raising when you come in:

• How long the tooth has been missing. Bone shrinks after a tooth is lost, so a gap that has been there for years may need grafting first.
• Gum health. Implants can develop the same kind of problems as teeth if the gums around them are inflamed. Active gum disease is treated first, not worked around.
• Smoking. It measurably lowers the success rate. We will not lecture you about it, but you deserve to know before you spend the money.
• Certain medical conditions and medications — particularly uncontrolled diabetes and some bone medications. Bring your list.

If an implant is not your best option we will say so, and walk you through bridges and partial dentures so you can compare properly rather than take our word for it.

Looking after it

An implant cannot decay, which sometimes gets heard as “an implant needs no looking after“. The opposite is closer to the truth: the crown cannot get a cavity, but the gum and bone holding the post absolutely can become inflamed, and that is what loses implants. Brush and clean between it exactly as you would a natural tooth, and keep up your regular checkups so we can watch the gum around it. Looked after, an implant can last decades.

Cost and insurance

Cost depends on how many teeth are involved and whether anything needs doing first, such as an extraction or a graft. The post and the crown are separate stages with separate costs, and you will see both in a written plan before you decide — not stage by stage as you go.

Insurance coverage for implants varies more than for most treatments, so we will help you check yours specifically rather than guess. We direct-bill where we can, we are a participating Canadian Dental Care Plan provider, and we can talk through payment options if spreading the cost would help.

Common questions

Does getting an implant hurt?

The appointment itself is done under local anaesthetic and most people find it more straightforward than they expected — often easier than having a tooth out. Afterwards you can expect some soreness and swelling for a few days, which ordinary over-the-counter pain relief usually handles. If the idea of the appointment is the problem rather than the discomfort, tell us when you book and read our page on dental anxiety.

How long does the whole process take?

Months rather than weeks, because the bone has to grow onto the post before it can carry a crown. The appointments themselves are short and spread out; it is the healing in between that sets the pace. We will give you the expected timeline in writing at the planning stage so you can work around it.

Will I have a gap while it heals?

Not if it is a tooth that shows. For a visible tooth we will discuss a temporary so you are not walking around with a gap for months. For a back tooth many people prefer to leave it, but it is your call and worth raising early rather than on the day.

Is an implant better than a bridge?

Usually, but not always. An implant leaves the neighbouring teeth alone and keeps the bone working, which a bridge does not. A bridge is quicker and needs no healing time, and if the teeth either side of the gap already need crowns anyway, it can be the more sensible choice. It also depends on how much bone you have. We will lay out both properly, with costs, rather than steer you.

Can an implant fail?

Yes, and you should hear that from us rather than find it out later. Most failures happen either early, if the bone does not integrate with the post, or years later through inflammation of the gum and bone around it. Smoking and untreated gum disease are the two things that most raise the risk, which is why we deal with gum health first and check the implant at every visit.