Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Implant Surgery

Here at our facilities, we value education in all its forms. Dr. Caudry, who leads conferences globally, is actively involved in dental implantology research and also fulfills her duties as a clinical instructor at the University of Toronto.

Educating ourselves in matters related to implantology, innovations in oral care, and administrative duties, isn’t for our benefit—it is for the benefit of you, the patient. The more confident we are in our ability to care for you, the more comfortable you will surely feel.

We also believe that educating our clients is essential. With so many anxieties surrounding oral hygiene and visits to the dentist’s office, we thought we could dispel certain doubts, fears, and concerns by covering the basics of dental implant surgery.

Who Is an Ideal Candidate for Dental Implants?

This can be a challenging question to answer because every case is so individual and unique. And here, there is nothing we respect more than the individual nature of every patient.

That said, there are some cases where someone might not be the best candidate—though nothing can ever be certain until you are fully assessed. Some of these include:

  • Young individuals whose jawbones have not finished growing
  • Pregnant women
  • Individuals with connective-tissue diseases, hemophilia, immune deficiencies, or chronic diseases
  • Individuals not willing to commit to post-operative oral care and ongoing hygienic practices

As for others with healthy jawbones and no compromising conditions to speak of, they still find themselves wondering if their missing or decaying tooth (or teeth) makes them a candidate. They wonder if they are entitled to the same treatment and care as others.

To them, we say that if they feel as though they’ve been robbed of confidence, happiness, or simply a beautiful smile, they are an ideal candidate. While there are many health-related reasons to pursue dental implant surgery, there is no wrong reason. Our goal is to restore both your health, your happiness, or both.

What Is a Tooth Implant Made From?

A dental implant consists of three components: A base, a crown, and an abutment.

The base is a small screw made from titanium, a type of metal that was discovered in the mid-20th century to fuse with the bone. The base acts as an anchor, much like the root of an actual tooth. The abutment, sometimes known as a connector, is what secures the base to the crown. Lastly, there is the crown. The crown is the tooth-like part of the implant. Typically, this is made from a ceramic material and is designed so as to give the appearance of a perfectly healthy tooth.

Are Tooth Implants Strong?

Many people operate under the assumption that dental implants are significantly more brittle than natural human teeth. In reality, dental implants are the strongest tooth replacement option in existence today.

It can be hard to determine just how strong a dental implant will be, because like we always say: Every case is different. The strength of your implant depends on a variety of factors, such as:

  • Overall Dental Health
  • The Strength of the Jawbone
  • Current Strength of the Natural Teeth

Your jawbone’s ability to heal around the implant plays a major factor in the stability of your new implant. If you suffer from gum disease, all of your teeth might feel less stable in your mouth—even your implant. Your dental implant and the gums that surround them are just as susceptible to infection as natural teeth, so proper oral hygiene is strongly advised.

Whereas a natural tooth is anchored to the tooth’s gums by its roots, an implant is anchored—fused, actually—to the bone. This makes the implant function differently than a natural tooth, and in some contexts might even make the tooth stronger than a natural tooth. With dental implants being fused to the bone, they’re not permitted the same amount of movement as natural teeth.

Is Caring for a Dental Implant Difficult?

As we said earlier, dental implants are vulnerable to bacteria, plaque, and oral infections, just like natural teeth.

If you are concerned about the health and strength of your dental implant, the best thing you can do is make sure your gums and jawbone remain healthy and strong. When your oral hygiene is optimal, the health of your implant will be, too.

One of the most important parts of our practice is our periodontal hygiene program. This circles back to one of our foremost priorities, which is educating our patients in ways both big and small.

While we offer a variety of hygiene services in our facilities, such as deep scaling, antibacterial treatments, fluoride treatment, polishing, and whitening, we place even greater importance on what clients can do for themselves at home.

To preserve your dental implant and overall oral health, we recommend:

  • Brushing minimum twice a day with a soft-bristle toothbrush
  • Low-abrasive toothpaste
  • Nylon-coated interdental brushes for hard-to-reach areas
  • Daily flossing

What Happens During the Dental Implant Procedure?

Depending on what oral surgeon you choose to work with, the answer to this question could vary. That is why it is always important to do your homework and ask the right questions during your assessments or consultations.

With Dr. Caudry, you only receive the most cutting-edge care, ensuring optimal comfort unmatched accuracy. This is made possible in part because of Dr. Caudry and her exceptional staff, but also because of computer-guided surgery. With computer guided surgery, we eliminate the messiness of dental impressions, the prolonged surgical process, and the many uncomfortable aspects of oral surgery.

Prior to the computer-guided surgical process, we ask that you come into our facilities for a brief appointment. We will perform a non-invasive intraoral scan with our digital scanner, and also a CBCT scan. After that, we merge the two scans and get to work on planning every single step of the implant surgery. With these digital technologies, outcomes are superior to those of past methods.

As dental implantology continues to progress, we will continue to advance with it. The comfort of our patient is our foremost concern. That is why Dr. Caudry was one of the first practitioners in North America to master these digital technologies nearly 15 years ago.

For More Information on Dental Implants, Call Us Today

If you have other questions, do not hesitate to contact us at (416) 928-3444!