FAQ

1. Is it painful ?

Although the placement of dental implants is not considered major surgery, and even with a climate of trust between patient and dentist, some patients may still feel a bit of stress at the idea of surgery. A sedative or IV sedation puts the patient in a state of semisleep that, with local anaesthesia, controls the situation and makes the experiences easy and comfortable. Implantology is a very relaible technique.

2. At my age, is it still worth it?

It all depends on your philosophy. Many people in their seventies and eighties are still concerned with improving their quality of life. I have many such patients, and they're very happy to have made this choice. It's a highly personnal motivation.

3. How much time will I be without my protheses?

At no time will you be without your prostheses; however, if it is not necessary to wear your lower prosthesis, it is preferable not to wear it for a few days.

4. How long will i have to stay away from work after the placement of implants?

Patients who have lost all their teeth and who receive from five to ten implants generally take a few days off. However, for some patients, recovery is quicker. Those who receive two or three implants per jaw take only one or two days off near the week-end, and return to work on the following Monday.

5. How long will the implants last?

To date, there is no known limit to the durability of dental implants. So we beleive your implants will remain in place for the rest of your life. However, teeth can wear out, break and require replacement, as in the case of any dental prosthesis.

6. How long does the surgery last?

The surgery may last from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the number of implants to be placed. Everything is done under local anaesthsia or intravenous sedation. As for postoperative discomfort, it is very well controlled by appropriate medication.

7. Is there a possibility of rejection?

To date, no one has experienced a full rejection of all his implants because, not containing any protein, they are not recongnized as foreigh by the immune system. However, ti is possible for a patient to lose an implant if his bone cells have not regenerated around it during theintegration period of three or four months.

In that case, if enough implants are in place it will be possible to fasten the teeth on the other, well-integrated implants, and thus to proceed on schedule. Otherwise, the implant that does not correctly adhere to the bone structure will simply be replaced with a new implant. This work will be done at no additional charge to the inital agreement, although the treatmeents will and a few months later than planned. This possibility occurs in only 3 % of implants.

8. Will my new teeth have a natural apearance?

Of course. Your teeth fastened on implpants will have the appearance, sensation, comfort and effectiveness of natural dentition, and you will have to take care of them and maintain them with the same attention.

9. Once my new dentition is in place, how often should I go to the dentist, and what will be the annual cost of maintenance?

Factors such as major accumulation of tartar between the teeth or implants, the quality of daily oral hygiene, and the complexnity of work done in the mouth will have an effect on the frequency of preventive appointments.Generally, patients who benefit from dental implants visit the dentist for monitoring around every threee months during the first year. Afterward, the frequency of visits depends on each case. Generally, one or two appointments per year should be scheduled, and the costs are comparable with those paid by patients who have their natural teeth.

10. What is the cost of such treatments?

Each case is unique, so the scope of the work has a direct effect on the costs. Only after a full oral examination can the cost of the treatments be determined. Generally, the costs of the most common treatements vary between $3,500 and $35,000. That investment constitutes the ideal solution for permanent replacement of missing teeth.