My Story – implant treatment from a different perspective By Dr Stewart Harding

To say I was a little taken aback when my tooth fractured was an understatement, although not entirely unexpected considering I was eating a toffee at the time. As my tooth was very badly damaged it was decided to replace it with a dental implant. Dental implants are made from titanium, a tissue friendly material to which bone can actually attach and they are used as replacement roots to anchor new teeth.

After first numbing the area with a local anaesthetic, my tooth was easily removed and the implant screwed into place. This is made possible as the implant is shaped like a normal tooth root and so fits the hole left behind after the tooth is removed. From a patient’s point of view I was grateful for this feature as it meant that minimal drilling was required and the procedure took no time at all, lasting only twenty minutes in total. While the implant was attaching to my bone a small plastic collar was screwed on top of the implant to seal and protect the area and in my case it was not even necessary to place any stitches.

Later that night there was a little discomfort which I felt was associated more with the tooth extraction than the actual implant insertion.  As it was not very serious I got a good night’s sleep and was able to go to work as usual the next day.

I must admit that over the weeks following the loss of my tooth I could not keep my tongue from wandering to the space and playing with the top of the plastic collar. 

I had never fully appreciated the effect that the loss of a tooth can have. As a patient I certainly saw things from a different perspective and could not wait to get my tooth back.

After about two months my implant was ready for an impression to be taken for my new crown.  During the 15 minute impression procedure the implant was not sensitive to pressure and felt extremely firm. The mould was sent to the dental laboratory to make an exact replica of the implant in my jaw.  It took about two weeks for my new tooth to be made and returned for fitting. The implant crown was cemented into position using special glue that allows the dentist to remove the crown when required for adjustment and inspection.

A big advantage to this approach is that in the unlikely event that I should break the crown, it is a simple matter for the dentist to remove it and return it for repair.

Although there was no sensation of pain, my new tooth felt very solid and a little unnatural on biting. I have often heard patients describing this as “wooden”. Initially I was very cautious of the implant tooth but after a couple of days this feeling wore off and my new tooth began to feel and function like my own tooth.

In total I had three appointments and treatment was finished within three months.  My implant treatment was a very interesting experience that has given me a better appreciation of what is involved from the patient’s perspective. In future when a patient asks “have you had an implant and would you do it again?” The answer can honestly be “yes”.