Dental Implants

Dental implants replace tooth roots in the jaw and support a crown, bridge or denture after healing.

Implants can be useful when placing crowns on healthy teeth is undesirable, or when a bridge or denture would be difficult because suitable teeth or gums are missing. General health matters more than age, while diabetes, leukemia and tobacco use can interfere with healing.

The first stage is surgery in the jawbone. During healing, soft foods, cold foods and warm soup may be recommended to make eating more comfortable.

An implant may fail to join properly with the jawbone, with higher risk in some people including smokers. Parts can also loosen or wear out over time, which can make the implant stop working if untreated quickly.

Implants are long-lasting tooth-root replacements when cared for properly, but components can loosen or wear out with time and need prompt treatment.

First, the implant is surgically placed in the jawbone. Next, bone grows around it during osseointegration. Finally, a crown, bridge or denture is attached; some patients wait several months, while others receive the implant and replacement teeth in one visit.

Healing around the implant is called osseointegration and can take up to several months before replacement teeth are attached. Temporary teeth may help with eating and speaking while the permanent replacement is made.

Bridges can be fixed or removable and are anchored to adjacent teeth. Dentures can replace all or most lost teeth, while implants are most similar to a natural tooth.

A single implant receives a crown matched for size, shape, colour and fit. More extensive tooth loss may be restored with a custom bridge or denture, and a temporary replacement may be used while the permanent one is made.

Long-term implant care remains the patient’s responsibility and is at the patient’s own cost; UAE insurance benefits depend on the policy’s terms.