A New Way to Replace Missing Teeth…. Quickly

By Dr. Ansgar C. Cheng, Prosthodontist, Specialist Dental Group

Many of us have heard of dental implants, however, not too many of us know that there is a Canadian connection - the University of Toronto played a critical part in the development of implant dentistry! Until the 1970s, dental implants were considered experimental in Sweden. It was the University of Toronto Dental School that re-did all the basic science and clinical research and announced to the rest of the world that dental implants were a predictable treatment option in 1982. Nowadays, implant dentistry is a routine treatment modality with new developments on a regular basis.

Replacing missing teeth enables a person to enjoy a better quality of life, through being able to eat better, speak more clearly and improve their appearance, leading to more confidence and increased self-esteem.

Dental implants are analogous to a house – the implant represents the foundation, or the root of the tooth, while the crown of the tooth represents the structure of the house. The implants are placed into the jawbone and can be used to effectively replace missing teeth.

The good news for those with missing teeth is that dental implants can now be placed in hours or days, compared with the conventional method which takes several months to complete.  Instant Implants™ and Teeth-in-an-Hour-Implants™ are two of the latest developments in the field of dental implants.

Instant Implants™ enable dental implants and teeth to be placed in days, rather than months as is commonly the case. With Instant Implants™, the provisional teeth are immediately loaded onto the implants upon placement of the implants into the patient’s jawbone. The permanent teeth are then attached to the implants a few days later. It is not uncommon for our patients to walk in to the office and leave with their new teeth on the very same day.

The success rate of Instant Implants™ is dependent on the skill and experience of the specialist performing the procedure. Clinical data collected and published by Specialist Dental Group has indicated an approximately 97% success rate for this procedure.

Another benefit about Instant Implants™ is that the cost is comparable with conventional dental implants. A portion of the costs for dental implants (including Instant Implants™ and Teeth-in-an-Hour implants) may also be covered by Medisave.

With Teeth-in-an-Hour implants, dental implants and teeth can be placed in one hour and patients are able to walk out of the clinic with their new teeth on the day of surgery. The dentist plans the surgery ahead of time using 3D imaging software and the patient’s CT scan. A customized surgical guide is fabricated in Sweden and sent to Singapore about two weeks later. As a result, the surgery performed is minimally invasive and the patient heals faster. The new teeth look, feel and function like the patient’s natural teeth. A minimum of two appointments over a period of two to three weeks is required for the Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure and this procedure is more suitable for patients with multiple missing teeth.

A dental consultation which includes a thorough examination and x-rays will be needed in order to assess whether a person is a suitable candidate for Instant Implants™ or Teeth-in-an-Hour™ dental implants. Once a person is deemed to be suitable for the procedure and decides to proceed with the treatment, the new teeth can be placed as early as the same day of the consultation appointment.

Dr. Ansgar Cheng is a Prosthodontist with Specialist Dental Group™
(www.specialistdentalgroup.com) and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore. He is an Examiner with the Royal College of Dentists (Canada), and was formerly an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. He has a special interest in dental implants, crowns and cosmetic dentistry.