Dental implants at Victorian Dental Group

A dental implant replaces the root of a missing tooth with a titanium post placed in the jawbone. Once the bone has grown onto it, a crown, bridge or denture is attached. It is the closest thing dentistry has to a natural tooth, and for many people the right choice — but it is surgery, it is not suitable for everyone, and it is not maintenance-free. This page sets out both sides in full.

Who provides implant treatment here

Victorian Dental Group is a general dental practice. Implant treatment here is planned and carried out by our general dentists. None of our practitioners holds specialist registration, and we do not describe ourselves as specialists.

Where a case needs a specialist — significant bone grafting, sinus lifts, complex or full-arch cases, or treatment under general anaesthetic — we refer to a registered oral and maxillofacial surgeon or periodontist, and we will say so at the planning stage rather than after you have committed.

You can verify any practitioner's registration on the public AHPRA register at ahpra.gov.au.

The options

• Single implant — one missing tooth, replaced without touching the neighbours. See how this compares with a bridge.
• Implant-supported bridge — several missing teeth in a row, carried on two or more implants. Three teeth can often be carried on two implants, so you do not need one implant per tooth.
• Implant-retained denture — a removable denture that clips onto implants for stability. See implant dentures.
• Full-arch fixed bridge — an entire jaw carried on four to six implants. These are complex cases and we refer them.

Are you suitable?

An implant needs enough healthy bone to hold it, healthy gums around it, and a body that will heal. Things that affect suitability:

• Smoking measurably reduces implant success and raises the risk of later failure. We will talk about this frankly, and cutting down before and after surgery genuinely helps
• Untreated gum disease — must be controlled first, or the implant is at high risk. If you have lost a tooth to gum disease, the same bacteria are still present. See gum care
• Poorly controlled diabetes, and some medications, particularly bisphosphonates and denosumab for osteoporosis. Bring a full list of your medications to the consultation, including anything from a pharmacy or naturopath
• Bone volume — bone shrinks after a tooth is lost, and some sites need grafting before an implant can go in
• Grinding or clenching, which loads the implant heavily. A night splint is often part of the plan
• Age is not a barrier in adults, but implants are not placed in people who are still growing

Assessment involves a comprehensive examination and imaging — our on-site OPG, and 3D imaging (CBCT) where the case requires it. The 3D scan is what shows the exact position of the nerve and sinus, and it is the single most important thing controlling surgical risk.

What is involved, step by step

1. Consultation and planning. Examination, imaging, discussion of the options including the non-implant ones, and a written treatment plan with costs. Expect around an hour.

2. Any preparatory work. Gum treatment, removal of a failing tooth, or bone grafting. Where a tooth is being removed, grafting the socket at the same time often preserves enough bone to avoid a bigger graft later.

3. Placement. A surgical procedure, usually under local anaesthetic, in which the titanium post is placed in the bone. A single implant typically takes 45 to 90 minutes. You are awake; the area is fully numb.

4. Healing. The bone grows onto the implant — osseointegration — over roughly three to six months. Lower jaw generally heals faster than upper. A temporary tooth may be provided meanwhile so you are not left with a visible gap.

5. Restoration. Impressions or a scan, and the crown, bridge or denture attachment is made and fitted. Usually two visits, two to three weeks apart.

6. Review. A check a few weeks later, then at your routine check-ups.

From first appointment to final tooth is typically four to nine months, longer where grafting is needed.

Bone grafting, plainly

Bone starts shrinking as soon as a tooth is lost, fastest in the first year. If too much has gone, there is nowhere to put the implant.

• Socket preservation — graft material placed at the time of extraction to hold the shape. Adds little to the timeline and often avoids a larger procedure later.
• Localised graft — building up a site that has already shrunk. Adds roughly three to six months before the implant can be placed.
• Sinus lift — raising the sinus floor in the upper back jaw to create height. A more involved procedure, and one we refer.

Graft material may be synthetic, processed human or animal-derived. If any of those matter to you on religious or personal grounds, say so at planning and we will tell you what is proposed.

What the day of surgery is like

Eat beforehand unless told otherwise. Take your usual medications unless instructed to stop something. The area is numbed thoroughly; you will feel pressure and hear the handpiece, but not sharpness. If you feel anything sharp, say so and more anaesthetic can be given.

Afterwards you will be numb for a few hours. Arrange to be driven home if you have had sedation. Plan a quiet rest of the day.

Recovery

First 24 hours. Some bleeding is normal. Bite on gauze, avoid rinsing, no smoking, no alcohol, no strenuous exercise. Cold compress on the outside of the cheek, twenty minutes on and twenty off. Soft, cool food.

Days two to four. Swelling usually peaks around day two or three, then settles. Bruising can appear and can travel down the jaw. Start gentle warm salt-water rinses. Keep brushing the rest of your mouth normally, avoiding the surgical site.

Week one to two. Discomfort steadily reduces. Any non-dissolving stitches come out around a week to ten days. Most people return to work the next day or the day after, depending on the procedure and their job.

Pain relief. Paracetamol and ibuprofen taken as directed on the packet, and together where your pharmacist or doctor says that is appropriate for you, cover most cases. Ibuprofen is not suitable for everyone, including people with asthma, stomach ulcers, kidney problems or on blood thinners.

Call us if bleeding will not stop with firm pressure, swelling increases after day three rather than reducing, pain worsens after day three, you develop a fever, or numbness in the lip or chin persists beyond the expected few hours.

Risks, honestly

Implant treatment has a high success rate, and most implants function for many years. Survival is commonly quoted at around 95% over ten years in well-selected cases, though published figures vary considerably with site, bone quality, smoking and gum health, and no practitioner can promise you a particular outcome. It is still surgery, and you should know what can go wrong:

• Infection and post-surgical pain, swelling and bruising
• Failure to integrate — a small proportion of implants do not bond with the bone and must be removed, with a further attempt usually possible after healing
• Nerve injury with lower implants near the nerve to the lip and chin, causing altered sensation that is usually temporary but occasionally permanent. Imaging is what controls this risk
• Sinus involvement with upper back implants
• Peri-implantitis — gum disease around an implant. This is the main long-term reason implants are lost. Studies commonly report it affecting a meaningful minority of implant patients over time. An implant cannot decay, but the bone around it can be lost to infection, which is why the "no cavities" pitch you may read elsewhere is misleading
• Mechanical problems — loosened screws, chipped porcelain, worn components. Usually repairable
• Aesthetic compromise, particularly at the front, where gum recession can expose a metal margin

Your dentist will discuss the risks specific to your case before you consent to anything.

If an implant fails

Early failure, in the first months, usually means it has not integrated. It is removed, the site heals, and a second attempt is often successful. Late failure is usually peri-implantitis and is managed by treating the infection where possible. We will tell you honestly what caused it and what your options are, including not replacing it.

Looking after an implant

This is the part most pages skip, and it is what determines whether the implant lasts.

• Brush twice daily as normal, paying particular attention to where the crown meets the gum
• Clean between the teeth daily. Interdental brushes usually suit implants better than floss; your practitioner will size them for you
• Keep your recall interval. Implants need checking and professional cleaning with instruments that will not scratch the surface
• Wear your night splint if grinding was part of the picture
• Do not smoke

Bleeding around an implant is not normal and is an early sign of trouble. Mention it rather than waiting for the next check-up.

What implants are not

They are not permanent in the sense of never needing attention. The titanium post can last decades; the crown on top wears like any restoration and may need replacing after ten to fifteen years. And an implant needs more careful hygiene than a natural tooth, not less, because there is no periodontal ligament and no natural defence around it.

You may also read about same-day or immediate-load implants, where a temporary tooth goes on at placement. They suit selected cases with good bone and are not a universal option. If it is right for you we will offer it; if it is not, we will explain why.

Cost

Implant treatment is one of the more expensive procedures in dentistry, and the total depends on the number of implants, whether grafting is needed, and what is attached on top. You receive a written plan with all costs before anything begins. Fees are quoted after assessment, not from a website, because two single-implant cases can differ substantially.

What drives the figure:

• The implant itself, and the abutment that connects it to the crown
• The crown, bridge or denture attachment, and the laboratory work behind it
• Imaging, including 3D scanning where needed
• Any grafting, and the material used
• The number of visits and the complexity of the case

HICAPS on-the-spot claiming applies where your fund covers implants. Many extras policies have limited implant cover, annual limits well below the cost, and waiting periods of up to twelve months, so check before assuming. Ask your fund for a quote against the item numbers on your written plan. See private health insurance and payment options. Afterpay and Zip are accepted.

Implant, bridge or denture?

Doing nothing is also a legitimate choice for some gaps, particularly a single back tooth, though the opposing tooth can over-erupt and neighbours can drift. We will tell you when that is a reasonable option rather than selling you something.

Each of these is a legitimate choice. We will set out all of them for your situation, and we recommend a second opinion from another appropriately qualified practitioner if it would help you decide.

Questions we are asked

Does it hurt? The placement itself should not, because the area is fully numb. Afterwards there is discomfort for a few days, managed with ordinary pain relief. We would not describe it as painless.

How long will I have a gap? Usually none at the front — a temporary tooth is provided. At the back some people choose to go without.

Can I have it done in one day? Sometimes, in selected cases. It depends on bone quality and where the tooth is.

Will it look like my other teeth? That is the aim, and shade and shape are matched. Front teeth are the hardest to match perfectly, particularly where the gumline is visible when you smile.

What if I have been told I do not have enough bone? Grafting often makes a site usable. A second opinion is reasonable here, because assessments differ.

Is it covered by Medicare? Not for adults in general practice. The Child Dental Benefits Schedule does not cover implants either.

How long will it last? Decades is realistic for the post with good care, but nobody can guarantee it, and outcomes vary between individuals.

Victorian Dental Group — 291 Wattletree Road, Malvern East VIC 3145 · (03) 9088 5808 · Monday to Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm · book online

This page is general information and does not replace advice from a registered dental practitioner about your own circumstances. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks; outcomes vary between individuals. Please see our Disclaimer.