Dental Implants

A long-term solution for missing teeth

A dental implant is one of the most reliable ways to replace a missing tooth. Think of it like knocking down an old house and building a new one from scratch, rather than patching up something with poor foundations — it costs more upfront, but it’s built to last, without the ongoing maintenance an older structure would need.

An implant works by placing a small titanium or zirconia fixture into the jaw, which fuses with the bone over time. Once healed, it can support a range of restorations depending on your needs — from a single crown replacing one missing tooth, through to bridges, partial dentures, full dentures, or full-mouth fixed superstructures for patients missing most or all of their teeth. In each case, the implant provides a stable, long-term foundation that looks, feels and functions much like your natural teeth.

Is an implant right for me?

Implants are suitable for the vast majority of people — around 95% of patients are good candidates. That said, a few factors can affect success and are worth discussing with us, including:

• Smoking
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Poor oral hygiene or unmanaged gum disease
• Certain medications (particularly some osteoporosis treatments)

You’ll also need enough healthy bone in the area where the implant is placed. If there isn’t quite enough, this can often be resolved by adding bone (either artificial or your own) to build up the site before placement.

What to expect: the process

While every case is different, the general process for getting an implant typically looks like this:

1. Consultation & assessment — a suitability assessment, including any necessary scans, to talk through your options.
2. Implant placement — a minor surgical procedure to place the titanium fixture into the jaw.
3. Healing period — the implant needs time to fuse with the bone (osseointegration) before it’s ready to support a crown. This typically takes 3–4 months, though timing can vary depending on the clinician placing the implant and individual healing factors.
4. Restoration fitting — once healed, your custom-made restoration is attached to complete the treatment. Depending on your needs, this could be a single crown, a bridge, a partial or full denture, or a full-mouth fixed superstructure.

Because every case is different — particularly where bone grafting is needed — your dentist will walk you through a timeline specific to your situation.

Cost

Implant treatment has two main components:

• Implant placement: approximately $2,500–$3,500
• Crown (attached to the implant): approximately $2,000–$3,000

All up, most single-tooth implants fall in the range of $4,500–$6,500, depending on complexity and the materials used. Costs vary more significantly for bridges, dentures, or full-mouth superstructures supported by implants — we’re happy to talk you through a personalised quote based on your specific treatment plan. Private health cover may contribute toward the cost — check with your fund or ask our team.