A dental implant is the replacement for a missing tooth that comes closest to the feel and function of a natural one. This article explains what an implant is, who is a candidate, who needs extra care, and how the treatment runs at our clinic.
What a dental implant is
A dental implant is a small screw made of titanium, a material the body tolerates well and bone grows onto. We place it in the jawbone where the tooth used to be. Once the bone has bonded to the implant, we attach a connector and fit a crown on top. Several implants can also carry a bridge or a fixed denture.
The benefit patients notice first is that nothing moves when they talk or chew, nothing comes out for cleaning, and the neighboring teeth are left untouched, unlike a bridge. The benefit they cannot see is in the bone. After an extraction, the jawbone at that spot slowly shrinks because no root is passing chewing force into it. An implant keeps loading the bone, which in many cases helps preserve the ridge.
Who is a good candidate
Implants suit people who have lost a tooth and want a strong replacement that lasts a long time with good care. Not everyone can go straight to placement, though. A good candidate has a healthy mouth, firm gums and enough jawbone to hold the implant.
Implants suit:
- People missing one or more teeth who want a natural-looking, solid replacement
- People who do not want a removable denture, or have one and find it a nuisance
- People who want their full chewing ability back
Cases that need extra assessment:
- Significant bone loss in the jaw, which may call for a bone graft before or at the time of placement
- Poorly controlled medical conditions such as diabetes, which can slow healing and make it harder for the implant to bond to bone
- Heavy smoking, which raises the chance that an implant fails to integrate or the gum around it becomes inflamed
- Untreated gum disease, which must be treated first
None of these rules you out. They mean a more careful examination and some extra planning, and we will tell you plainly at the consultation which group you fall into.
The dental implant process
Implant treatment takes several months and several visits. The main steps are:
- Examination and planning. We examine your mouth, take digital X-rays and a dental CT (CBCT) scan to measure the height and width of the bone and locate the nerve and sinus. If there is not enough bone, we plan a graft first. You get the full plan and cost before anything starts.
- Placing the implant. This is done under local anesthetic and usually takes around an hour per implant. You feel pressure, not pain. The bone then needs to grow onto the implant, which usually takes a few months depending on your bone quality.
- Fitting the abutment. Once the implant is firmly integrated, we attach the abutment, the connector between the implant and the crown.
- Fitting the crown. We scan your teeth with a digital 3D scanner rather than taking impressions, and the crown is made to match the color, shape and bite of the teeth beside it. We fit it and adjust it until chewing feels comfortable.
- Aftercare. An implant cannot decay, but the gum and bone around it can become inflamed if it is not kept clean. Brush twice a day, floss or use an interdental brush around the implant every day, and come in for a check and scaling every six months.
Implants generally last a long time with good care. How long depends on gum health, cleaning and keeping up your check-ups.
Prices
Dental implants at Tooth Boutique start at 45,000–89,000 baht per tooth. These are starting prices. The exact cost depends on how many teeth, the type of crown, and whether a bone graft is needed, and we confirm it after the examination and CT scan. See the dental implants page and the price list.
Does it hurt?
This is the question we hear most. Many patients have worn a removable denture for years, know it moves when they talk or eat, and still put off implants because they expect pain.
Implant placement is done under local anesthetic, just like an extraction. You feel the injection and then only pressure or gentle vibration. Many people say it feels easier than an extraction, because nothing is being rocked loose. Once the anesthetic wears off there may be some tightness or mild swelling for a few days, which ordinary painkillers handle, and we send you home with care instructions.
What we hear almost as often is a patient coming back a few weeks later to say, "I should have done this years ago," because chewing feels like their own teeth again.
Book a consultation
Missing a tooth, or wearing a denture and wanting something that does not move? Come in for an examination and a CT scan first. We will tell you plainly whether your case is suitable, what needs preparing, and what it will cost.
- LINE
- Phone: 098 831 0246
- Open daily 10:00–20:00 (closed Tuesdays)
- Tooth Boutique Dental Clinic, Venice Di Iris, Vacharapol Road, Bang Khen, Bangkok. Parking available.