Dental Implants Lane Cove

A gap left by a lost tooth can change more than your smile. Chewing may shift to one side, neighbouring teeth can drift, and a partial denture that moves when you talk can make a meal out on Longueville Road less relaxed. For Lane Cove residents weighing up a fixed replacement, St Leonards Green Dental offers dental implant assessment and treatment a few minutes from the village.

An implant is a small biocompatible post that sits in the jawbone in place of a missing tooth root. After it has bonded with the bone, it can hold a crown, a bridge or a denture. Lane Cove patients come to our Christie Street clinic for the first examination and imaging, the planning conversation and the review visits that follow.

Every plan is individual, but implant care at our clinic generally follows these steps:

• Examination and imaging – the dentist checks your teeth, gums, bite and medical history, and may take digital X-rays or a panoramic image of the bone where the implant would sit.
• Preparation – gum disease, infection, damaged teeth or limited bone may need attention before an implant can be considered.
• Placement – the implant is positioned in the jawbone under local anaesthetic, using a minimally invasive approach where clinically suitable.
• Healing – over the following weeks to months the bone bonds with the implant surface, a process called osseointegration.
• Restoration –  when healing is complete, your crown, bridge or denture is fitted and your bite is checked.
• Review – follow-up visits monitor the gums, bone and restoration over time.

Some cases need oral surgery or referral to another practitioner, and we will tell you early if that applies. Because placing an implant is surgery with possible risks, your dentist will go through the procedure, the alternatives, expected healing and aftercare with you before anything begins.

Having a gap is only the starting point. An implant needs healthy gums and enough bone to hold it firmly. Active periodontal disease or significant bone loss usually has to be treated first, and some people are better served by a different option.

People who have worn a denture for many years sometimes have less bone than they expect, because the jaw can shrink where teeth have been missing. Imaging at the consultation helps show how much support is available.

Smoking, diabetes and some other medical conditions can affect healing and outcomes. Please bring a list of your current medicines and tell us about any health conditions, so the dentist can assess the risks properly and plan around them.

Implants are only placed once the jaw has finished growing, so patients under 17 are generally offered temporary alternatives in the meantime. For adults, age alone does not decide suitability. General health, oral health and the condition of the proposed site matter more.

For the right patient, implants can stand in for a single lost tooth, a row of them or an entire arch and give a crown, bridge or denture a stable base for biting and chewing. Some people are able to move away from a removable denture altogether, and some designs avoid reshaping healthy neighbouring teeth. Where missing teeth have affected speech, a well-planned restoration may help with that as well.

Results vary. Appearance, comfort and function differ from one person to the next, and we cannot promise a particular cosmetic outcome. It also helps to think of the implant and the tooth on top as two separate parts. The post in the bone may stay stable for many years while the crown, bridge or denture above it wears and eventually needs repair or replacement.

Local anaesthetic is used for implant placement, and we aim to limit disturbance to the surrounding tissue where it is clinically suitable. Experiences differ, so we will not tell you in advance exactly how it will feel, and no clinic can honestly promise a completely pain-free procedure.

If dental visits make you anxious, ask about nitrous oxide, often called laughing gas, when you book. For certain procedures we also work with an IV sedationist. Both options require an assessment beforehand to confirm they are suitable for you.

Mild tenderness, swelling or gum irritation is common in the days after placement, and you will receive aftercare instructions to follow at home. Contact us promptly if pain increases, bleeding continues, swelling grows or anything else feels unexpected.

An implant crown cannot decay the way a natural tooth does, but the gum and bone around it can still become inflamed if plaque builds up. Brush twice a day and clean around the implant with the tools your dentist recommends, which may include floss, interdental brushes or other aids suited to your restoration.

Regular check-ups let us review the gums, bite and condition of the restoration. Smoking, gum disease, general health, heavy biting forces and home care all influence how long an implant lasts, so its lifespan cannot be guaranteed. Book a visit if the restoration feels loose, sore or different when you bite, because a small problem found early is usually simpler to manage.

Our practice has cared for patients on the Lower North Shore since 2008, including families across three generations. Principal dentist Dr Nazila Nosratieh took over in 2019 and has more than two decades of experience. She holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery and a PhD in Oral Biology, and works alongside a second dentist and experienced dental assistants. More complex cases are referred to a suitable practitioner or specialist when required.

Diagnosis and planning are supported by digital X-rays, a panoramic X-ray unit and dental loupes. Restorations are made with a local certified dental laboratory whose technicians have more than 30 years of experience, use Australian-made products and follow Australian Dental Association standards.

Besides implants, we provide general and emergency dental care, crowns, dentures and orthodontics. Cosmetic treatments such as veneers, teeth whitening and smile makeovers are assessed separately according to each patient’s needs.

Implant treatment is rarely a single appointment. Between the consultation, any preparatory care, placement, healing checks and fitting the final restoration, most patients visit several times over a number of months. A clinic that is easy to reach makes that schedule simpler to keep.

Buses run frequently from Lane Cove Interchange on Longueville Road to St Leonards Station, and the trip usually takes around six minutes. From the station, it is a short walk to Tower 2 at 88 Christie Street. If you drive, the two suburbs are roughly three kilometres apart via the Pacific Highway, and street parking is available outside the practice and nearby. Timetables change, so check the Transport for NSW Trip Planner before you travel.

We are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, and Saturday visits can be arranged by appointment. Many Lane Cove locals already pass through St Leonards for the train, for work or for the hospital opposite our building, so an appointment can often fit around an existing trip.

Lane Cove is a leafy residential suburb west of St Leonards, with a busy village centre around Longueville Road, Lane Cove Plaza and The Canopy, and easy access to the Lane Cove River and Lane Cove National Park. Its closeness to St Leonards puts our clinic on a familiar route for many residents.

We welcome patients from across the Lane Cove area, including Lane Cove North, Lane Cove West, Riverview, Longueville, Northwood, Linley Point and Greenwich.

* Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

An implant is one of several ways to manage missing teeth, and it is not right for everyone. A consultation gives you a clear picture of whether implants, a bridge, dentures or another approach makes sense for your mouth and circumstances.

Contact St Leonards Green Dental to arrange a dental implant assessment from Lane Cove. Call 02 9438 4352 or book online at a time that suits you.