Frequently Asked Questions 

The answer is:  sometimes.

This surgery can often be carried out under local anaesthesia with or without intravenous “twilight” sedation (relaxed though not fully asleep) – here at our Clinic.

However, there are situations where the degree of difficulty associated with removal of the tooth/teeth will lead us to recommend a full general anaesthetic (asleep) in one of our local Hospitals. In either case – surgery is performed on a: “day only” basis.

The surgical fee for this work varies according to the difficulty associated with the tooth removal. However, as a general guide the range in price for such surgery – assuming all four (4) wisdom teeth are removed - is : $1950 to $2750.

Again, this varies according to the difficulty of the procedure and your age. As a general rule, the younger we are when we have our wisdom teeth removed, the more quickly we recover from surgery. For people under the age of 25 years – I think we should expect full recovery within 5 – 7 days. After the age of 30 – this will sometimes take up to 10 days. We will of course assist you with an appropriate doctor’s certificate if you require one.

There is no escaping the fact that after any operation – no matter where it is on the body – we expect to see some swelling and experience some discomfort for a few days. With wisdom teeth, the degree of postoperative discomfort will of course vary from patient to patient and is very much dependent on the degree of difficulty of the case. Traditionally, the first 48 – 72 hours are the “toughest” time with things beginning to improve by the 4th postoperative day. We will provide you with general advice on how best to manage your post surgery discomfort and will prescribe a suitable analgesic to meet your pain needs following surgery. We will be there for you! 

Dr Oliver has had his own wisdom teeth removed and is very understanding of what patients will be experiencing after treatment and how best to manage it.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root made out of: titanium (85%) and zirconium (15%). It is completely biocompatible within the human body and forms a direct bond to your natural bone. An implant is used to provide support for a:

- crown

- bridge or

- denture

- and has the look and feel of a natural tooth.

Dental implants act to replace lost natural teeth. A patient who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat whatever they choose and have the confidence of knowing that their “new teeth” look and feel completely natural. You will be able to smile with confidence once more! 

Certain situations, however, may mean we need to proceed cautiously before deciding to offer an implant-based solution for your tooth loss. These include:

-- Poor oral hygiene and / or a history of poor attendance with your family dentist (implants require ongoing maintenance to ensure optimum function)

-- High levels of tobacco consumption

-- Certain underlying medical conditions (which we will review with you at your initial consultation)

-- Patients under the age of 20 years – as the jaw bones have not fully completed growth at this stage.

Dental implants have been used now since the 1970’s – so near on 50 years!

They are completely biocompatible (meaning our body’s tissues do not reject them – in fact human jaw bone actually quite “likes” titanium and unites with it very strongly.)

Reported success rates for dental implants over a 10 – 15 period range from 87 – 98 %. We see slightly higher success rates in the lower jaw than the upper jaw and can discuss why this is with you at your consultation. 

Of course, your ongoing role in maintaining your implant supported teeth in good condition is vital to their long-term success. We will discuss this issue with you in great detail when we meet. 

Whilst some dentists might be able to assist with implant therapy, it needs to be borne in mind that such work can be complex and technically involved. Implants need to be placed only after detailed analysis and planning – to avoid complications and even failure. It is important that you select a person with accredited education, advanced surgical training and competence in implant surgery. Dr Oliver has placed over 3000 dental implants, has completed advanced surgical training and has vast experience with the following implant systems:

-- Nobelbiocare

-- Straumann-ITI

-- Neoss

-- MIS

-- Southern

-- BioHorizons

Dr Oliver works closely with your treating dentist to develop a treatment plan that will best suit your needs with a close eye on affordability. We are here to achieve outstanding results for our patients no matter what your budget.

The answer – once again – is: sometimes.

Such decisions need to be made on a case by case basis, taking into account the complexity of the surgery, the likely time required for treatment and, of course, the patient’s wishes. Clearly, there are times when only a single implant is being placed and there is no need for any additional form of grafting/augmentation surgery – where I believe treatment can be adequately performed under local anaesthesia alone or in combination with intravenous sedation. 

Sometimes in the back part of the upper jaw it may be necessary to perform what is referred to as a: sinus lift procedure. This is required when the maxillary sinus extends downward toward the crest of the upper jaw bone – meaning there may be inadequate vertical bone height to place a dental implant. In these situations, a procedure is performed to elevate the sinus floor and place a combination of patient bone and synthetic bone between the newly repositioned sinus floor above and the underlying bone of the upper jaw below.

The fee to place a single implant at our practice is: $2600

-- Which includes the cost of the implant and all subsequent post-operative reviews for the following six (6) months to check on the progress of your healing and the integration of the implant to your bone. 

       Your family dentist will also have a fee for the placement of the final crown on the implant – and we recommend you discuss this with them directly. 

From start to finish: in the range of 3 – 6 months.

Yes – there are a variety of temporary solutions we can help you with to ensure you are still able to socialize as normal without the embarrassment of people seeing that you have a missing tooth.

-- In order for you to receive the full benefit from your Health Fund for you implant treatment – you will require a referral to us from either your family dentist or family doctor. 

-- Uninsured patients can contact us directly for a consultation regarding implant therapy without the need for a referral. We will, however, write back to your family dentist advising her or him that we have met with you and what was discussed.