An implant is a titanium plate that forms the basis of a permanent means of giving us false teeth that need no special maintenance or removal. They came about because of research into a natural process called Osseointergration; this science was discovered in the 1960s during research in the U.K. and Sweden. That research also led to the science being used on knitting multiple bone fractures of the leg. The most used type is the Endosteal Implant which is made out of titanium, a metal that is iron free and so hard wearing it is used in bearings for helicopters. In order to qualify for an implant you will need to have a strong, wide and healthy jaw bone, which thankfully most of us do have. Digital x-rays and photos are taken to both determine this and design the new ceramic tooth that will replace the rogue one. The treatment starts off with a local anaesthetic to the gum, then a small incision is made in the gum line and the plate (implant) is slid under the gum, using self tapping screws the dentist will fix it to the jaw bone. Sometimes they will drill into the bone, and using a plate with studs on, they will glue the plate in. the incision is stitched up and left for nature to take its course. This next stage is where the Osseointergration, the fusion of the plate to the bone, comes in. It can take a little time which is usually between three and six months. Then the final stages take place, first another incision is made in the gum line and an abutment is inserted into the fused plate, where necessary the plate can take several abutments. These are basically a stud that will act as a pole for the false tooth to sit on. Once in place the tooth will be made using the photos taken of either the original tooth or teeth, or the gap. They are made from a hard wearing ceramic material and will almost certainly out live the natural teeth. They will simply be placed on the abutment and slid down to fix in place with special glue, the patient will need to get used to them by practicing a new way of chewing food. They need no special looking after and just a normal brush and flossing will keep them clean and white.