Services
SERVICES FOR PATIENTS
The services, care and convenience we offer you as a patient are aimed at helping you function optimally (talk and eat) and look better (visual appearance, smiling, social acceptance) which translates into confidence.
This is what we can do for patients:
This practice specialises in dental implants. The advanced skills of our team and the technology we use allow for the immediate placement and, where possible, immediate loading of the implants. For suitable patients, this means the replacement of extracted or unrestorable teeth with implants and temporary crowns on the same day. This can save a significant amount of time, costs and inconvenience for patients.
Normally, implant surgery is performed while patients are under conscious sedation. Implant surgery at this practice is most performed in-office in a hospital-style operating suite to optimise sterility.
Our implant services also include multiple-stage implants, bone grafts and socket preservation techniques. Where bone structure has to be built up due to bone loss, bone graft surgery will be required first. Implant surgery major or bone graft surgery will be performed in hospital (inpatient basis) when patients have special medical or anaesthetic needs or when they need extensive bone grafting from the jaw, hip or tibia.
What is an implant?
An implant is the replacement of a missing tooth with a titanium root (implant) on top of which a crown is placed to resemble a tooth. Implants look, feel and function like natural teeth. The person who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat virtually anything, knowing that teeth appear natural and that facial contours will be preserved. Implants are permanent and can only be removed by a dentist. Most importantly, implants allow patients to turn the frustration and embarrassment of tooth loss into renewed self-confidence and the ability to talk, smile and eat with self-assurance.
The implants or tiny titanium posts are surgically placed into the jawbone where teeth are missing. These metal anchors act as substitutes tooth roots and form a strong foundation for artificial teeth. Small posts are then attached to the implants, which protrude through the gums. These posts provide stable anchors for artificial replacement teeth (crowns). Implants also help to preserve facial structure by preventing bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing.
In this practice, the surgical removal of teeth with the placement of dental implants in qualifying patients are mostly done in one combined surgical procedure instead of various procedures stretched over a couple of months. This means we can extract teeth and place implants during the same visit. This single-stage procedure, called immediate loading, greatly simplifies the surgical process.
In qualifying patients, the prosthodontist or restoring dentist will be able to place a temporary crown on the same or following day.
Orthognatic or jaw surgery improves facial appearance and ensures that teeth meet correctly and function properly. Jaw surgery is therefore used to correct a range of congenital, developmental and trauma-related problems, which include:
- Misaligned jaws: This is when jaws do not meet correctly or when teeth do not fit properly in the jaws. Teeth can then be straightened with orthodontics and/or misaligned jaws can be repositioned with corrective jaw surgery. Jaw surgery can therefore be used to remedy, among others, an open bite, protruding jaw, difficulty with chewing, biting, swallowing, talking or breathing.
- Trauma or injury: Surgery can be used to fix a broken or injured jaw bone after a car accident or other injuries or trauma.
Oral surgery includes the removal of wisdom teeth that are poorly positioned, impacted or partially erupted. Oral surgery also includes bone grafting to rebuild bone structure after bone loss, and the removal of tumours and cancerous lesions.
We are fully qualified and equipped to offer conscious sedation – also called IV or procedural sedation. This helps to make procedures such as implants as comfortable and convenient as possible for patients. Sedation medication is intravenously administered by a fully qualified anaesthetist while the patient is in the practice. Patients can breathe and swallow on their own, but they normally feel no anxiety, fear, discomfort or pain during the procedure. Patients are monitored during and after surgery.
The benefits of conscious sedation include rapid recovery and normally the absence of side effects such as nausea and vomiting. Most of the time, patients are fully awake and they are able to eat, drink and move around right after the procedure. General anaesthetics, on the other hand, can only be administered in an operating theatre.
Dr Swart works closely with specialists such as prosthodontists, orthodontists and periodontists as well as general dental practitioners.
What else do you need to know?
Your first appointment will start with a consultation and diagnostic tests such as routine and 3D (cone beam) X-rays to assess your specific needs. This will be followed by an explanation of your diagnosis and a discussion of treatment options. Treatment is usually provided during the second and follow-up appointments. The following will help to guide you through the process:
- Our offices: Find us in the Louis Leipoldt Medical Centre in Voortrekker Road, Bellville (map). Office hours are from 09:00 to 17:00 Mondays to Fridays.
- What to bring along: Your referral letter, X-rays (if applicable) and a list of the medications you are currently taking. Patients under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Diagnostic tests: Successful treatment starts with a proper consultation and an accurate diagnosis. We use X-rays, digital photography, 3D cone beam scans, occlusion analyses and aesthetic evaluations (analysing the patient’s smile, the shape and colour of the teeth as well as the relationship between the teeth and soft tissue) to help make a diagnosis.
- What to do before surgery under sedation or anaesthetic: Do not eat or drink anything 8 hours prior to anaesthetic or 4 hours prior to sedation. Please alert us if you have a medical condition that may be of concern prior to surgery (diabetes, high blood pressure, artificial heart valves and joints, rheumatic fever, etc.) or if you are on any medication (heart medications, aspirin, anticoagulant therapy, etc.). Arrange for someone to drive you home.
- Local anaesthetic costs: Smaller procedures can be performed with the help of local anaesthetic.
SERVICES FOR DENTAL AND ACADEMIC COMMUNITIES
Dr Swart regularly speaks at conferences, lectures at academic and other institutions, and gives talks to stakeholder groups to help grow the body of knowledge on implantology. He performs live dental implant surgeries as part of various lecture series. In addition, he acts as moderator, presenter, commentator and expert panel member in academic, dental and conference environments.
- Please contact his practice for further details.
- Research, publications and presentations.
TESTIMONIALS
We make a real and lasting difference to the well-being of patients, empowering them to lead healthier and more satisfying lives.
Dental implants are the best thing that ever happened to me. The quality of my life has been improved by the placement of dental implants. The functionality of my teeth have been fully restored as well as my self-confidence. In terms of dental care, dental implants are to me the best innovation ever . I strongly recommend it to everyone who needs it.
Actress: Marion Holm