During: no. You're fully numb and can add happy gas or sedation. Most patients say placing the implant is easier than having a tooth extracted. After: mild ache for 2–3 days, managed with ibuprofen. You can return to work the next day for most single implants. We see you at 1 week for a check and to remove stitches if used.

Yes. The implant itself sits under the gum (invisible), and the porcelain crown on top is shade-matched to your other teeth. Most patients forget which tooth is the implant within a few weeks. It's cleaned like a normal tooth (brush, floss, check-ups) with no special maintenance.

Yes — both are accepted, approved at the chair in under 60 seconds. Afterpay splits into 4 fortnightly payments, Zip Pay into weekly or monthly. Most implant patients split the total across 8–12 payments to spread the cost comfortably. We also process HICAPS for any private health rebate on the day.

A bridge is faster and cheaper up front, but it comes with trade-offs: we have to grind down the two healthy teeth on either side to anchor it, and the bone under the missing tooth keeps shrinking because there's no root to stimulate it. Bridges typically last 10–15 years before needing redoing. Implants don't touch the neighbours, preserve the bone, and last longer. For most single-tooth gaps, the implant is the better long-term call — but we'll walk you through both options honestly.

It's uncommon (under 5%), but possible. Early failures (first few months) are usually caused by the bone not fusing properly — we remove the implant, let the site heal, and re-place it at no extra cost. Late failures (years in) are almost always caused by gum disease around the implant (peri-implantitis), preventable with good hygiene and 6-monthly cleans. We follow up every single implant patient long-term.