Do I have to decide on implant treatment at the consultation?

No. The assessment is an opportunity to understand your options and receive a written plan and quote. You can take time to consider them before deciding.

Should I ask about an implant before my tooth is removed?

Yes, where possible. It gives us the opportunity to assess immediate placement or discuss socket grafting for a later implant. Neither is automatic; the recommendation depends on your site and treatment goals.

What should I bring to an implant consultation?

Bring your medicine list, relevant medical history and any dental records or X-rays you already have. Details of previous implants and the denture or bridge you currently use can also help.

Is the implant consultation gap-free if I have private health insurance?

Only when an eligible private health-fund rebate is available and accepted as full payment; otherwise the consultation is $250. Treatment, additional imaging and other services are quoted separately. Confirm eligibility and inclusions with the team when booking.

Your Dental Implant Consultation

A dental implant consultation is an assessment of whether an implant suits your mouth, health and priorities. At Park Road Dental in Cheltenham, we examine the area, review your medical history and use the appropriate scans to plan the possible treatment. You receive an explanation of the options and a written, itemised quote before deciding whether to proceed.

Start with the tooth and the problem you want to solve

You do not need to know which implant you want or arrive committed to surgery. Tell us which tooth is missing or causing concern, what has happened so far and what you would like to change. Difficulty chewing, a denture that moves and worry about a visible gap each raise different practical questions.

If the tooth is still present, the first question is whether keeping it is reasonable. We assess its condition and explain any suitable restorative options alongside extraction and replacement. An implant is a way to replace a tooth; it is not a reason by itself to remove one that could usefully remain.

If you already have a denture or bridge, bring it or tell us about it. Explain what works well and what does not. A useful treatment discussion considers your current experience, including whether changing the replacement is worth the additional treatment involved.

What to bring to a dental implant consultation

Bring a current list of medicines and supplements, details of relevant medical conditions and any previous dental records you have. Tell us about smoking, past difficulties with healing and previous treatment affecting your jaw or gums. These details help us assess suitability and identify anything that needs clarification before surgery.

Medicines that affect bone or bleeding can be relevant, but do not stop prescribed medicine in preparation for the visit. The assessment is the place to discuss it. Where needed, we can seek further information from your treating practitioner before making a plan.

Existing X-rays, an implant record from earlier treatment and a list of questions can also be useful. Tell us about travel dates or other commitments so we can discuss realistic sequencing. Having a date in mind helps planning, but it cannot determine how quickly a surgical site will heal.

What the examination and scans tell us

We examine the gums, neighbouring teeth, space for the replacement and the way your teeth meet. Healthy support matters: a replacement tooth must function within the rest of your mouth, and any existing disease needs to be considered in the plan.

Our in-house CBCT scanner produces a three-dimensional X-ray of the jaw. It helps us assess the bone and the location of structures such as nerves and sinuses. A digital scan records the shape of the teeth and bite, while photographs add information about the visible area. These records answer different questions and are considered together with the examination.

A scan is part of the assessment, not a decision on its own. Your health, the condition of the tissues and the proposed replacement also matter. Dr James Lee and Dr Harold Lee coordinate implant planning, placement and restoration at the practice, using those records to plan the stages together.

If the tooth needs to come out, timing is worth discussing

Where possible, discuss implant options before an extraction. We provide immediate implant placement for suitable cases, meaning the implant is placed at the same appointment the tooth is removed. It does not mean everyone can have that approach, and it does not automatically mean a fixed temporary tooth can be attached that day.

If the implant will be placed later, we usually consider grafting the socket when an implant is planned or remains a realistic future option. The purpose is to help retain bone volume while the area heals. A graft is not needed in every case, and it does not eliminate the possibility of further treatment later.

Our articles on immediate placement and socket grafting after extraction explain these two discussions. If the tooth was removed some time ago, an assessment is still worthwhile; we look at the site as it is now and explain what options remain.

The conversation should include alternatives and risks

We explain the suitable alternatives, which may include a tooth-supported bridge, a removable denture or monitoring the gap. Your preferences about surgery, cleaning, time and cost matter. We will advise against implant treatment when we do not think it is in your interest.

Implant surgery can involve pain, swelling, infection and injury to surrounding structures. An implant may fail to join firmly with the bone, and later problems can affect the supporting tissues or the restoration. Ask which risks are most relevant to you and what would happen if healing did not follow the original plan.

It is also useful to ask what daily cleaning will involve, how often you should return for review and which parts may need maintenance over time. The consultation should cover living with the replacement as well as placing it.

Understand the quote before booking treatment

Our dental implants page sets out the usual stages for a single implant, although some cases need extra procedures or longer healing. Your written plan should make clear which stages apply to you, what temporary arrangement is proposed and when the final tooth can be considered.

The implant consultation is gap-free when an eligible private health-fund rebate is available and accepted as full payment; otherwise $250. Treatment, additional imaging and other services are quoted separately. Confirm what applies to your appointment when booking, especially if you are comparing consultation inclusions or checking health-fund benefits.

Ask the team to explain any unfamiliar item on the treatment quote. You should understand what is included, what depends on healing or further assessment, and what ongoing maintenance may involve. Take the plan home if you want time to think or compare options; the assessment does not commit you to treatment.

To arrange a dental implant consultation in Cheltenham, call (03) 9584 4949 or book online. New patients from across Bayside Melbourne are welcome. We will help you understand the choices before you make one.

Your Dental Implant Consultation: What We Check Before You Decide