How long do dental implants last?

With good oral hygiene and regular preventive care, implants usually last many decades – often a lifetime. Dr. Hunold places implants in Kiel with digital 3D planning, which noticeably improves precision and therefore long-term results.

Is placing implants painful?

The procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic, so you feel nothing during treatment. Afterwards mild swelling or a feeling of pressure can occur, which usually settles within a few days. We support you in Kiel throughout the whole healing phase.

When am I not suitable for implants?

Certain general health conditions, medications or insufficient bone volume can make an implant-based restoration more difficult. In many cases, however, treatment becomes possible after a bone graft. We're happy to clarify this in a personal consultation at our practice in Kiel.

Does a root-treated tooth always need a crown?

Not always, but often. A tooth without a living nerve becomes more brittle over time and fractures more easily – particularly in the back of the mouth, where chewing forces are high. A crown encases the tooth and protects it from breaking. For front teeth with little loss of structure, a high-quality filling is sometimes enough. What makes sense in your case is decided based on the actual loss of structure – not as a blanket rule.

Can my body reject an implant?

Rejection in the immunological sense, as known from organ transplants, does not occur with dental implants. Titanium is very well tolerated and bonds directly with the bone. An implant can, however, be lost if it does not heal in correctly or if the surrounding tissue later becomes inflamed. The main risk factors for that are poor oral hygiene, untreated periodontitis and smoking – all things you can influence.

When can I eat normally again after implant placement?

On the day of the procedure you should choose soft, lukewarm food and go easy on the affected side. In the first few days, hard, crumbly or very hot food is best avoided. Full load-bearing only comes with the finished crown after the healing phase. In the meantime you can eat normally – just without deliberately chewing on the implant site. We give you written instructions after the procedure.

What does an implant cost?

That depends on the effort involved: whether a bone graft is needed, how many implants are placed and which crown goes on top. German statutory health insurance pays a fixed allowance based on the standard restoration for a missing tooth – the implant itself counts as an alternative restoration. Before treatment begins you receive a treatment and cost plan with your specific contribution. We explain how the system works on our Costs & Insurance Cover page.

Dental Implants in Kiel | Zahnärzte auf der Holtenauer

Preventive care and tooth preservation – professional cleaning in Kiel

Implants – natural, firm & long-lasting

The best tooth replacement is your own tooth. That is why the long-term preservation of your natural teeth is our priority – through regular preventive care, gentle filling therapy, root canal treatments and, where necessary, implantology.

As a certified implantologist (DGI / UKSH Kiel), Dr. Dominik Hunold offers everything from digital 3D planning to the final ceramic crown from a single hand – minimally invasive and tailored to your individual situation.

Professional teeth cleaning & fluoridation
Tooth-coloured composite fillings – metal-free & long-lasting
Root canal treatment with machine-assisted preparation
Single implants, implant-supported bridges, immediate implants
Bone grafting & sinus lift
Digital implant planning (CBCT / 3D X-ray)

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Why preservation comes before replacement

No artificial tooth matches the properties of a natural one. A real tooth hangs resiliently in the jawbone via fine fibres, senses pressure and temperature and reports overload back to the brain. That feedback is lost with every tooth that is extracted. That is why we always check first whether a tooth can be preserved – even when it looks badly damaged.

The toolkit for that ranges from a filling to a root canal treatment to gum treatment. Sometimes, though, it is more honest to give up on a tooth: when the root is fractured lengthwise, too little structure remains above the gum line, or a chronic inflammation cannot be brought under control. Then an implant is the better solution – not as a last resort, but as a planned fresh start.

The paths to tooth preservation

Which path applies depends on how deep the damage goes – from the surface down to the root tip.

Filling

For decay that has not yet reached the nerve. We work with tooth-coloured composite, built up and hardened in layers directly in the tooth – metal-free and gentle on the remaining structure.

Duration: Usually one appointment.

Root canal treatment

When bacteria have reached the tooth's nerve. The infected canals are prepared by machine, disinfected and sealed tightly. The tooth as a whole is preserved, even though it is no longer alive.

Afterwards: Often a crown, since the tooth becomes more brittle.

Periodontitis treatment

The most common cause of tooth loss in adults is not decay but the breakdown of the tooth-supporting structures. More on our Gums & Periodontitis page.

Important: Progresses painlessly for a long time – prevention is decisive.

Implant

When the tooth cannot be saved. A titanium root takes over its job, without the neighbouring teeth having to be ground down. Dr. Hunold is a certified implantologist (DGI / UKSH Kiel).

Healing time: Usually two to three months.

Bone grafting & sinus lift

If there is not enough bone for an implant, it can be built up. In the upper back jaw this is done via a sinus lift, in which the floor of the maxillary sinus is raised.

Good to know: Often possible in the same procedure as the implant placement.

Digital 3D planning

Before every implant placement we record the bone situation three-dimensionally with a CBCT scan. This lets us fix position and axis in advance and safely avoid nearby structures such as nerves.

Advantage: Predictability instead of surprises during the procedure.

An implant treatment, step by step

From the first examination to the finished crown usually takes three to four months – most of that is healing time, during which you don't need to do anything.

Examination and 3D planning. We check the bone volume, gums and neighbouring teeth and take a three-dimensional X-ray where needed. You see the plan on screen with us.
Preparatory treatment. Any gum inflammation is cleared up beforehand. An implant placed into inflamed tissue has much poorer prospects – this step is not a delay but the foundation.
Placing the implant. The procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic and usually takes under an hour for a single implant. On request it can also be done under sedation.
Healing phase. The implant fuses firmly with the bone. This usually takes two to three months. During this time you wear a temporary restoration if needed – you do not have to accept a visible gap.
Impression. Once the implant has healed, we record the situation for the final crown – conventionally or digitally with an intraoral scanner.
Fitting the crown. The all-ceramic crown is fitted and adjusted for colour, shape and bite. From this point you can use the tooth normally.
Aftercare. Implants need lifelong care and regular check-ups. We show you what matters when cleaning them.

What keeps implants secure long-term

An implant cannot develop decay – but the tissue around it can become inflamed. This condition, peri-implantitis, progresses much like periodontitis: unnoticed at first, then with bone loss. It is the most common reason implants are lost years after placement.

It can be prevented well. What matters is daily cleaning of the junction between implant and gum, regular professional cleanings and check-ups at fixed intervals. Smoking significantly raises the risk – that is not a moral lecture, but a factor we discuss openly during planning.

Honestly: an implant is not the right choice for everyone. With untreated periodontitis, heavy smoking or certain pre-existing conditions, a different restoration may make more sense. We tell you that openly – even when it argues against the more elaborate treatment.

Dental Implants in Kiel – Digitally Planned