Dental Implants
Do you have a missing tooth?
If you have a missing tooth or ill-fitting dentures, then dental implants could provide you with a viable and permanent solution to the personal and practical issues that can be caused.
Your ability to eat and speak can be greatly affected due to a missing tooth.
Dental Implants can significantly help to improve quality of life, helping you feel happy about smiling again.
Depending on your general health, implants are a highly suitable option for people of all ages no matter what the condition of their teeth. For many people dental implants are a safe, long-term solution offering strong and natural looking replacements which feel just as secure as their existing teeth.
The benefits
There are numerous benefits to replacing missing teeth with dental implants.
Secure
Dentures can move around in your mouth; implants stay in place helping to keep discomfort and pain to a minimum.
Protection
Dental implants help to protect the jawbone and prevent other teeth from moving around. They also stop food getting caught in gaps potentially causing gum disease.
Self confidence
Dental implants can also help to greatly improve speech as well as any problems that you may have when eating and chewing foods but do not affect the remaining teeth.
The benefits regarding self- confidence and lifestyle can be significant.
General health
Good general health is important if you want dental implant surgery. Patients with diabetes or who are heavy smokers have a greater risk of developing gum disease or infections following implant surgery. It is also important to remember to keep a good oral hygiene routine after the procedure. If you don’t clean your implants properly, they will develop a coat of residue just like plaque which forms on natural teeth. If this is left it can result in gum infection, bleeding, soreness, and discomfort.
Overall, the health of your gums and jawbones are the main factors taken into consideration before any surgery. If you do have less bone volume because of past gum disease there is an option of bone grafting or sinus lift which can be used to help rebuild any missing bone on the back of the upper jaw in both cases this would add significant time to treatment time as healing needs to take place before implants can be fitted.
Recovery
Following surgery your implants will require time to integrate with the jawbone. This usually takes between 3 and 6 months depending on their location. A temporary restoration or full dentures can be worn throughout the recovery process until it is possible to fit the final crown.
Every patient is unique, and your requirements will be discussed with you prior to the start of any treatment. Long term care is vital and regular check-ups and other maintenance will be planned as necessary.