What are dental implants?

Dental implants are the modern way to permanently replace missing teeth, be it a single tooth, several teeth or a whole mouthful. Consisting of a small cylinder of titanium, each implant when placed into either the upper and/or lower jawbone acts as an artificial tooth root. A crown can then fixed to the top of the implant or, when two or more implants are in place, a bridge or denture can be fixed.

How do they work?

The implant is placed by carefully drilling a small hole into the jawbone. When in close contact with surrounding bone, the pure titanium of the implant allows new bone cells to grow over its surface and so gradually integrate the implant with the newly formed bone which ‘locks’ it into place. This process is called ‘osseointegration’ and when sufficiently strong to hold the implant securely, which can take 2 to 6 months, a crown,
bridge or denture is fixed to the top.

What can they do?

• Replace a single tooth:
  If you are missing a single tooth, it can be replaced by one implant with a crown fixed to the top.
• Replace several teeth:
  If you are missing several teeth, each tooth can be replaced by an implant and crown, or, more usually, two or more implants would be used to fix a bridge.
• Replace all the teeth:
  If you are missing all of your teeth, a number of implants can be used to fix a full bridge, or they can be used to securely hold a removable full denture.

What are their advantages?

• Natural-looking and
  feeling:
  Dental implants look and feel like your own natural teeth so no one need ever know you have them and
  you may forget about them too!
• Maintains facial
  structure:
  Dental implants integrate with your jawbone so preventing the bone loss and gum recession that can
  occur with traditional bridgework and dentures.
• Saves healthy teeth:
  Dental implants support a bridge without the need to grind down the adjacent healthy teeth, which is required when fitting traditional bridges.
• Increases confidence:
  Dental implants not only look and feel like your own teeth, they function like them too so you can smile, talk and eat with comfort and confidence!
  • No more denture worries:
  Dental implants hold dentures securely in place so eliminating the discomfort and insecurity of ill-fitting dentures as well as the need for pastes and adhesives.

 

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