Dental implants

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, our dental implants are almost as good as the real thing.

Whether through trauma, gum disease or simply getting older – losing teeth is never pleasant. And while traditional treatments, such as dentures and bridges, might be better known, implants are the modern way to replace missing teeth. Made of titanium, implants act like a tooth’s root and are anchored inside your jawbone to accommodate a crown. The result is an extremely long-lasting new tooth that looks like it emerges naturally from the gum.

The components of implants

Implants consist mainly of two parts:  

The ‘screw’ or ‘post' acts as the root portion of the tooth. It’s made of titanium (which is well tolerated by bone) and osseointegrates to the surrounding bone. This means that over time, the screw and your jawbone will fuse together naturally, which is why implants are so durable.  

The crown acts as the visible portion of the tooth and is attached to the implant’s screw. It’s usually made of tooth-coloured ceramics to look just like a real tooth and is strong enough to withstand large chewing forces.

The benefits of implants

Missing teeth should always be replaced, both for functional and aesthetic purposes. The advantage of using implants rather than bridges or dentures are:

• Reduce bone loss - When a tooth is lost and as we get older, bone tissue can slowly start to disappear. Implants stimulate bone growth, thus reducing bone loss and preventing sagging of the cheeks.
• Improve chewing - Unlike dentures, implants can withstand chewing forces from hard foods such as apples.
• Improve dental hygiene - Whereas bridges and dentures need special care when it comes to cleaning, implants are easier to clean through just your usual dental hygiene routine.
• Keep healthy teeth intact - Placing bridges involves removing healthy tooth structure, but dental implants don’t affect your natural teeth at all.
• Look natural - Although dentures and bridges have come a long way, implants still provide the most natural result, with an artificial tooth that is usually indistinguishable from your other teeth.

The process of placing implants

After treating any gum disease or decay and assessing your bone structure, implants are usually placed over three appointments:

1. We cut and lift your gum, drill a hole in the jawbone, place a titanium screw and stitch your gum back over it. We give you temporary bridges while the implant heals during six weeks to six months.
2. We lift your gum again, attach a post with a temporary crown and leave the surrounding gum tissue to mature during four to six weeks.
3. We fit your permanent new crown to the post and your smile is restored!

Read more about implants

• Dental implants on Wikipedia
• Dental implants on cosmeticdentistryguide.com

Fix your broken smile and get in touch to talk about implants today.