The fact that you are reading this article means you have probably been thinking about dental implants and whether or not they are a good choice for you. Although many adverts market them as the perfect, permanent solution to missing teeth, it is completely natural that you should have questions and concerns. Here at Perfect Pearls, we completely understand that you would want to make a fully informed decision before undergoing any dental treatment. We believe in providing the best possible information along with excellent dental care, so that our patients always leave with a happy smile.
Why are dental implants recommended?
Your dentist will usually recommend that you opt to have missing teeth replaced. One of the main reasons for this is that if gaps are allowed to remain for a prolonged period of time then you can begin to experience significant problems with your remaining teeth. Weakening of both the jaw and other teeth around the gap can cause failure and loss of other teeth, as well as making it hard for you to maintain your oral hygiene. This, in turn, can also put your remaining teeth at greater risk of damage and decay.
From an aesthetic perspective, few people are happy with having missing teeth, which can seriously undermine our confidence and self-esteem. For some people, this can have very real effects on our personal and professional lives.
One particular reason dental implants are often recommended over bridges and crowns is that they do not have a negative impact on the integrity of the surrounding teeth. They also don’t rely on the remaining teeth being strong enough. They offer a permanent solution that is suitable for almost every patient and leaves them with a smile that looks and feels completely natural.
Why replace my missing teeth?
As we’ve already mentioned, for many patients the primary reason for choosing to replace missing teeth is aesthetic. Although missing teeth affect everybody differently, a range of studies have shown that gaps tend to have a very negative effect on most people’s confidence, sense of self-esteem and even their lifestyles. In some cases, this may cause people to avoid smiling and laughing, while some may find themselves covering their mouth when speaking which can have an impact on communication. In the most extreme cases, the lack of confidence can even make people reluctant to socialise or apply for new positions. This can have a negative impact on friendships, relationships and career satisfaction. All of these are perfectly good reasons to consider replacing your missing teeth.
Of course, there are also dental considerations. There are some very important longer term consequences to your teeth and gums when you suffer from missing teeth. The chewing action when we use our teeth to eat stimulates the bone in our jaw and helps to keep it strong and healthy. When a tooth is missing, this sensation is lost, causing the bone to weaken and recede over time. This weakness can spread across a wider area, increasing the risk of other teeth becoming unstable or even failing completely. Receding bone also affects your bite which may result in excessive wear and discomfort. It can also cause the appearance of early aging as your jaw begins to change shape over time.
What exactly is a dental implant?
A dental implant comprises of three components. Firstly, there is the implant itself. This is essentially a replacement root. Made from biocompatible titanium, it is able to bond with the natural bone to form an incredibly strong, permanent root for your replacement tooth and help to strengthen the jaw against further weakness.
The visible part of the replacement tooth is called a crown. The crown looks and feels just like your natural teeth, so that nobody will ever know the difference.
Connecting these two parts is a component called the abutment. When you first have implants fitted, a temporary abutment will often be used to protect the implant until it is ready for the crown to be mounted.
Does dental implant treatment hurt?
For many patients, this is the most important question, particularly for those who may have experienced discomfort and pain with their teeth in the past. The dental implant procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic and performed by highly experienced implantologists. They will take great care to ensure that you feel nothing at all during the treatment.
Dental implant surgery is a minor surgical procedure, however, therefore light discomfort may be experienced by some patients. Your dentist will advise you on the best way to manage any discomfort before you leave the clinic and of course we’ll always be here to help should you have any questions or concerns at any time following your treatment.
Are dental implants safe?
Our implantologists are experts in their fields and always use the very latest techniques and equipment for the best possible results. We only use the highest quality implants and combined with excellent dentistry, this allows us to ensure patients that both the surgery and the implants themselves are completely safe.
How long do dental implants last?
When you have top quality implants fitted by expert dentists such as those available here at Perfect Pearls, you can expect your implants to last a lifetime.
A lot depends, however, on how well you look after your teeth. For the best long term results, you should treat your implants just as you would your normal teeth, adopting a good oral hygiene regime and following any advice given by your dentist or hygienist. We also encourage you to visit your dentist at the recommended intervals so that we can give your teeth and gums a thorough examination.
To book a free consultation with the experts at Perfect Pearls Dental Implant Centre, call us today on 01902 500 823. Alternatively, fill in the online form on our dedicated implants page.
