Until fairly recently, traditional dentures and bridges were the only options for replacing missing teeth. Some people find dentures uncomfortable as they can be painful, don’t always remain in place and they can cause embarrassing clicking noises when eating, speaking or laughing.
A dental implant is an artificial replacement for a tooth root, usually made from titanium. They are suitable for most adults with good general health and are a more permanent solution to replacing missing teeth.
If you have a single missing tooth, a single implant is the best solution for you.
The appearance of teeth at the front of the mouth is important for many of us and dental implants have become the first choice for many patients who are missing a tooth from their smile!
A single titanium implant is placed into the bone and once healed, a custom made cosmetic crown is made to fit onto the implant and match nearby teeth to look natural.
The dental implant will function, look and feel just like your own tooth.
If you are missing all of your teeth and you are looking for an alternative solution to dentures, then dental implants may be the right choice for you. When all of the teeth are already missing the most common way of replacing such a large number of teeth is with conventional dentures. However, conventional dentures can be uncomfortable and make you feel self-conscious but with dental implants they look and feel like your own teeth.
It may be that you have a large number of failing teeth which need to be extracted and an interim measure of providing a conventional denture may still be required. This will form part of the overall dental implant journey. The immediate denture, which is placed at the time of teeth extraction will provide information on where the dental implants need to be placed and also give an idea of how the final restoration might look.
If you struggle wearing your dentures or they become loose and move about, causing difficulty in eating and speaking, dental implants can be used to secure your denture into position.
Two to four implants are placed in the lower jaw and four implants in the upper jaw, allowing the denture to be secured into position when needed and removed to clean with ease.
Implant secured dentures are also more comfortable than traditional type dentures, allowing you to retain a more natural biting and chewing function.
If looked after correctly, dental implants will last for many decades. We use the Straumann dental implant system which has proved to last a lifetime, achieving fantastic results for all of our patients.
For most dental implant-supported teeth you will be able to clean around each supporting dental implant by brushing and flossing in just the same way that you would around your own teeth. In some areas we recommend flossing, interdental toothbrushes and other cleaning aids to maintain excellent oral hygiene. For the first few months after the dental implants are placed, your dentist may ask to see you more frequently.
However, once your dentist is satisfied your treatment is performing as planned, ongoing care will be similar to patients with natural teeth.
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that uses transplanted bone to repair and rebuild diseased or damaged bones. If required, we will discuss this procedure with you in detail at your initial appointment.
The most important visit is the initial consultation where the Specialist will go through a series of questions regarding your previous dental and medical histories. This will help to determine whether or not dental implants are the best option for you.
If you are in good general health, dental implants are likely to be a suitable option for the replacement of your missing teeth. However, habits such as heavy drinking and smoking can compromise the initial healing time and have a detrimental effect on the long-term health of gum and bone surrounding each implant.
Sherwood Dental Practice
633 - 635 Shirley Road
Hall Green
Birmingham
B28 9JU
0121 777 4455
