So what are dental implants?
Dental implants act as replacement tooth roots and can be a removable or fixed foundation, created to match your natural teeth. Implants are a bespoke treatment which is what makes them so successful – they’re the next best thing to your own natural teeth.
The benefits of dental implants
- As emphasised above, they’re the closest solution to a real tooth. They look and feel like your natural teeth and fuse with the bone which means they eventually become permanent.
- Missing teeth can cause problems with speech. Dental implants can restore your speech as well as your ability to chew food properly, thus improving your overall health.
- Implants are comfortable, whilst other solutions such as dentures can cause some pain and discomfort.
- Many find they smile more after having their missing teeth replaced – implants restore self-esteem and give the confidence to smile again.
- Implants do not require you to have other teeth reduced as with bridges where neighbouring teeth have to be altered in order to support the new tooth/teeth.
- Implants are a fixed solution, so there is no need to remove your teeth overnight or to clean them.
- Dental implants are said to have a success rate of over 95%, making them a highly reliable solution to replacing missing teeth. They can be used to replace a single missing tooth, or indeed several or all missing teeth.
What does the procedure involve?
- Firstly, you will need to attend a consultation, where you can discuss your treatment with one of our specialists here at Cornerhouse. If you have any anxieties or questions, we will be more than happy to address these moving forwards.
- The titanium tooth root implant is placed into your bone socket (where your missing tooth is). Your jawbone will heal and the implant will fuse and grow around the titanium implant, a process that can take anywhere from 6 – 12 weeks.
- Following this, an abutment (a connecting post) will be attached in order to support your new tooth. Impressions of your natural teeth will be made so that you have an exact bespoke model correct to your bite. Your new tooth (a crown) is made from this and placed over your new tooth root (the implant).
- Here at Cornerhouse, your dentist will help you select a perfect match for the colour of your crown.
Caring for your implants
As they fuse with your jaw, implants essentially become additional natural teeth and should be maintained in the same way as natural teeth. Be sure to brush twice a day for 2 minutes and floss regularly and thoroughly. If you need further advice about caring for your teeth, please ask our friendly team here at Cornerhouse, who will be happy to help.
If you would like more information about dental implants here at Cornerhouse, please do not hesitate to give us a call.
