Dental Implants
A beautiful smile not only enhances your overall appearance but can also have an impact on your health, as your ability to chew helps to determine what you eat. Speech is also affected by the condition of your teeth. Functional and attractive teeth contribute to a better quality of life.Your teeth shape the character and structure of your face. Strong, healthy teeth are vital as tooth roots stimulate continuous regeneration of the bone that surrounds your face.
A dental implant is an excellent solution for replacing a missing tooth.
Dental implants can be used for either a single tooth; multiple teeth or to help keep dentures stable and secure. Dental implants are screw-shaped or cylindrical root-form titanium posts that act as artificial tooth roots. These are carefully placed in the jawbone and allowed to heal. During the healing phase, your bone is growing right up to the implant surface in order to lock it in place.
Shortly thereafter, a crown is made to fit on top of the implant so as to replace a missing tooth or missing teeth with a “brand-new” tooth. In many cases, you can be functioning with your “new” tooth on the same day as your surgery.
Dental Implant treatment is the preferred method of tooth replacement. These implants replace missing tooth roots, and form a stable foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel and function similarly to your natural teeth. Dental implants also preserve the remaining bone by providing the stimulation, previously provided by the natural tooth roots.
Dental Implants offer several advantages to the patient. Unlike traditional false teeth, it is not necessary to grind down the adjacent teeth for a bridge or secure a partial denture to adjacent teeth with clasps.
In addition to supporting crowns and bridges, implants can also be used to secure poorly fitting dentures. By using Dental Implants we can eliminate the problems associated with traditional dentures. These include looseness, sore spots, trapped food and embarrassing denture slippage. In addition the biting force is increased in a more natural bite.
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A Dental Implant is a titanium rod that replaces the root of a missing tooth. It is inserted into the jawbone and can be used to support a single tooth, several teeth or stabilise dentures. The average cost: of the procedure at Tracey Bell is: £800-£1500 per tooth (excludes cost of any crown structure work).
The Benefits of Implants with Tracey Bell:
- Aesthetically, teeth provide the face with structure. Having dental implants will take years off your face and give a youthful appearance.
- Dental Implants have the power to transform the way you feel about yourself. No longer shy regarding a set of bad teeth, or a lack there of. At Tracey Bell we will help to reinstate your confidence so you can smile the world in the eye.
- There is a nothing to fear regarding the procedure due to the success rate of around 95%.
- You can enjoy food previously off-limits because of the lack of teeth. Dental implants mean that eating certain foods will no longer food hurt your gums.
- Dental implants will also minimise the danger of breaking other teeth because of the gaps.
- The natural root and tooth form a unit that had been anchored by bone underneath. When a tooth is removed because the bone has nothing to support, it shrinks at the spot.
- Healthy teeth, next to an empty cavity, have to be prepared for bridges or crowns. Sometimes the healthy teeth can be damaged during the preparation. Often they have to be cut to reduce their size and this shortens their life. With dental implants, no preparation is required that will affect neighbouring teeth. Only the empty tooth cavity is dealt with.
- No special treatments are required here. Your implants will be easy to take care of. Just treat them as you would normal teeth. Brush them well and regularly, using a good brand of toothpaste. Flossing and regular visits to your local dentist will keep them in good condition. Early signs of trouble can be spotted by your dentist and dealt with.
- The procedure is short in length, around an hour depending on the amount of implants required.
- Implants can replace a single tooth avoiding the need to destroy healthy tooth substance if a crown or bridge to be fitted.
How we fit Dental Implants at Tracey Bell:
Fitting implants requires x-rays, planning and placement. This will usually require 2-4 visits with us. The procedure is usually carried out under local anaesthetic, although for more nervous patients, sedation can be administered. The practitioner would normally remove a small flap of gum to reveal the bone and the implant is then placed using the latest equipment and technology. Throughout the procedure the patient experiences no discomfort although in some cases the wound may be stitched to encourage the natural healing process.
In 0 – 3 three months, you will be on your way to absolute recovery. It may take between six weeks and six months for the bone to Osseointegrate, or grow around the implant. During this time you should experience no pain. After Osseointegration the tooth can be restored.
Immediately following the procedure a mild amount of bruising and some discomfort can be expected. Antibiotics may be prescribed and a temporary crown or denture fitted.
Are implants safe?
Implants are a well established proven treatment, 95 per cent of modern implants should last for years.
The risks that will be encountered are those generally associated with infection, nerve damage and soft tissues failure.
Not all implants are the same. Over the last decade there has been an emergence of different types of dental implants onto the market – most of them competing on price.
It is important you know the type of implant you are to have placed and the clinical studies they have been subjected to, as reputable implant companies have clinical studies spanning 20-30 years.
When considering a Bridge vs. Dental Implants we must take the following factors into account:
Treatment with a Dental Implant vs. Bridges involves placing implants in areas where there are no teeth. This stimulates the bone in the area and prevents long-term bone loss. If a Bridge that connects two teeth is used instead of a Dental Implant, pressure is not applied on the jawbone. Therefore the bone is not stimulated and begins to shrink away. Therefore, Dental Implants preserve the underlying jawbone.
Your healthy teeth are not affected by Dental Implants. A Bridge, however, may require the cutting down of healthy, adjacent teeth in order to support the Bridge’s structure.
Bridges only have a life expectancy of 10 years. A Dental Implant offers a permanent solution to tooth loss as it becomes bonded to the jawbone and becomes part of it . The connection is as strong as a natural tooth root. Using a Bridge relies on the side forces applied on the adjacent teeth and on the Bridge’s structure. When using a Bridge you support your structure on natural teeth that are still vulnerable to decay and other diseases, implants on the other hand cannot develop any diseases since they are made of titanium.
Individual Dental Implants allow easier access between teeth, enabling everyday normal dental care. Flossing Bridges is not an easy task and requires time and patience. This fact eventually will give an advantage to the implants by enabling improved everyday oral hygiene.
Dental Implants are remarkably like real teeth in terms of appearance. This is due to modern technology allowing dentists to achieve results that look exactly like natural teeth. When comparing between a Bridge versus Dental Implants, the conclusion is clear. Dental implants always look better than Bridges.
Dental Implants enable more flexibility in planning a treatment plan than Bridges. As a matter of fact, in many cases only Implants can be used and Bridges are simply not an option, especially when a few teeth are missing in the same site.
The price of a Bridge is cheaper than a Dental Implant solution. But when it comes to a long term solution, you must realize that Implants will be a cheaper option. After all just because they rank higher in qualities. Bridges have low durability over Dental Implants and the complications that might occur with a Bridge as well as additional expenses await you down the road, such as a replacement after ten years! So, in conclusion after considering a Bridge over a Dental Implant and taking all the factors into account, it is crystal clear that the dental implants solution is preferable. Even though the initial price is higher, in the long run it is actually a cheaper alternative.
