A Dental implant is a titanium post which is placed in the jawbone, providing a secure root for a crown to be attached to.

How do dental implants work?

Historically, if you needed a false tooth or teeth, you would usually have been given dentures which are kept in the mouth by using a plate or bridge. These days however, dental implants are more commonly offered as an alternative.  They are actually attached to the jawbone, providing a secure root for the crown, bridge or denture. The titanium screw that makes up the “root” part of dental implant will eventually fuse with your jawbone, providing a secure base for your new teeth.

 How are dental implants fitted?

First the dentist will assess if bone supply in the jaw is enough for the titanium screw to be attached. Once this has been ascertained, the implant can be attached by making a small incision in the gum and drilling a small hole in the jaw. This is where the “root” will go. The whole procedure is very safe and is carried out under local anaesthetic. Once this has healed, your crown, bridge or denture can be fitted securely to the implant "roots", to give you a natural and comfortable smile.

Why are dental implants better than dentures?

 When you lose a tooth ,bone density can often decrease around the gap, which isn't prevented by wearing dentures. This can cause problems when you eat and even affect the shape of your face. Dental implants prevent this bone loss and provide you with a level of stability that is unparalleled. Dental implants also allow you to maintain better oral hygiene, as long as you brush daily and use dental floss and mouthwash.

Dental implants can also be used to keep in loose dentures. Full upper and lower dentures can be quite tricky to keep in place with out any fixative, using three to six dental implants a new denture is made with custom made precision attachments that snaps the new denture in place.  

This helps to prevent loss of additional bone in the upper/lower jaw and reduce the sunken appearance of the face.   

 Am I a suitable candidate for dental implants?

Dental implants can treat a whole host of dental problems, provided they have enough bone tissue to support them. Dental implants may not be suitable, or may be more likely to fail, in patients who smoke, are heavy drinkers, suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding) or have gum disease. However, in the cases of bruxism and gum disease, the conditions can be treated enabling you to have the implants fitted once the conditions are stable.

If you would like further information about our dental implants service, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01407 764599 and we will be happy to discuss your requirements.