If you have missing teeth, especially in highly visible parts of your mouth, it can have a great impact on your daily life, as speaking and eating expose your missing teeth to people and smiling becomes something you try to avoid at all costs. If this is the case for you then why not get it fixed by having dental implants to restore your smile to its former glory?
Dental implants
Dental implants themselves are replacements for the root of a natural tooth and can resemble small screws. These implants are fitted into a small opening that will be drilled into your jaw bone in order the support new teeth, which can be one or several depending on what you require. If a tooth has been extracted then implants can often be placed on the same day. This is in order to create immediate contact between the implant and the jawbone to create better stability as the bone grows.
Once this is done, dental implants can support anything from crowns, dentures and dental bridges to help restore your smile.
Overall treatment time
Although the initial process may appear very quick and straightforward, it is important to note that the overall treatment time can take up to three months, due to check ups to ensure the implant and bone have bonded. However this is all dependent upon the patients and what their treatment plan is. Once this is all complete, dental implants can last anywhere between 15 and 20 years, ensuring you get the most out of your smile.
Although dental implants are a great way to help replace teeth and restore your smile, they aren’t suitable for everyone. We will determine this beforehand at Clifton Dental Studio when we check over your jawbone to ensure its health and its density can support an implant. In some cases a bone graft may be required.
If you’re thinking about dental implant treatment or you’re looking for a solution for missing teeth in and around Bath, here’s everything you need to know about our innovative implant treatments:
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are small, screw-shaped devices, which are made from titanium. They are used to act as a substitute for a missing tooth root. Implants are placed inside small holes in the jaw bone and secured. They then integrate into the actual jaw bone tissue and this enables them to support a new tooth in the same way as a natural tooth root.
Implants are compatible with single crowns, dentures or dental bridges, which means they are suited to patients of all ages with various dental needs. With implants, we are able to offer a solution for patients with a single missing tooth, several gaps or a full arch of lost teeth.
As well as providing amazing levels of stability, implants also offer incredibly natural aesthetics, durability and enhance comfort. They are easy to maintain and they also help to reduce the risk of bone loss. You will also be able to enjoy clear speech, enhanced facial aesthetics and increased power when you chew and bite food.
How long does treatment take?
Implant treatment takes times because the implants integrate into the jawbone tissue. This process, called osseointegration, can take up to 8 months. Although treatment is not a quick-fix, it does last a lifetime and therefore the results are well worth the wait!
For patients who are desperate for an instant solution for tooth loss, we can recommend All-on-4, a same day implant system, which is a great option for patients who have found dentures troublesome in the past. With this treatment, we are able to fit the implants and the new teeth on the same day.
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
