A missing tooth is more than just a cosmetic problem. In fact, it could increase the risk of gum disease and other serious mouth infections. Dental implants offer long-term replacement for missing and damaged teeth, but when is the right time to get them? Express.co.uk reveals the main signs you should consider dental implants, and the best available options to choose from.
What are dental implants?
A dental implant is a small titanium screw that is positioned in the jaw bone and becomes a permanent fixture in the mouth.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Stephen Barter, Oral Surgeon and Head of Clinical Operations at Bupa DentalCare, said: “Dental implants are a discreet, long-term solution to replacing missing or missing teeth. failing.
“The screw is gently and precisely placed in a carefully planned position in the jaw bone, effectively replacing a missing tooth root.
“It is normally allowed to heal undisturbed for the next six to twelve weeks, during which time the bone fuses with the implant.”
What are the signs that you need dental implants?
You are missing one or more teeth
Dental implants are most often used to fix missing or damaged teeth, but why is it so important to replace problematic gaps and damage in the mouth?
According to Barter, dental implants provide a solution to both your ability to chew and smile, for both medical and cosmetic purposes.
He said: “Missing teeth can have detrimental effects on your oral health and your quality of life.
“Perhaps most obviously, the impact on your appearance of a visible gap can really affect your confidence in social situations, but missing teeth or loose dentures can also affect your ability to chew your food properly, causing digestive problems in some cases.”
Although loose or missing teeth are just one sign that you could benefit from dental implants, there are a number of other indicators to look for.
You have a bridge or crown that keeps falling
Falling bridges and crowns can be a major inconvenience and can often become less reliable over time.
Once a bridge or crown has been reattached, the initial bonding strength is compromised and there is always a risk of it coming loose again.
Dental implants offer a more permanent solution and can even last a lifetime if properly cared for.
You have a badly cracked tooth or a broken tooth that cannot be saved
Although dentists strive to preserve as much of the structure of your natural teeth as possible, some damage is irreparable.
While a dental crown is a good way to restore the functionality of your smile, a dental implant is often a better option in case of tooth extraction.
This discreet treatment looks and functions just like your natural teeth, so it’s often easy to forget you had implants placed.
You begin to experience bone loss in the jaw
Missing teeth can cause the bone tissue in the jawbone to erode in place of the existing root.
Over time, this can lead to a constricted appearance in the mouth, which is common among denture wearers.
Dental implants work well to combat this by acting like artificial tooth roots once they are screwed in and bonded with the bone tissue.
Your face looks sunken around your jawline
This sunken appearance can occur for the same reason as bone loss in the jawbone, and it all comes down to a missing tooth.
Dentures do not stimulate bone growth the same way implants do, so the jawbone continues to deteriorate over time and leaves that sagging effect around the mouth.
Exchanging loose dentures for long-term implants provides secure prosthetic teeth in the mouth, making chewing and speaking easier.
What are the different types of dental implants?
Oral implants can be used to replace a single or even an entire row of broken or missing teeth.
There are four main types of dental implant treatments, with at least one option suited to each patient.
Single and multiple implants
Both single and multiple implants use small titanium screws that are placed directly into the jawbone.
Once the screw has healed and fused with the surrounding bone, a replacement tooth is placed on the screw to match the rest of your natural teeth.
According to Mr. Barter, it usually takes between four and nine months to have an implant treatment, depending on the initial situation.
Implant-supported bridges
This treatment is sometimes recommended to restore several missing or failing teeth in a row as an alternative to individual implants or traditional bridges.
Mr Barter said: ‘The implants are first placed in the jawbone and once they have fused to the bone the bridge is placed over the implants securing it in place.
“The processing time usually takes four to nine months, but varies from person to person.”
Implant-supported prostheses
Also known as “clip in” dentures, implant-supported dentures are conventional dentures that are securely attached to dental implants.
This treatment is offered to patients who no longer have, or at least very few natural teeth, or who have lost so much bone that it is not possible to provide fixed teeth.
smile in a day
Sometimes known as “teeth in a day” or full mouth dental implants, the smile in a day technique is often used for people who have lost or are about to lose all of their remaining teeth.
According to Barter, this involves replacing all the teeth in a jawbone with four or six implants, to which temporary teeth are then attached until a permanent bridge is placed.
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