Dental Implants

What is a dental implant?

The implant itself is an artificial titanium rod much the same as the material used for a hip, knee or shoulder replacement. On top of that we can attach a crown, bridge or attachment for a denture.

Treatment options vary depending on how many teeth are lost

If a tooth is lost due to decay, breakage or gum disease, this is the most common situation where the surrounding teeth are still in good condition. Most people prefer not to have to wear a removable denture or have nearby teeth drilled to attach a bridge to them.

By simply replacing the lost root with a dental implant we can in most cases simply attach a crown after healing and provide an aesthetic and functional long-lasting result.

Several teeth are missing in a row

In these cases many patients we see have worn a partial denture for some time to replace these teeth, but have never been completely happy and are keen to get rid of the denture.

By placing two or more dental implants and connecting a bridge or crowns to these teeth, we can eliminate the denture and improve the appearance, feel and ability to speak and chew.

Elderly People

Many older people have lost all their upper or lower teeth (or both) when they were quite young. As time has gone by, the full lower denture, in particular, becomes less comfortable and more difficult to manage. The gum and bone shrink with age and the lower denture moves more and more, making eating more difficult and the person self-conscious.

Options:

1. By placing two dental implants in the lower jaw or four in the upper jaw (if there is adequate bone), an attachment can be added to the implants and denture which then clip snugly into place, but still needs to be removed for cleaning.
2. Others request a fixed bridge on implants, which requires more implants (four on the lower and six to eight on the upper).

To check your suitability for dental implants x-rays will be required, and sometimes further scans and impressions.