Thinking Of Having A Dental Implant?

This article is part of our archive. Information may have changed since publication; talk to your dentist for current advice.

What is a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a replacement for the root portion of a missing natural tooth. The implant is placed in the bone of the upper or lower jaw and allowed to bond to the bone. It then serves as a foundation for a replacement tooth.

In the situation were several or all teeth have been lost and implant or implants can provide support for bridgework or a full denture.

What is a Dental Implant Made Of?

An implant, which looks like a screw or cylinder is normally made of pure titanium. The material is ideal for implants because it is completely accepted by the body (bio-compatible).

Newer-design implants have surfaces which are specially treated to encourage quicker bone growth around the implant after it has been placed. This can help reduce healing time.

Replacing A Missing Tooth

Of all the replacements for missing tooth, the closest to a natural tooth is a single-tooth implant.

A single tooth implant has many advantages:

It feels like s a natural tooth

It looks like a natural tooth and after an initial period of adaptation, its chewing efficiency is similar to that of a natural tooth.

There is no drilling of the neighbouring teeth as would be the case with if bridgework was used to replace a missing tooth. The neighbouring teeth are conserved.

It is cleaned and looked after just like a natural tooth.

It is an excellent replacement isn cases where a person previously had slight spaces between the teeth. With an implant these spaces can be reproduced.

What Is Involved?

Sometimes an implant may be places at the time of extraction of an existing tooth.

However, if a tooth has been missing for a period, it will be necessary to do a small operation to prepare the site to take the implant. After the implant has been placed it is usually left undisturbed to allow it to bond with the surrounding bone. Depending on the case, this can range from 2 to 6 months.

During the healing phase some form of temporary tooth replacement is used so that there is no embarrassing gap.

This completes the foundation on which the new tooth crown will be placed. Finally the crown is made and attached to the abutment to complete the case.

Replacing Several Teeth

When several teeth are missing, implant-supported bridgework can replace them. When compared to the alternatives, this procedure has many advantages.

There is no drilling of teeth either side of the gap as would be the case if conventional bridgework was used.

It can avoid the need for a partial denture especially when there is no tooth at one end of the gap.

Unlike a partial denture, implant supported bridgework is a fixture.

Because the implants are firmly embedded in bone they help keep supporting bone healthy and intact. Without the implants the bond tends to shrink as time passes. This loss of bone can cause partial dentures to become loose.

What Is Involved?

The procedure is similar to that of a single-tooth implant. When the space has been present for a period of time a small operation is required to place the implants in the jaw. After the necessary healing period, the abutments are placed and a bridge constructed over the abutments.

Replacing All Your Teeth

If you are missing all your teeth, having an implant-supported full bridge or full denture can make quite a difference.

Conventional full dentures, particularly lower dentures, can be hard to keep in place, making biting and chewing quite difficult. Implant-supported full bridges are invariable more comfortable and stable and provide a far better chewing capacity.

The simplest form of implant treatment to support a full lower denture involves the placement of two implants in the front of the jaw. A full denture is the fastened to the implants by a simple attachment. This makes the denture much firmer but it an removed for cleaning.

Our team can help you choose the right implant option for your teeth. We offer a consultation service so we can access the amount and quality of bone available, what you need and how best to help you replace missing teeth.