Are your dentures causing you pain and discomfort? Is it a hassle taking them out every night and putting them back in every morning? Do they accidentally fall out when you sneeze too hard? If so, then dental implants Richmond may be the perfect solution to all your problems, giving you a smile that is permanent and one that doesn’t accidentally fall out from time to time!
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are medical titanium screw-like devices that are permanently placed into the jaw to act like a tooth root when there is a gap due to a missing tooth or teeth. Just like with a tooth root, your jawbone fuses with the dental implant which secures it permanently in place, making it suitable for a denture or crown to be fixed on to.
Why choose dental implants?
The more important question is, why wouldn’t you choose dental implants? In recent years there has been a significant rise in the number of adults opting for dental implants rather than traditional dentures or crowns. Missing teeth can have a negative impact on your life, from making you feel self-conscious about the way you look to making it difficult to chew or bite even the simplest of foods. Dental implants can give you a new lease of life in the following ways.
Permanent
Dental implants offer a permanent solution to your missing teeth, meaning you don’t have to take them out at the end of the night or worry about them falling out like you would do with traditional dentures. As they are fixed into your jawbone, once fused with the bone, they function like a natural tooth root and can last longer than a decade if they are taken care of properly.
Natural
With dental implants you needn’t worry about having a random tooth that sticks out from the rest, because the false tooth that is fixed onto your implant is matched in shape, shade and size to the rest of your teeth.
Prevent bone loss
When a tooth falls out or is extracted, the jawbone beneath that tooth is no longer stimulated and therefore begins to shrink causing the shape of your face to change over time. However, as movement of the dental implant stimulates the jaw like a natural tooth would, it prevents any further bone loss.
Restore your bite
Dental implants make simple tasks like biting and chewing food easy again, meaning you can enjoy your favourite fruit, vegetables and meals – but be sure to take it easy with the sugary treats!
What is bone loss and how can it be treated?
Bone loss occurs when a tooth falls out or is extracted and the bone beneath the area where the tooth originally was begins to break down due to a loss of stimulation. If this is not dealt with straight away, the bone can continue to break down causing your face to droop. Fortunately, you can now be offered the choice to have a bone graft which is a procedure designed to replace the lost bone, so that when you proceed for an implant treatment, there is enough bone to drill the implant into.
What does the procedure involve?
A dental implant procedure usually consists of three or four stages.
A pre-operative assessment is where your dentist will carry out a thorough check of your teeth and medical history, and then discuss what the procedure entails. If necessary, before proceeding with the implant procedure, your dentist may have to carry out a bone graft to replace any bone loss that has already occurred.
The implant procedure then takes place; this involves injecting your gum with an anaesthetic to numb the area so that the procedure is not painful. Once your mouth is numb, the dentist will cut into your gum and drill a hole into the jawbone which the implant will be inserted into. The gum is then stitched back shut and a temporary denture or crown will be fitted on top so that you do not need to remain toothless while the healing process occurs
Sometimes, you will have your new tooth inserted on the same day, however in most cases, the bone and gums need time to heal and fuse together before a denture or crown can be fitted on. It is important to note that this process takes some time, with most cases taking up to nine months for the bone to fuse to the implant.