Replacing Missing Teeth With Dental Implants
Why this restorative dental procedure is gaining in popularity.
Not so long ago, perhaps few people in the UK would have heard about dental implants and what they do. These days though, implants are increasingly become the number one choice for patients who have lost teeth and are looking to replace them.
At The Dental Centre Bedford, we are pleased to offer patients the opportunity to have this excellent procedure which will leave you with strong and long lasting replacement teeth.
What are dental implants?
A dental implant is actually a screw like object which is made from titanium. In effect, they replace the root of a tooth and provide a secure base onto which a dental crown is attached, to leave a strong and natural looking replacement.
The procedure
We will look at the placing of an individual dental implant in today’s blog. However, they can also be used to replace multiple teeth and we will look at that technique in a future post.
When a patient comes to us for a dental implant consultation, we will take scans and x-rays of the area of the mouth where the implant is to be placed. This is to determine two things; firstly, that there is sufficient bone into which the implant can be placed (a bone graft may be necessary in certain situations). Secondly, the scans will also show the exact position that the implant should be placed for the best result.
For the procedure itself, the area will be numbed with a local anaesthetic and then a precise hole made in the jawbone. It should be said here, that some people find the idea of this to be quite frightening. The reality though is that we use very sophisticated equipment and strong local anaesthesia which work in combination with the skills of our Bedford based implant dentist to ensure that any pain is minimised.
The titanium implant is screwed into the pre-prepared hole which completes the initial part of the procedure. The implant is then left in place for approximately three months, during which time the bone in the jaw integrates with it, bonding it extremely firmly in place. Titanium is the only material which does this and it is this process that gives dental implants their long term strength and security. Once bonded firmly in place (a process known as osseointegration), a dental crown is then attached to the implant, resulting in a natural looking and strong replacement. In addition to this, with good care, your new implant should last for a long time, potentially twenty years or more.
We hope that this post has proved useful and informative and our friendly and experienced team will be happy to discuss this popular tooth replacement method with you in detail, should you be interested in having dental implants placed.
Simply call our receptionists at The Dental Centre Bedford today on 01234 819868 to arrange a consultation.