A dental implant is an artificial tooth that replicates the real thing with a titanium cylinder that is inserted into the jawbone. Over a few months, this fuses with the bone and will act as the new 'root' to which a crown or bridge is then attached. This means implants look, feel and function just like regular teeth.
We currently work with colleagues in another clinic but can help you connect with them after an initial exam.
The process begins with a consultation in which your general health, teeth, bone volume and gums are assessed to see whether you are suitable for the implant treatment. The treatment steps are dependent on each individual case and can vary from 3-4 visits.
The general steps are as follows: the titanium screw posts are placed, and over a few months the implants will bond to the bone. Once settled in and fully healed the replacement teeth are fitted.
Dental implants are a safe, natural looking solution to missing teeth and ill-fitting dentures that not only produce wonderfully restored smiles but can also be beneficial to your overall oral health.
They can also eliminate problems associated with tooth loss or denture wear, such a slow self-confidence, speech problems and chewing difficulties.
Overall, implants are an excellent long term solution for anyone with missing teeth.
If you pay close attention to your oral health, there really is no reason why your implants shouldn’t offer a long lasting solution. To ensure their longevity, you need to treat them just like your natural teeth, which means plenty of good brushing and flossing and making sure you keep up to date with your dental check-ups and hygiene.
Dental implants are carried out under a local anaesthetic and the surgeon will assure that you are as comfortable as possible. There is an option to have it under conscious sedation should you wish. You can expect some soreness postoperatively but you will be given instructions on how best to look after the implant site. This is normally managed with painkillers and passes after a few days.
Do you have several missing teeth or a number of decayed or rotting teeth that need to be replaced? Do you struggle to eat certain foods or avoid smiling and talking to people because you are ashamed and embarrassed by your smile?
If so, then a denture could offer you a highly suitable solution. It will help to restore the look and function to your mouth, allowing you to eat, talk and smile easily and with increased confidence!
Dentures are especially useful when there are insufficient teeth remaining to support a bridge, or where the remaining quality/quantity of bone does not allow the option of a dental implant. Dentures can be full or partial depending on the number of missing or damaged teeth.
A denture can also help to return structure to your face- particularly in the cheeks and lips, resulting in a dramatically healthier and more youthful look. Dentures are removable but can also be fixed more securely with denture implants.
In the past, dentures have been considered unattractive and uncomfortable. However, modern dentures are much more natural looking and comfortable. When fitted correctly no fixing adhesive should be required and it is often very difficult to tell whether someone is even wearing dentures as they can look so realistic.
Traditionally we have to take an impression of the teeth using a putty like material. However with new technology available in the practice we are able to take a 3-D scan of the mouth to eliminate the need for those messy impressions! It can also reduce the number of visits it takes to get the final dentures made. The dentures are planned digitally and normally provide a very accurate fit.
New dentures are often described as a new pair of shoes—they can take a while to break in!
It can take a little while to get used to your new dentures, especially if they are a complete set. They may feel odd at first and eating can be tricky, so it may be a good idea to start with softer foods and slowly introduce more challenging items. The amount of saliva in your mouth may increase, but this should soon improve as your mouth gets used to your replacement teeth.
Initially, speaking may be difficult but you can improve this by reading aloud and if you are experiencing any sore spots in your mouth, the denture surface may need some adjustment.
Remember the more you wear it the quicker you will get used to it.
Dentures should be removed after every meal and cleaned with cold water and a soft toothbrush brush. This should be repeated at night time and be left out whilst sleeping. Once a week, soaking them in a denture cleaning solution, like ‘Sterident’ will help maintain the cleanliness of the denture. It is also important to brush your remaining teeth (if applicable), gums and use interdental brushes twice a day to prevent any infections. You will also need to attend regular check-ups so your dentist and hygienist can keep an eye on your oral health.
A dental bridge can replace a missing tooth by 'bridging the gap' between the adjacent teeth which uses them as a support.
Dental bridges are made of the same material as dental crowns and once in place, it will enable you to enjoy eating and chewing as normal. Dental bridges are a cheaper alternative to dental implants for replacing a missing tooth.
There are two main types of dental bridges:
This is where crowns are used to secure the bridge. This means that we will need to gently grind down a tooth/some teeth to secure the bridge, as shown above.
The two adjacent teeth are prepared for crowns. A three-unit dental bridge is made, and it is bonded onto the two adjacent teeth. These types are crowns are great because the success rates are higher, however they will require some tooth preparation. If the adjacent teeth have crowns already, this option may be good for you. However for healthy teeth we tend not to advise this option.
In the last ten years, technology has advanced, and the strength of dental cement has gotten considerably stronger. This has allowed us to bond onto teeth without having to prepare them, hence preserving tooth structure.
These types of bridges are called adhesive bridges and are a lot more conservative. If you look at the picture above, the bridge has wings on either side of the false tooth and these are bonded onto the back surfaces of the adjacent teeth.
The major advantage is that they require little or no tooth preparation and therefore are kind to the teeth. However, these can only be used in specific circumstances and generally do not work well for back teeth. They rely on having good strong teeth to bond to, so if your adjacent teeth are heavily filled then it may not work. What’s more is the success rates are significantly lower than for conventional bridges.
This is a really difficult question to answer as there is a myriad of situations that can occur. It depends upon your age, build, bite and the state of the neighbouring teeth, as well as lots of other factors that are too detailed to mention here. For adhesive bridges, you generally only want to have one false tooth for predictable success rates. For conventional bridges, bigger spans are possible – but generally no more than two false teeth.
You can replace pretty much any teeth with a bridge. Front teeth are generally easier to replace using this method.
Dental bridges can have substantial longevity when planned well. However studies show that dental implants 10 year survival rate is vastly superior to dental bridges. Also adhesive bridges have significant decreased longevity but are beneficial as no tooth damage has taken place.Conventional bridges can last longer but if they do fail normally they fail more drastically.
If the bridge is joined to both teeth either side, you will not be able to floss between them in the normal way. The best thing in this situation is to clean underneath the bridge by using either tepe brushes (inter-proximal brushes) or superfloss.
If the bridge is secured on one end only then you will be able to use floss and follow it underneath the bridge to clean all areas.
In either case we would recommend seeing a hygienist frequently to maintain your bridges and ensure longevity.
