Dental implants are artificial devices (usually titanium type "screws") inserted into the jaw to replace your missing tooth root and hold a replacement tooth or bridge. They are often used as an alternative to fixed bridges or removable dentures. If you’re missing teeth, you can receive dental implants to anchor replacement teeth, enhance your smile, and improve your quality of life.
What are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
Receiving dental implants can help restore an attractive, well-functioning smile. There are many other benefits to replacing missing teeth with dental implants aside from the aesthetic improvement they can make to your smile.
Dental implants are better for your dental health thanconventional bridges because your natural teeth are unaffected. Bridges and dentures, which are other common treatment methods for the loss of several teeth, require support from adjacent teeth that can cause damage. Receiving dental implants however, does not sacrifice the quality of your adjacent teeth because they do not require neighbouring teeth for support.
Since dental implants integrate into the structure of your bone, they prevent the bone loss and gum recession that can accompany bridgework and dentures. The dental implants we provide are fixed, so they do not move around like removable dentures, causing gum irritation and trouble eating certain foods.
Once a dental implant and tooth replacement restoration is complete, you will be able to eat on it as if it was your own tooth. It will actually be stronger than your own natural tooth. As with all dental treatment, a good maintenance programme (home care and regular dental visits to assess and keep them clean), will ensure optimal long term success of the dental implants.
What is the Process for Dental Implants?
Dental implants are titanium substitutes for the tooth root that is missing. During a surgical procedure, the metal implant, which looks like a screw, is placed directly into the upper or lower jawbone.
Over the course of several months, the implant integrates into the surrounding bone, making it stable enough to support a crown. During this healing process, a temporary teeth replacement option can be worn over the implant sites.
Once the implant has integrated into the bone, an impression is taken to create a permanent crown/bridge that is fixed on top of the implant.
Can Dental Implants Help Me?
Ideally, candidates for dental implants will be in good general and oral health. Since the implant is inserted directly into the jaw, candidates for the procedure must have adequate bone volume and density in the jaw to support the implant. We can easily assess your bone by taking a 3D scan using our latest x-ray equipment. If there is an insufficient amount of bone present, you may need additional bone grafting procedures. Depending on the amount of bone that needs to be grafted, this can be either be done in-office or you may be referred to a specialist. Dental implants are connected with the gum tissues and underlying bone in the mouth, so candidates need to also have healthy gums that are free of periodontal disease. A thorough examination is needed to assess your suitability for dental implants.
The procedure can, usually, be conveniently performed in-office by our experienced, on-site principal dentist, Dr Wei Ling McMillan.
