There are so many things to love and admire about dental implants, it’s hard to know where to begin! As the next best thing to a real tooth, it’s no wonder why dentists and patients are so fond of dental implants as a means for replacing lost and failing teeth, as well as ill-fitting restorations.
Today, we’re discussing the lifelong benefits of dental implants and their role within the mouth.
What is an implant?
A dental implant is a replacement tooth root and is surgically placed into the jaw. As they’re made from titanium, which happens to be extremely compatible with the human body, the jawbone readily accepts the implant as a new entity and the jawbone grows around it.
It’s very rare for implants to be rejected by the body (treatment has a 95% success rate), though in such situations this is normally down to poor periodontal health. Prior to your treatment, we will advise you on how to maintain good oral health, with a view to promoting a healthy ossiointergration period – this is the process whereby an implant marries together with the body.
Protect your jawbone
One of the benefits of dental implants that goes unsung is their ability to preserve and protect the jawbone.
With tooth replacement treatments like dentures and bridges which aren’t surgically placed, there isn’t the protection that the jawbone requires to stay healthy. Because dental implants create a relationship with the jawbone (which we discussed earlier in the blog), it receives the stimulation it needs to remain strong.
Tooth replacement treatments that don’t involve the use of dental implants cause the jawbone to stop performing its duties, prompting jawbone resorption (shrinkage). This can radically change your face’s shape, as the cheek area begins to hollow out, triggering the appearance of wrinkles and even causing the chin to protrude forwards. Such changes to the face can make a person appear old beyond their years, which can become a big emotional burden to live with.
So, in choosing dental implants with a view to protecting your jawbone, you’re also preserving your facial structure and aesthetic.
Love your smile again
Losing any tooth in your mouth can be detrimental to your volition to smile, but this can be made even worse if you’ve lost a front tooth that forms part of the ‘social six’ (the teeth most visible when you smile).
The crown, dentures or bridge that sit over the top of your implants will be made to fit in with your existing teeth, and look extremely authentic. In fact, those around you won’t be able to tell the difference between your false tooth or teeth and your existing teeth. Here at 92 Dental, we take great pride in planning and producing bespoke restorations for patients and we use some of the most state-of-the-art software to achieve this.
Eat what you love
Food is (or in our opinion, ought to be), one of life’s greatest pleasures. No-one wants to experience barriers surrounding what they eat, but unfortunately missing teeth can make this a reality, as can ill-fitting dentures.
As dental implants secure a crown in place and stabilise false teeth in position without the risk of them slipping, it’s possible to eat tougher foods. Individuals who have been wearing conventional dentures for a number of years will have struggled with breaking down foods such as steak, bread and confectionary.
With dental implants securing a new set of bespoke dentures in place, such foods will no longer be off limits to you. Similarly, if you’ve been living with missing teeth for a number of years, dental implants will relieve the difficulty you have been experiencing trying to break down certain foods.
Keep teeth from shifting
When you lose a tooth, neighbouring teeth can begin to shift into the vacant gaps, causing unnatural gaps in your smile. Not only can this have a cosmetic impact, unnatural gaps can make it easy for food particles and bacteria to settle and cause problems for your oral hygiene.
Dental implants ensure you have a healthy tooth structure that not only looks good but makes it easy to brush and floss between the gaps.
A lifelong investment
Restorations that have dental implants as their foundation are the most durable option available to patients, provided you afford the new tooth or teeth the correct care. Here at 92 Dental, we use the best materials available when creating your restoration, and your implants can last between 10-20 years, at a conservative estimate.
Protect your teeth from wear
Even one missing tooth places strain on your other teeth to perform functions they aren’t used to. When you lose one or more back teeth, this can force teeth not equipped to chew to pick up the slack. Unfortunately, tooth wear can accompany this, so looking to replace missing teeth with a dental implant will act as a favour to your remaining teeth.
Dental implants treatment near Chiswick
Our Hammersmith based dental practice welcomes patients from all across London, including Chiswick. If you’re based in Chiswick and looking for a reputable dental implants practice, choose 92 Dental.
Our implant surgeons have placed thousands of implants, having worked in practices across London for over 15 years. They also possess extensive post-graduate training in periodontics (the diagnosis and treatment of gum disease), which plays an important role in the treatment planning stages of implant surgery. As periodontitis is the most common reason why implants fail, this knowledge is crucial to ensuring implants treatments are a success for our patients across the Chiswick and Hammersmith areas of London.
If you would like to book yourself in for dental implants consultation, please contact our friendly team today. We also offer 0% finance to our patients, to help spread the cost of treatment. Find out more here.
