Having a gap in your teeth can have a massive knock on your confidence. It can make you feel self-conscious when speaking to people and can even affect your ability to bite or chew. Luckily, there is a solution, and you don’t have to travel too far to find it. Sheen Dental Implants Richmond offers a state-of-the-art service in replacing missing teeth with natural-looking, permanent dental implants that have your smile looking perfect again.
So, what are dental implants?
Dental implants are titanium screws that are placed directly into your jawbone in order to act as a replacement for your missing tooth root. After it is fitted, the bone surrounding the implant slowly begins to fuse to it thereby holding it firmly in place. Once it is in place, the implant acts like a tooth root, supporting a denture or crown on top of it.
Why should I choose dental implants?
It is no surprise that dental implants are so popular, considering the benefits of having them are endless. Here are just a few reasons why you should opt for dental implants over traditional dentures:
- Permanent – dental implants provide you with a permanent solution to missing teeth as the titanium screws are surgically fixed into the jawbone. This is further secured by the process of the original bone gradually fusing to the implant and allowing it to function like a natural tooth root.
- Natural looking – dentures or crowns can be placed on top of the dental implant, filling any gaps caused by tooth decay or extraction and giving your mouth a more complete and cohesive set of teeth.
- Prevention of bone loss – when you lose a tooth, the jawbone beneath it begins to shrink due to no longer being stimulated by the root. With dental implants acting like natural teeth, your jaw will continue to be stimulated, and further bone loss will be prevented.
- Enjoying food again – missing teeth make biting and chewing painful and difficult, especially foods that are hard. However, dental implants restore the strength in your mouth, allowing you to go back to enjoying your favourite snacks and dishes without worrying about the pain.
Will I definitely qualify for dental implants?
While dental implants are suitable for most people, there are a few exceptions based on people’s lifestyle habits and illnesses or diseases they may have. This is because certain factors can have an effect on the way the dental implant treatment heals and how the rest of your mouth will respond to the treatment. Factors which may make you an unsuitable candidate for dental implants include:
- Smoking tobacco-containing products
- If you have had radiotherapy around the jaw
- If you drink alcohol persistently and take recreational drugs
- If your diabetes is uncontrolled
- If you have active gum disease
What is the process of getting dental implants?
The process of getting dental implants fitted into your mouth is a lengthy one which requires a lot of patience. It can take up to nine months for the bone to fuse to the implant however the results are definitely worth the wait. To put it simply, the process involves a consultation with your dentist to assess your suitability for the treatment, then progressing to taking x-rays of your teeth to come up with a treatment plan and to create a model of your existing teeth. The process is completed when the implant is fitted into the gap, and the area surrounding it is stitched up, allowing the bone to grow around the implant and fusing it to the jawbone.