From crooked and overcrowded teeth, through to missing and discoloured teeth, there are a whole host of problems that can impact upon on your smile. The good news is that, with advancing technology and equipment within the cosmetic dentistry sector, there are a range of treatments and solutions, which can help you to achieve a bright, confident smile. Popular cosmetic dentistry treatments include dentures, braces, tooth whitening, and dental implants. But what are dental implants? We’ve put together a handy guide to tell you everything you need to know about this type of treatment.
What are implants?
Dental implants provide a natural and effective replacement for your natural tooth roots. The implant consists of a titanium screw, which replaces the tooth root and can be used to replace single teeth, several teeth, or even as part of a complete reconstruction. During the installation of a dental implant, the dentist aims to get achieve close contact between the implant and the surrounding bone – this ensure that the implant will be as stable as possible.
What are implants made from?
The vast majority of implants are made from titanium or titanium alloy to ensure that they are well tolerated by the bone.
Implants also usually feature an internal screw thread or post space, which will provide the foundation for the long-term support of crowns, bridges, and dentures. All the common forms of tooth replacement, such as bridges or dentures can be replaced with dental implants.
How many implants will I need?
It all depends on how many teeth you have missing and how big the gap is. If you are only missing one tooth, you’ll normally only need one implant but that’s not to say that larger spaces caused by more missing teeth will necessarily need one implant per tooth. It all depends upon the quality and volume of bone available at each site. After a consultation, your dentist should be able to give you more of an insight into how many implants you’ll need.
Will dental implants work for me?
Implants are suitable for most people suffering from missing teeth and, if you’ve got a good level of general health then they’ll almost certainly work for you. Certain lifestyle habits such as heavy drinking or smoking can increase the risk of problems associated with the initial healing process and cause long-term problems for the gum and bone surrounding the implants.
It’s incredibly rare for any other medical problems to prevent the use of implants – if you have any concerns, you should speak to your doctor and your dentist for further information and guidance.
So, if missing teeth are getting you down and causing you to be less than proud of your smile, dental implants may well offer the perfect solution – allowing you to embrace your bright, beautiful smile once again!