There are six main reasons why replacing one or more missing teeth is critical to your overall health.
1. Bone loss
Teeth support the jaw and stimulate bone growth to keep it dense and strong. When a missing tooth is not replaced, the surrounding jaw area isn’t stimulated, so the unused bone begins to deteriorate and lose its density. This changes the structure of the jaw and will eventually affect your facial features. The titanium screw in a dental implant fuses with the jawbone and takes on the role of the tooth root. It stimulates bone growth in the same way that a natural tooth would for healthy jawbone maintenance.
2. Shifting teeth
A missing tooth leaves a gap that neighbouring teeth can shift into. It only takes tooth decay or gum recession to cause this movement. Once one tooth begins to shift, a domino effect occurs, affecting your overall bite.
3. Irregular bite
Shifting teeth affect the way they come together when you bite down. A poor bite has a negative impact on the teeth and gums, as well as the joints and muscles in the jaw, neck and head. You could start to experience unnatural tooth wear, tooth loss, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, muscle pain, and headaches.
4. Difficulty chewing
Every tooth in the mouth has its purpose. If any of your teeth are lost, you will lose that functionality. If missing teeth aren’t replaced, you will find it more difficult to chew your food. The back teeth are used to grind up food, especially meats, while the front teeth are used to break pieces off larger food items. You might feel your remaining teeth are working well enough, but when teeth are missing, your body feels the impact. Improper chewing can affect digestion and lead to problems like acid reflux.
5. Issues with speech
The large gaps left behind by missing teeth will make it more difficult to pronounce certain sounds. It is common for people with even one missing tooth to begin slurring, whistling and spitting when they speak.
6. Facial aesthetics
The positioning of teeth in the jaw supports the natural structure and shape of the face. As any unused jawbone begins to deteriorate, it makes the face appear sunken and aged.
At Alma Smiles, we help patients replace missing teeth using state-of-the-art technology and treatment options. Modern techniques offer patients several options for the effective replacement of their missing teeth.
Dentures
Dentures are artificial acrylic teeth connected to acrylic, plastic or nylon plates that fit over the gums where the teeth are missing. The plate is usually removed when you go to bed. Dentures are very natural-looking and comfortable to wear. They are also an economical option to fill the gap created by missing teeth.
Dental bridges
A dental bridge is a set of artificial crowns that are strung together and then cemented to the teeth on either side of the gap. We will prepare these neighbouring teeth to serve as anchors, holding the crowns at each end of the bridge in place. Once the bridge is fitted, the gap is filled and no longer visible. A dental bridge lasts 15 years on average but may last longer if it is well-maintained. Cost is calculated according to the number of crowns.
Dental implants
A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth implanted into the jaw, where it fuses with the bone to become a permanent fixture in the mouth. The implant uses a small titanium screw as a replacement for the missing tooth root. The artificial root supports a crown, providing a natural-looking and feeling replacement for missing teeth. A dental implant can last more than 20 years if you practise good oral hygiene and visit your dentist regularly.
Of these three options — dentures, bridges, and implants — the implant is the closest alternative to a natural tooth. It functions and feels just like a natural tooth because the titanium root fuses with the jawbone.
An implant also has a longer lifespan than both dentures and bridges. Dentures should be refitted or replaced every five to 10 years, while bridges have a lifespan of up to 15 years. Dental implants are incredibly durable, often lasting 20 years or more.
Another advantage is that a dental implant is self-supporting and doesn’t depend on the health of adjacent teeth. It stimulates bone growth in the jaw, which means it will not deteriorate and shrink back. Neither of the other two options offers this benefit.
We prefer to use three of the world’s most trusted dental implant brands — Straumann®, Nobel Biocare® and Dentium®. These and the other options available can be discussed during your initial consultation.
Straumann® — Straumann® dental implants use precision Swiss engineering to produce high-quality, reliable dental implants. Straumann® has been at the forefront of implant engineering since 1974 and has undertaken extensive scientific research to demonstrate the clinical effectiveness of its range.
Nobel Biocare® — Nobel Biocare® provides a wide assortment of innovative dental implants. The range includes an implant to meet practically any replacement criteria, including tissue-level implants. The NobelProcera and NobelActive are two of the company’s most popular implants.
Dentium® — Dentium® produces a range of high-quality dental implants, including the Implantium, SuperLine and SimpleLine II. One of the distinguishing features of the Dentium® range is its titanium posts, which boast a unique surface, allowing for bone-to-implant contact and successfully keeping the post embedded throughout its lifespan.
The first step in the dental implant process is a thorough examination with your dentist to ensure your jawbone can support the implant. Some patients may require a sinus lift or bone graft before receiving an implant.
Once you have undergone your initial consultation and agreed upon a treatment plan, you can look forward to the three phases of a successful implant.
1. Implanting the titanium rod
The titanium rod is implanted into the jaw. The gum then covers the implant for three to six months while it fuses with the bone. We can fit a temporary denture to wear during this period if you wish. For two weeks after, a soft-food diet must be followed to avoid dislodging the implant.
2. Adding a healing cap
Once the titanium has successfully fused with your jaw, the next step is to add a healing cap. This might mean a slight adjustment to your temporary denture, which is a quick and easy procedure.
3. Fitting the crown
About three weeks after the healing cap has been placed, the dental crown is added. The crown will be made to match your natural teeth and be fitted onto the healing cap.
4. Aftercare
Follow-up appointments may be necessary after the fitting to make sure the crown is as comfortable as possible. This could include adjustments to the shape, size, colour, or fit.
The total treatment time for all four phases is generally five to eight months. There are many causes of tooth loss. It doesn’t simply boil down to gum disease or poor oral health. Many individuals with perfectly healthy mouths lose one or more teeth, perhaps from a car accident, a nasty fall, or a contact sports injury.
Regardless of how a tooth has been lost, everyone deserves the chance to restore their beautiful smile, and a dental implant is a great option to consider.
A dental implant is an excellent option for replacing one or more missing teeth. A titanium rod is implanted into the jawbone where the natural tooth root used to be.
A prosthetic tooth is bonded to the rod once the gum has healed and the rod has fused with the bone. The structure looks and feels like a real tooth.
If you are physically healthy enough to have a tooth extracted or bridge work done, then you are technically healthy enough to receive a dental implant. We will always conduct a thorough examination before the procedure to make sure this is the case.
Your dental health is also critical. The biggest consideration is that your jawbone is healthy enough to support the implant rod.
We will examine the area of your jaw to make sure it is strong, deep and dense enough for successful fusion with the titanium implant. He may recommend a bone graft or sinus lift to improve the condition of your jawbone before the procedure.
A dental implant is an extremely stable replacement option. Once it fuses with the jawbone, it typically won’t require any additional adjustments for the length of time it is expected to stay there.
The new tooth will look and feel so natural and secure that you will be able to smile, speak and eat with confidence. A dental implant is also the only tooth replacement option that stimulates the natural growth of bone in the jaw.
Dental implants involve a minor surgical procedure that requires an incision in the gum. We generally perform this under local anaesthesia, which is the least amount of medication necessary for you to feel comfortable throughout. You do have the option of being sedated beforehand if you’re feeling anxious.
The area only takes a few days to heal. During this time, you may feel some minor discomfort. Pain medication such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can be taken, but it shouldn’t be necessary for any longer than two to five days afterwards.
The length of the procedure depends on how many rods are needed and if your case presents any complexities. It generally takes between one and four hours. It may take longer if more extensive treatment is required, such as a bone graft or a sinus lift.
However, we will let you know how long you can expect the procedure to last before you book in for your implant fitting.
The total cost depends mainly on the number of implants you need. The cost is calculated per rod and per crown. You won’t always need a rod for every crown. For example, a full-mouth restoration uses only six rods to support a full row of teeth. We will give you a comprehensive quote after your initial consultation.
We aim to make any treatment as affordable as possible to help our patients restore their smiles, regardless of their budget. That is why we offer financing options with 0% interest. You can discuss these with him during your initial consultation.
A dental implant is a minor, minimally invasive procedure, so the risk is low. There may be more risk for patients with medical conditions that affect the healing of bone or soft tissue. We will discuss your medical history at your consultation.
Clinical studies on single implants’ success show a success rate of more than 95%. While the skill of the orthodontist is critical to the success of the procedure, long-term success will depend largely on how well the implant is taken care of.
Your dentist or hygienist must examine the implant regularly. It needs to be taken care of along with your natural teeth to maintain your overall oral health.
A dental implant can last a lifetime. Although it’s common to tell patients to expect a lifespan of 20+ years, there is no reason why an implant can’t last much longer.
Problems with implants occur mostly because of improper care and maintenance at home. Soft tissue health and the function of the implant must be evaluated regularly to make sure any issues are caught at the earliest point possible.
It is very important that routine check-ups are upheld so we can detect and fix any issues in their early stages.
For example, a dental implant is not subject to the same risks that could be experienced with an organ transplant. Since the rod is not made of biological material, there is no risk the body will reject it due to a poor blood type or tissue match. The human body doesn’t reject the placement of titanium within bone, which is why joint replacement surgery has such a high success rate.
There are recorded cases in which an implant was not successful, but this is not because the patients’ bodies rejected them. Instead, these cases were ones in which either the patients in question were not good candidates for the procedure, necessary bone grafts were not done, or practitioners lacked the requisite skill.
Another factor that could lead to implant failure is a patient’s inability to adhere to post-procedure care or attend follow-up appointments.
BACK TO Dental Implants
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