Dental Implants: Why Are They Needed?
Dental implants are becoming popular for replacing teeth and conventional bridgework or dentures. In the past, if you had missing teeth, it was either a partial or complete removable denture.
Alternatively, you could opt for a resin-retained or fixed bridge. But now, there is the option of dental implants that offer people ‘new’ artificial teeth that look and feel natural.
What are dental implants?
There are a variety of reasons why you have a missing tooth – trauma, gum disease, decay or something else – but it’s now possible to recreate your smile with dental implants in Essex.
There are three parts to a dental implant:
- A titanium screw (post) goes into the jaw bone and secures the implant.
- A connector, known as an abutment, fixes the bridge or crown to the screw.
- A ceramic bridge or crown is the replacement tooth that fits onto the connector.
- When these work together, they provide much better stability so that the tooth looks, feels, and works like the original tooth.
- Inserting a dental implant is a surgical procedure our implant specialist undertakes with a local anesthetic. Once the implant, the titanium screw, is in place, there is a period until the jawbone fuses around the screw. During this time, a temporary bridge or denture can be implemented.
- Once the implant has fused in the jawbone and the area has healed, the connector is attached to the post, and the newly created bridge or crown is fixed into place.
The benefits of dental implants
Dental implants are becoming a preferred option for replacing lost teeth, and there are several benefits:
- Comfortable fit;
- Natural looking; your dental implants will be made to match the natural color of our teeth as much as possible;
- Reliable and long-lasting; with the proper care and regular dental check-ups, they should last as long as your teeth;
- Better functionality; because the implant is anchored to your jawbone, they are sturdy and robust and allow you to eat and chew as you would normally;
- In addition, they can also help with speech and reduce bone resorption;
- They preserve your natural tooth tissue, so adjacent teeth will probably not need any bridgework. By reducing the pressure on your other teeth, they can also help with improving your jawbone structure;
- Significantly better long-term value.
Dental implants make it possible to get your natural smile back should you lose one or more teeth. They are the way forward for a hard-wearing, long-lasting, reliable solution that can be completed with minimal invasive action.
