Dental Implants
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are an artificial replacement for a tooth’s root. They fit directly into your jawbone and hold crowns or false teeth in place, in the same way that roots support natural teeth.
A dental implant is used to support one or more false teeth. It is a titanium screw that can replace the root of a tooth when it fails.
Are implants safe and how long will they last?
Dental Implants are a safe, well-established treatment. Dental Implants will probably last many years if cared for well.
If implants are not looked after, they will develop a coating similar to what you get on neglected natural teeth. If this is left untreated , it can lead to gum infection, bleeding, soreness and general discomfort.
If your implants are well looked after, and if the bone they are fitted to is strong and healthy, you can expect them to last for many years.
Can implants always be used to replace missing teeth?
No. It depends on the condition of the bone in your jaw.
How much will it cost?
In many cases, the cost of the treatment is only a little more than the cost of treatment with crowns and bridges. Implants are usually a more cost-effective and satisfactory option in the long run.
There are other advantages to implants, too. If you have an implant to replace a single tooth, there is no need to cut down the teeth either side of it. If you had a bridge, your dentist would need to do this and fit crowns to these teeth to support the bridge.
Normal dentures often mean that your eating and drinking is affected because the dentures may move about. But teeth attached to an implant don't cause this problem, because they are anchored to the bone more firmly than natural teeth.