Dental Implants

Fixed in place

Dental implant crowns or bridges are fixed onto the underlying implant. Only a dentist can generally remove them so they provide a sense of security in function.

Chew like before

Implants, and the Implant tooth or bridge that attaches on top, are made from bio-compatible materials that are designed to be used for chewing against. if you’re missing teeth, this can be a way to replace that lost function.

Predictable

Dental implants have been used in the mouth for decades with research and independently published literature to support their use for the replacement of missing teeth.

Independent

Dental implant restorations do not rely on the teeth next door to hold them in place. This means it doesn’t matter if the adjacent tooth is too weak to hold a bridge. It also means that no adjacent tooth needs to be damaged when replacing a missing tooth.

The Implant

A dental implant is a sterile, medical device that is placed in the jaw bone via a surgical procedure. This usually involves the same anaesthetic as a simple filling and is effectively painless. In most cases, patients’ can go back to work the next day. Once the body has accepted the implant into the mouth and the area has healed, a final replacement tooth, or many replacement teeth, can be attached to the implant. In some cases, replacement teeth can be fitted on the same day as the implant is placed. Patients’ are never left without teeth at any stage if one has to be removed as part of the treatment.

The Connector

The replacement tooth (or teeth) has to be attached to the implant itself. There are several types of connectors, called abutments, and most use cements or screws. These lock the replacement tooth onto the implant and result in a fixed solution. Sometimes an extra connector is used between the teeth and the implant. These can include bars or studs that help when cases are more complex or patients’ have specific needs. They are also used if a removable denture is assisted by implants.

The Restoration

The restoration is simply the tooth (or teeth) that is attached to the implant. These are made from a variety of materials and can include precious metals, such as gold, titanium, high strength ceramics, porcelains and acrylics that mimic and copy natural teeth. They are designed to be used in the mouth and can deliver the results that meet patients’ aesthetic and functional requirements.

Before

When a tooth is taken out, the bone changes shape slowly over time and disappears as it is no longer needed. This can mean that there is not enough bone to place a dental implant in a predictable fashion.

Review Appointments

Review appointments are very important as they allow us to keep a close eye on the work carried out and to manage any issues if they arise. Review appointments are recommended on a yearly basis for the first 2 - 3 years after treatment and then at 5 and 10 years. These review appointments also help quality assure the work carried out so that continuous improvements can be made for the benefit of all patients.

Oral Hygiene

Successful treatment outcomes are reliant on patients taking ownership and care of the work carried out. Excellent oral hygiene has been shown to minimise the risk of oral diseases such as decay or gum problems. Implants can’t decay, but the bone and gum needs to stay healthy or there is a risk of bone loss, need for extra treatment and the eventual loss of an implant. Brushing twice a day with an electric toothbrush, cleaning between the teeth with interdental brushes and under any bridges with floss gives the best chance of reducing this risk.

Staying in Touch

It’s important to know that you can get in touch if you ever need reassurance or have any questions. Patients will usually be in a recall programme but if there is ever a concern, we are more than happy to help advise or make an assessment to ensure all is well. Its best to put your mind at ease and there is no concern too small, so feel free to get in touch if you ever need to.

Dental Implants

Implants have been used for over 50 years with the current design in practice for over ten years. Only implants that are high quality and have long service reports are used in your treatment. Although we expect a satisfactory life span out of dental implants, it is impossible to say exactly how long. Implants can experience bone loss over time however they are around 90% successful at 10 years if placed in healthy individuals with strong bone. There is a risk that implants can develop a form of disease similar to gum disease that can cause a steady loss of the bone around the implant with varying degrees of infection. Sometimes this process can be halted or slowed and sometimes it progresses until the implant is lost or removed. Very occasionally the implant is lost early after the surgery due to infection. It is possible that the implant itself will need to be replaced during your lifetime at a cost to yourself.

Dental Implant Restorations

With regard to the general survival of implant crowns, 80% at 10 years is a reasonable statistic. This means that 4 out of 5 crowns are still functioning in the mouth at 10 years. At some point the implant crown will need to be replaced at a cost to yourself. The main risk for crowns and bridges are that the porcelain or acrylic can chip or break over time as the mouth is a hostile environment for dental materials. In addition, the restoration may become loose at some point and need to be re-tightened or re-cemented into position. All people grow over time and sometimes the bone and teeth move around the implant and in several years, the crown is not level with the teeth as it was in the beginning. This may mean that in needs to be replaced if it is an issue. We will work hard to ensure that your mouth is as healthy as possible to minimise any complications and that you experience wear and tear of the restoration at an expected rate. Ultimately, it is important for you to take care and responsibility of your implant and restoration to ensure that it performs as expected.

Implant Care

In keeping with general personal hygiene we recommend carefully removing food debris and plaque deposits from round the implants at least twice a day. Whilst you cannot develop gum disease, bone loss can occur, with one of the reasons being linked to poor oral hygiene. Methods for cleaning should employ tooth brushing, flossing, interdental brushes and where necessary, the use of a water jet. As with most things in medicine prevention is the best approach and we aim to catch any changes as soon as possible. We recommend a review appointment shortly after fitting your implant restoration at which time base line X-rays will be taken of the bone levels. This is then repeated at one year and again at two years. If there are no areas of concern the next recall is moved to three years later (5th year review). Thereafter 5 yearly reviews are recommended.

Time Frames

With regard to timings, implants are generally placed 8 - 12 weeks after teeth are extracted. They are then left in place for around three months whilst the bone heals onto them. Implants can also be placed at the same time a tooth is extracted or many years after an extraction. The final crowns or bridges are placed over several appointments. In total it can take around six months to have your implant work completed, although sometimes this can take longer depending on your particular situation. In almost every case, there is a need to provide additional grafting to augment the bone or soft tissue around an implant. This is because a better bone volume or stronger gum will protect the implant in the long term and may decrease the risk of additional issues at a later date.