Using dental implants to replace missing teeth
Have you lost one or more of your natural teeth? At Old Windsor Dental Practice we see many patients who have lost a tooth or teeth for a variety of reasons, from gum disease and tooth decay to accident and injury. Whatever the reason, if you have missing teeth you are likely to have lost confidence in your smile – as well as, in many cases, the ability to enjoy a full, healthy diet because you can only eat soft foods.
Dental implants are the only permanent way to replace missing teeth. They are small screws made of titanium that replace the root portion of your tooth. A dentist places the implants directly in your jaw bone in a minor operation. Special fixtures on top of the implants then enable your dentist to attach new teeth – crowns, bridges or dentures – on top.
Because they form a direct connection with your jaw bone and because they are osteoconductive (supportive of bone growth), dental implants help to prevent the problem of bone loss that often occurs when teeth are missing. They also perform a very firm anchorage for your new teeth, which means they both look and function just like natural teeth, enabling you to enjoy all your favourite foods and to smile and laugh with confidence once more.
An increasing number of denture-wearers are also opting to stabilise their dentures using dental implants. Over time, many people find their dentures become loose and uncomfortable as their jaw bone recedes. Dental implants prevent this, and the good news is that you won’t need as many implants as teeth.
Precision planning enables your dentist to place the minimal number of implants (commonly between four and six, depending on which jaw they are in) which can support a full set of dentures and withstand the forces generated by biting and chewing.
