Sick Of Dentures & Missing Teeth? It’s Time To Consider Implants
Permanent alternatives to dentures can give you a secure, beautiful smile you can be proud of.
Do you struggle with your dentures? Are you tired of struggling with one, or multiple missing teeth? If so, there is another solution for you to consider – dental implants.
As part of Abbey Road Dental’s selection of restorative treatments, teeth implants are by far the most innovative and advanced of them all. They are truly life-changing for our patients, and we want you to know more about them and how they could transform your life:
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are, as it stands, the ‘gold standard’ treatment for replacing missing teeth. There isn’t another treatment that provides such a strong, secure and long-lasting alternative to natural teeth.
The way they work is by replacing the tooth root with a mixed surgical metal implant that is placed into the jawbone where the tooth root once was. It then bonds with the bone strongly over a period of months. Once this process is complete, an abutment is added, which allows a new tooth, implant supported dentures or an implant supported bridge to be attached.
There are slightly different variations for when an abutment or crown is added, depending on the type of implant treatment you have.
Why Not Dentures?
Dentures are much more realistic, durable and comfortable than they ever have been. The problem is that there is only so much dentures can do, in terms of replacing missing teeth. Whilst they can provide an aesthetic and some functional replacement for missing teeth, the dentures do not replace the missing tooth root. That means that the jawbone continues to shrink and age the face, and the dentures can only be secure to a point.
The remaining teeth are also likely to move and become misaligned because of the gaps left by the missing teeth, making oral hygiene and management of the remaining teeth really challenging.
For denture-wearers, there are also various functional issues that can be deeply problematic. For many, the top arch denture plate is very hard to get used to because it fits onto the hard palate of the mouth, blunting taste and sometimes bringing on a gag reflex.
In addition, dentures can shift and move during speech or eating which is uncomfortable and embarrassing socially. Dentures can also become sore, especially when they are ill-fitting.
Even the highest quality dentures from our NW8 clinic will start to shift and move when the shape of the palette changes with time naturally. It often means a new set of dentures is needed, which can be quite expensive to keep up with over time.
In comparison, dental implants eradicate so many of the issues denture-wearers experience.
Dental implant benefits compared to dentures:
- No shifting
- Secure and strong
- Comfortable
- Natural-feeling
- Long-lasting (with the right care)
- No change to speech or taste
- No gag reflex stimulation
- Help to slow absorption of jaw bone
- Helps remaining teeth stay in place
Different Dental Implant Options
To suit each individual patient, Abbey Road Dental has multiple implant options:
Single Missing Tooth
If you have one single missing tooth that you would love a permanent solution for, you can have one implant and crown fitted. Because the natural-looking crown fits to the implant, there’s no need to prepare surrounding natural teeth.
You can have individual implants for multiple missing teeth but there are more affordable and efficient options available.
Implant Supported Bridges
When a bridge is fitted it fits to crowns placed on prepared natural teeth either side of the ‘gap’. This process is avoided when implants are used to support a bridge. So if three teeth are missing, two implants will be fitted in the outer sockets, complete with natural-looking crowns on top, and the middle tooth is the ‘bridge’ that fills the gap. It’s an excellent restorative solution if you have multiple missing teeth in a row.
Implant Supported Dentures
Implant supported dentures use a select number of implants that provide a secure connection to specially designed dentures. Once the dentures are attached to the implants, you can enjoy secure smile restoration without any of the associated issues that come with standard dentures.
‘All On 4’
This special process, available at Abbey Road Dental, uses four implants on each jaw to secure replacement teeth custom-made for each arch. Once the implants are fitted, provisional teeth are added so that there’s no need to leave our NW8 clinic with teeth missing.
It’s the ultimate smile makeover for people with most, or all of their teeth missing.
The Next Step
If you’re interested in starting your dental implant journey, the first step is a consultation with one of our experienced implant team, Dr Guy McLellan Implant Dentist, or Dr Zaki Kanaan Implant Surgeon.
The screening process for this kind of treatment is really thorough because it is invasive, and it is so important to ensure each patient is suitable. On occasion it may be you are not able to have implants. This may be temporary and you require certain treatments or lifestyle changes first. If we think there are barriers to implant treatment that can be overcome, for example bone loss, we will discuss those with you in detail and we can recommence treatment plans later down the line. In the rare event implants are not suitable for you at all we can discuss alternatives with you.
If you are able to go ahead with treatment, we will discuss all elements of the process with you in detail to make sure you feel fully informed about your restoration plan. We are always transparent about the costs, time and details of any treatment plan we propose to you.
If you are interested in switching your dentures for natural-feeling, secure, long-lasting dental implants at our NW8 clinic, please call Abbey Road Dental on 02076241603 and our team will be really happy to help you.