At Revitalise Dental Centre, Dental Implants are one of our main areas of expertise and patients visit us from all over the UK and other parts of the world to be treated by our dedicated team in our beautiful eco-friendly dental centre. With our on-site lab and cutting edge technology we offer first class treatment in a beautiful and relaxing rural setting. If you have one or more missing teeth and have difficulty eating and feel self conscious about your smile then you may have considered dental implants as an option. But are dental implants right for you?
Below we’ve outlined answers to some of the most frequent questions we are asked in consultation sessions so that you can start to explore whether dental implants could help you reclaim function and your smile.
Dental Implants are a common and straightforward treatment to replace missing teeth resulting in enhanced stability for the affected tooth and a natural-looking smile.
Implants come in two sections; a titanium root embedded securely as it would be naturaly and a ceramic crown placed on top to recreate the missing tooth. They are designed to act and look like natural teeth and allow you to smile, talk and eat as you normally would.
While modern dental implants are made from titanium and ceramic, replacing missing teeth is not a new treatment. Throughout history, civilisations have been filling gaps in their smiles with materials like seashells, jade, wood and occasionally even other human or animal teeth. The earliest attempt at an implant has been traced back to around 600 AD with the Mayan civilisations but it was not until the 1950’s that the products we would recognise today were developed and offered as treatments.
There are many benefits to having dental implants and many people have found the process to be easier and more straightforward than they had originally thought.
Who can benefit from Dental Implants?
In the vast majority of cases, anyone who has a missing tooth or teeth, can benefit and as long as your oral health is in top condition and your gums and jaw are healthy, then dental implants in Cornwall could be right for you.
The main reasons that people have dental implants are:
- To replace a missing tooth or teeth
- To replace ill-fitting or uncomfortable dentures
- To replace broken or damaged teeth
However, it is worth noting that there are some instances where the treatment may not be suitable for you. If you have any underlying or serious health problems, then Dental Implants may not be the best option. In these cases we would explore the range of other care and treatment options available to you to give you comfort, security and smile confidence.
Health issues such as gum disease sometimes alter the structure of your face, jaw and gums or diabetes, (that is not yet under control) can delay healing. Equally, if you have had radiotherapy to the areas around your mouth then you may have experienced similar negative effects to the shape and strength of your facial bones, gums and muscles.
At your regular, general dentistry appointments, your dentist will conduct a thorough examination of your mouth, head, neck and jaw. This is to gain a full profile of your oral health and to ensure that there are no underlying issues that might need to be treated first or could potentially prevent you from having dental implant work.
Whatever questions or concerns you have, or if you think an existing health concern may prevent you from having treatment you can always speak to our knowledgeable and helpful team. We will always discuss all the available options with you and advise and guide you to find the best options for your oral care.
Speaking to your dentist and letting them know about any other health problems you are experiencing and any wishes you have for future treatment will allow them to make a proper assessment as to whether you would be a suitable candidate for dental implants.
The Benefits of Dental Implants
When considering whether dental implants are right for you, we need to examine your needs, oral health, lifestyle and any limitations on the timescale you have for your treatment.
Dental implants are a very popular, safe and comprehensive option to address tooth loss or damage or to correct ill fitting dentures. There are a number of benefits to dental implants over other treatments and we have outlined some of them in more depth below.
Natural Look
The main advantage of having Dental Implants is that they offer a natural-looking replacement for your missing tooth. Using our specialist onsite lab, we can colour match your new dental implants with your natural teeth. A more natural-looking smile means that your friends and family do not have to know that you have had implants placed and will not be able to tell the difference between them and your natural teeth.
As well as replicating the look of your natural teeth, your new implant will also act in the same way as a normal tooth. The ceramic crown placed on top of the titanium root allows you to eat and talk as you normally would.
Sometimes, leaving a gap for a prolonged period after having a tooth removed can affect the way you speak. Teeth help to control the air that flows in and out of your mouth when talking. By taking away a tooth you reduce the friction between the air and your teeth, making it harder for you to pronounce certain words, letters, and sounds. This could eventually result in a lisp. Dental implants that look and act just like your normal teeth help you to avoid the impact caused by missing teeth.
Looking and behaving the way your regular teeth do, dental implants can also be maintained through your normal oral hygiene routine. Being aware of your oral health, brushing twice a day and flossing regularly will support your teeth and gums and allow any implants to reach their full lifespan of upwards of 20 to 30 years and beyond. Regular visits to your general dentist and hygienist will help you keep your implants and your overall dental health in top condition and will also allow early identification of any potential problems.
When your implants are first fitted, you may find it difficult to clean some areas of your mouth. During your visits to our dental hygienist, you will be shown how to care for and maintain your dental implants and how to prevent the build-up of plaque and biofilm that can lead to bad breath and gum disease. Our staff are always on hand to help with questions about aftercare so if you do have any queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Fixed and Comfortable
Unlike traditional dentures used to replace teeth, dental implants are fixed and cannot be removed. The Implant provides increased stability, comfort and longevity and provides clients with long-lasting smile confidence.
In our state of the art onsite laboratory we use cutting edge technology to design, create and mold your dental implants to fit perfectly into your mouth. Because they are bespoke products, created just for you and expertly fitted, you do not need to worry about them slipping or moving when you talk or eat. There is also no need to remove them for cleaning or maintenance. They are designed to look, behave and last just like normal teeth.
By replicating that ‘natural tooth’ look and feel, our expert team can ensure that your dental implants fit comfortably in your mouth and match the colour of your smile.
It is important to remember that having dental implants is an invasive procedure. You may experience some swelling and bruising of the surrounding area in the days after your treatment and often a little sensitivity where the implants are fitted. This is to be expected and can be treated with over the counter painkillers. The symptoms will start to reduce after a few days as your gums heal, and the titanium root becomes fully fused with the bone in your jaw.
Dental implants provide you with a safe, secure and aesthetic alternative to removable dentures and will enhance your smile giving you comfort and confidence.
Improve your Oral Health
Dental implants that are expertly made and fitted can improve not only your smile but also your overall oral health.
Your jawbones are stimulated and kept healthy through the motion of chewing food. When you lose teeth, it’s possible to lose some of that stimulation, and if teeth are not replaced your jawbone can slowly become weaker and more susceptible to damage.
By replacing any missing teeth with titanium rooted dental implants, you can replicate the stimulation that your jaw receives from a full set of natural teeth; reducing the possibility of any potential bone loss and promoting a strong, healthy mouth.
If you have a missing tooth and do not fill the gap that is left, then you could become more susceptible to gum disease. This is due to food particles and then bacteria collecting in the space. By filling the gap with a dental implant there is less space for food to be caught and bacteria to grow and thrive.
Dental implants also help to keep your natural teeth healthy and aligned. If you leave a gap between two teeth then those teeth may start to shift into a different position to fill the space.
Not only do dental implants help to strengthen your jaw and prevent you from types of gum disease, they also keep your natural teeth straight and in position.
Factors to Consider
While you may have decided that dental implants are right for you, there are some external factors that you need to examine and consider before undergoing treatment.
Despite having a potential 20 – 30 year life span, dental implants are not a quick fix for a missing tooth. The process of replacing a single tooth using an implant will take 12 weeks. This is because, once you have had a tooth removed, you will need time to heal and recover before the titanium root section of the implant is placed into your gum.
After this stage and while waiting for your gum to heal and fuse to the root, you will not be left with a gap. A temporary crown will be fitted to fill the gap before the permanent crown is cemented to the root after the healing period.
In some instances, your jaw may not be strong enough to support dental implants. During your initial consultation, you will undergo a thorough examination to determine if you would be a suitable candidate for dental implants. Even if you do not have sufficient bone strength or density in your jaw you may still be able to undergo a procedure called a bone graft. This will ensure that your jaw is strong enough to hold the titanium root and that the implant will not loosen over time.
We pride ourselves on helping people to rediscover their function and smile, even when they have been told that certain treatments may not be possible for them. The dental implants that we use are called ‘CopaSky’ and are specifically designed for people with decreased jawbone density. This revolutionary product means that a bone graft may not be required and we will discuss all these options with you as part of our detailed initial consultation.
Cost can also be a major factor when deciding if dental implants are right for you. Fees depend on whether you want a single front tooth replaced or multiple teeth and whether the affected tooth is at the front or back of the mouth. Here at Revitalise, our dental implants start from £3250. While this sounds expensive it’s important to remember that all of our treatments are bespoke, our dental products are designed and made in our onsite laboratory and that our highly experienced staff are leading professionals in their respected fields. These factors give you the confidence to go ahead with your choice of care knowing that you are in safe hands and that you will always receive our dedicated, five star service.
We understand that not everyone who might benefit from dental implants may be able to afford them straight away. This is why we offer a broad range of patient finance options to all of our clients so that everyone has access to exceptional dental care.
From the clients we’ve helped and the smiles we’ve recreated, we know that dental implants are an investment in the future of your oral health. They can replicate the look, feel and functionality of your natural teeth, helping to improve your confidence, your health and your quality of life.
Find out more
Are dental implants right for you? The answer depends on your needs, your circumstances and your overall oral health. The benefits of having dental implants greatly outweigh the costs, the treatment length and any initial discomfort felt. While yes, they are an expensive treatment option, they are a permanent solution to tooth loss and an investment in, not only the future of your oral health but your confidence as well.
Here at Revitalise Dental Centre, we are proud to have dentist and implantologist Dr Simon Martin as part of our incredible team. Simon is on hand to answer any questions you have about the procedure and we also have a free guide to Dental Implants for you to download to help you decide whether dental implants are right for you.
Alternatively, you can call 01872 555 911 or email [email protected] to book a consultation and start your dental implant journey today.
