Dental Implants
What are Dental Implants?
In the UK, several thousand dental implants replace missing teeth every year. A dental implant consists of a titanium post which is precisely placed in the upper or lower jaw by one of our talented dentists. As the treatment site heals, the post integrates with the bone in a process called osseointegration — which keeps the implant firmly secure.
An implant acts as the root of a missing tooth (or teeth) and resembles a small screw. One end anchors into the jawbone, and the other attaches to an abutment piece that holds a restorative appliance, such as a crown, bridge, or denture. Once osseointegration is complete, the false tooth restoration makes it look and function like a natural tooth.
Dental Implants Stay Securely in Place
The Bay Dental offers several treatments to replace missing teeth, including bridges and dentures. However, many patients opt for dental implants because they affix in a more permanent way and feel more like their natural teeth.
Ill-fitting dentures can click, slip, or slide because they do not attach to bone. Implants, however, fuse into the jawbone during osseointegration. This structural connection gives your implant added strength — it’s rooted in place.
Patients have options with dental implants, so if you want a bridge or denture, we can design bespoke restorations that attach to your implant with a virtually perfect fit. For removable dentures, we will show you how to insert and take out the artificial teeth, so you can benefit from the integrity of the implant while wearing your appliance.
Though implants can last a lifetime, your artificial tooth appliance will need replacing over the years.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Get in touch today to learn more about how implants can elevate your smile.
There are many advantages for those who opt for dental implants, including:
- Its custom fit feels stable due to its permanent place in the jawbone.
- They feel and function like natural teeth, allowing you can speak, chew, and brush your teeth as you would without the dental implant.
- It prevents bone loss due to the stimulation of the implant for natural bone growth.
- The remaining teeth stay in the correct position as there is no gap for them to migrate into, preventing teeth from shifting, rotating, or becoming crooked.
- Patients gain renewed confidence from a complete, beautiful smile.
Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?
At The Bay Dental Practice, we only recommend appropriate treatments to our patients, giving them realistic expectations and care requirements. Our team will suggest dental implants for patients who are missing teeth if they:
- Are in good general health
- Have healthy gums
- Have enough bone to hold a dental implant
Even if you do not meet all three of the above requirements, implants may still be possible. If you still wish to get implants but are not an ideal candidate, we can help. Our dentists will happily discuss your options and safe ways that we may be able to proceed with implant treatment. Generally, we will have to correct other issues first.
You may need to have a periodontal treatment for your gums and change some habits to improve your overall health. If you do not have sufficient bone in the jaw to support the implant, you may require a bone graft procedure to increase bone density to place an implant safely.
Implant Treatment at The Bay Dental Practice
Implants do not happen overnight, and our dental team can give you a realistic timeline during your consultation.
Once you decide to move forward with dental implants, we go through a comprehensive dental exam taking images, including X-rays, and measurements with our digital tools. Using our intraoral scanner, we create a digital 3-D model of your teeth that we can look at together during the appointment. Based on this evaluation, we make your personalised treatment plan, using the images and measurements as a blueprint to determine the best placement for your future implant.
Following the completion of the planning stage, the work begins. We extract a damaged tooth to make room for the implant if required. Next, we place the Straumann implant in the required spot at the appropriate angle and cover the implant with a temporary crown. We must wait until the osseointegration is complete before we fit you for your custom restoration.
Once healed, the dental laboratory will create a bespoke crown, bridge, or implant-supported denture that fits in beautifully with the rest of your smile. These restorations are so impressive that it’s virtually impossible to tell it’s not your real tooth.
Straumann Dental Implants
Our dentists use Straumann dental implants because our patients deserve premium products. Staumann implants are one of the best on the market today, backed by more than 30 years of clinical and scientific evidence. In ten years, these implants have more than 98.8 per cent survival rate, which is very impressive.
Starumann implants are made with body-compatible medical-grade titanium, manufactured with Swiss precision technology, and crafted to the highest quality standards. They are designed for shorter healing times and better bone integration; the design helps osseointegration occur in approximately three to four weeks, making the process much faster than other implants that heal in months.
Faster recovery, long-term success, and superior manufacturing and technology make Straumann implants the best choice for our patients.
Regain Your Confidence and Smile
Dental implants give you back your smile with a secure restoration that looks and feels natural. It’s never too late to improve the quality of your smile and regain confidence in your appearance. Talk to one of our exceptional teammates at The Bay Dental about your smile concerns. Let’s work together to map out a treatment plan that helps you achieve your oral health goals.
