Tooth decay, gum disease, and injury to the mouth can all lead to the loss of one or more teeth. The standard solution usually involves removable dentures or a fixed bridge. A newer option, dental implants, is also gaining popularity. “Implants can significantly improve your quality of life…
About dental implants
A dental implant is a small titanium post that’s surgically placed into the jawbone. In time, bone grows over the implant surface, and provides a base for a porcelain replacement tooth (a crown) that will later be screwed into the implant.
Pain and bleeding from the implant placement is about the same as with any dental surgery.
“The procedure is normally well tolerated. In a few cases you may have swelling or post-operative discomfort, but it’s easily controlled. Usually you will feel back to normal in a few days…
After six weeks to three months, the tooth implant london is ready to support a crown, which is designed to match your other teeth. You’ll need follow-up care, including x-rays, at the six-month and one-year points, and then annually thereafter. Implants can last for up to 20 years.
Uses and benefits
In older adults, teeth implants are typically used to replace one or two missing teeth (but not a mouthful). “Before implants, the only option we had was a bridge. With the implant, you can independently restore the tooth. That’s a significant improvement in our therapy, to the point that we have reduced the number of bridges we do nowadays…
Implants are also used to anchor a bridge or cosmetic denture london. “Without implants, dentures move while you eat or speak, which makes it difficult to do either. But when you clip the denture onto an implant, it stays in place and functions normally… supporting cosmetic dentures london or bridges may require two or more implants.
Requirements
The success of a dental implant depends on whether you have enough healthy bone to support it.
“We’ve seen two big improvements in the last five years. First, we’ve learned how to grow bone predictably by using bone substitutes. And second, we have newer implants that are stronger and smaller in diameter, so we can fit implants into less bone volume…With certain precautions, even people with osteoporosis may be candidates for dental implants london.”
Bone grafting london is typically done at the same time an implant is placed. “The only difference is healing takes a little longer—three or four months…
Considerations
There are few downsides to getting implants. One is cost. “The range varies from state to state. It could be between $2,000 and $6,000 for one tooth and crown. But that’s comparable to a bridge…
Some insurance plans cover implants, especially for a missing tooth. Medicare does not pay for implants.
Another drawback: the time involved in healing. But the benefits… can be worth it.
If you’re interested in pursuing implants, he recommends getting several opinions. You can start by making an appointment with either a dentist who’s surgically trained to place implants and has years of experience, or a prosthodontist—an expert in tooth restoration and replacement….read more
