What are the benefits of dental implants?
Improved Appearance
When teeth are lost, ongoing shrinkage of the jawbone
occurs making the face look older. Dental implants
stops or slow this process. Dental implants look
and feel like natural teeth.
Improved Comfort
Dental implants eliminate the pain, discomfort and
inconvenience of removable full or partial dentures.
Since dentures sit on top of the jawbone and gum,
continuous shrinkage of the jawbone alters the fit
of the denture resulting in slipping or rocking of
the dentures. Exposed nerves and irritation of the
gum tissue may add to the discomfort.
Implant supported replacement teeth are like natural
teeth because they are anchored securely to the jawbone.
Gum irritation and pain of the exposed nerves associated
with conventional full or partial dentures are eliminated.
Improved speech
Dentures slip and
slide around the mouth. The facial muscles become
tense in an attempt to hold teeth in place. This
often results in mumbling, slurred speech or clicking
noises. Replacement teeth anchored on implants allow
speech with confidence in a relaxed and natural tone.
Improved & Comfortable
Eating
Dentures have 15-20%
eating efficiency when compared with natural teeth.
Dental implants can restore chewing efficiency comparable
to that of natural teeth.
Practical Convenience
Dental implant
can eliminate the numerous embarrassing inconveniences
of removable denture. There is no need to cover the
mouth when laughing or smiling, for fear the false
teeth will pop out or fall down.
Protecting the
Remaining Teeth
Dental implants
are often more appropriate than a bridge for replacement
of one or more adjacent teeth. With conventional
bridgework, the surrounding teeth must be ground
down. Dental implants eliminate the need to modify
these teeth, resulting in a conservative, yet very
aesthetic restoration.
Improved Self
Esteem
Since teeth replaced
with dental implants feel, function and look like
natural teeth it increases patient confidence.
IS There Pain Or Discomfort
Involved?
Just with any surgery,
there can be some discomfort. Very effective local
anaesthesia is used to eliminate any discomfort at
the time of the procedure. Most patients report that
there is no or very little discomfort and that they
were much more comfortable following the procedure
than they anticipated. The dentist will prescribe
analgesics to ease any discomfort that may occur.
The dentist may suggest that a potential implant
patient speak with another patient who has already
had dental implants to assess their personal experiences.
How Long It Take?
Complete implant
reconstruction process may take 3 to 6 months. Time
is needed to allow bone to grow around the implant.
The implants are placed first into the jawbone, painlessly.
Bone cells grow and heal around the implants and
this may take 2 to 4 months to occur. Then the dentist
attaches/ screws a Titanium post to the body of the
implant and cements the replacement tooth on it.
It usually takes a few short visits to complete the
restoration process.
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What exactly
are dental implants and what can they do for me?
Implants are substitutes
for teeth and they are today’s best alternative
to your natural teeth. They offer you a permanent
or secure solution for replacing one or more teeth.
They are made of bio compatible materials, just the
same as hip implants or similar orthopaedic device,
and function as anchors or support for traditional
forms of dentistry, such as crowns, bridges or dentures.
Many of our patients will tell you implants have
changed not only their smiles, their overall appearance
but also even their lives! There are numerous other
reasons to choose dental implants:
- Aesthetically, they look like
real teeth. Functionally, dental implants feel
and act like real teeth.
- With implants, you can eat
and chew again without pain or irritation. Foods
that were forbidden are now back in the diet.
- Implants eliminate the need
for distasteful adhesives. There is no longer
a need to use ‘glue’ when the prosthesis
is anchored to implants.
- Implants can actually improve
the taste of food. With less plastic covering
the roof of your mouth, you can enjoy natural
flavours and sensation again.
- Lastly, implants can help
maintain your bone structure and support the
facial tissues. They can reduce or eliminate
bone atrophy, which causes ‘shrinkage’ or
facial cosmetic changes.
Are implants
successful?
YES Implants, as
we know them today, have been in existence for at
least 25 years. For the last 10 years, however, success
rates at many treatment centres including my practice
are consistently over 96% with proper personal and
professional care. Few forms of medical, orthopaedic
or dental treatment have such high success rates.
Good oral hygiene is one of the most critical factors
to ensure the health and longevity of dental implants;
hence regular visits for dental check ups are important.
How Much It Cost?
The fee for tooth replacement with dental implants
will depend on several factors, including the number
of teeth being replaced and the number of implants
required to support the replacement teeth. Sometimes
additional work may be required prior to implant
placement to ensure the long-term health of the dental
implants. To obtain a specific fee estimate, it is
necessary to have the dentist who places implants
to examine the patient, take radiographs and study
models. After a thorough analysis of the case, the
dentist will recommend the treatment that is most
appropriate and what the financial investment would
be for the procedure.
The overall comment of patients who have had dental
implants that it has been a worthwhile investment
and the great majority would go through it again
and recommend it to others!
A survey of implants patients showed that implants
were worth the trouble (97%), the procedure would
be worth repeating (95%) and overall dental health
was improved (98%)
Who Is A Candidate For Implant?
Patients with one or more missing teeth or anyone
wearing partial or full dentures. Teeth may have
been lost via injury, dental decay or gum disease.
Health rather than age is more important factor in
determining for implant placement. If one is healthy
to have a tooth extracted, one is most probably healthy
enough to receive dental implants. Certainly placing
a dental implant(s) is far less traumatic and much
more precise than having a tooth extracted.
Click
for example of consent form.
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