Having missing teeth can be a worry brought on by poor oral hygiene, smoking, an accident or certain types of medication. Whatever the reason for you having missing teeth, you will need a Dentist Sydney who can replace the missing teeth for you to ensure that you don’t leave remaining natural teeth over-exposed to bacteria, and to ensure that you don’t develop a shrunken mouth, have issues with your speech or experience jaw pain. Dental implants are a treatment that enables you to have replacement teeth fixed to your jawbone, so they shouldn’t be going anywhere.
How do dental implants work?
Dental implants consist of metal screws that are attached to the jawbone, where you have missing teeth. The metal is titanium and this fuses well with the body’s tissues. Once the tissue has healed around the screws, they should be firmly fixed in place and your dentist can then attach the replacement prosthetics of crowns, dentures or bridges, depending on how many teeth you need to replace.
Why are dental implants beneficial?
There are various reasons why patients choose dental implants. Firstly, dental implants allow you to have a complete smile and other people won’t realise that you don’t have a full set of natural teeth. What’s more, you can rely upon them to stay put while you eat whatever you choose to. You shouldn’t need to avoid hard or chewy foods, so an apple a day is still on the menu – chomp away! A further reason to celebrate dental implants is the fact that they could even make you look younger. If your face has developed a shrunken appearance, having implants will give your face the structure it needs again. Also, if you have any speech difficulties because of your missing teeth, these should disappear after you fill the gaps in your smile. Dental implants offer so many more benefits than just aesthetic improvement!
Can anybody have dental implants?
Well, first things first, you clearly have to have missing teeth to benefit from dental implants. The obvious aside, there are other factors a dentist will need to consider. To determine if this is a treatment option for you, a dentist will need to examine your mouth thoroughly and may need to take X-rays. They will be checking to see if you have enough bone density in your jaw, for example, within which to attach the metal screws. Don’t worry if you don’t, however; they may then be able to offer you a bone graft first. During the consultation, it’s a good idea to ask as many questions as you need to about any of the treatments that are offered to you to ensure that you are fully informed and able to make a decision that suits you best and is right for you.
Anything else I need to know?
When you have the implants fitted, you will be given temporary replacement teeth, while your body’s tissues heal around the implants. After the healing has taken place, you will then need to go for a second appointment with your dentist to have your permanent replacement teeth fitted to the screws. They will use an abutment to attach the replacement teeth to the screws.
So, if you are looking to fill in the gaps in your smile, ask your dentist about dental implants and see if they are the treatment you need to complete your smile!
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
