Banish Uncomfortable Bridges And Unsightly Gaps With Tooth Implants

Gaps left by missing teeth can make you feel self-conscious about your smile, and cause difficulty chewing. Plates and bridges may offer a solution for some, but they require additional care when cleaning and can be problematic if the fit is no longer exactly right. If this sounds familiar, then dental implants could offer just the solution, at a price that may be less than you'd imagine.

Finding A Practical Solution For Missing Teeth

Losing teeth affects both the look and feel of your mouth - aside from the aesthetic impact, gaps put extra pressure on the surrounding teeth when chewing and can lead to other teeth shifting or loosening.

Historically the solution was removable bridges or dentures, but this approach can have a number of disadvantages:

• Rigid plates can be uncomfortable
• Bridges require teeth on either side of the gap to attach to
• Over time, natural changes in the gums and jaw due to ageing result in a poorer fit
• Without strict hygiene routines, food can become trapped by the plate, causing gum inflammation, or worse
• Sore spots in the mouth may make dentures or bridges impossible to tolerate
• Poorly ridged gums may not support traditional plates
• Some patients find their gag reflex is triggered by wearing dentures

What can be done to improve the look and feel of my teeth?

Implants provide a discreet and natural-looking solution to missing teeth, without any of the disadvantages of traditional bridges and dentures.  With implants in place, your mouth will look and feel completely normal and natural.

Dental implants are independent tooth replacements that do not rely on adjacent teeth for support. Instead, each one functions as a prosthetic tooth. An implant looks similar to a screw made from titanium. It is placed directly into the bone, and functions similar to a real tooth. In fact, the body typically develops new bone around the implant, which secures it firmly into place.

Once your implant is installed, our dentists will place an abutment over it, which can then support a fixed prosthesis such as:

- Individual porcelain crown, for single tooth replacement

- A fixed bridge, to replace several teeth at one time

- Removable or fixed implant denture

Fitting implants requires time and patience, although the results are well worth the wait! For best results in the long term, crowns may only be attached to the posts once these have fully healed and fused into your jaw.

Implants are most successful in patients with healthy gums and bones - those with poor oral hygiene, smokers and diabetics may experience a higher rate of gum disease that may adversely affect the implant over time. As with all aspects of oral health, your dentist can advise on treatment plans that are appropriate to your unique circumstances, medical history and lifestyle.

Talk to one of our dentists today to find out whether implants could give you the healthy smile you deserve.