Dental implants are a lasting solution for patients who have lost one or more of their natural teeth. Implants are small, titanium screws that are placed directly into the jawbone, supporting replacement teeth in the form of bridges, crowns or secure dentures.
There are many reasons we see patients who have lost their teeth, from gum disease and decay to accident and injury. Whatever the reason, missing teeth can have a serious, negative impact on your quality of life. As well as making you self-conscious about smiling. Having a missing tooth means that additional strain is put on any remaining teeth which causes misalignment. Other teeth may move their original position to the gap and become crooked and difficult to clean. This may lead to having problems like following a healthy diet, being unable to bite and chew food, changes in the shape of your face and developing a sagging, sunken appearance that makes you look prematurely old.
Dental implants are the only permanent solution to missing teeth, and they have several advantages over other options. The implants are osteoconductive, meaning they support bone growth, integrating with the bone and providing a firm anchor for the replaced teeth. This helps to prevent the bone loss that causes the sagging appearance in the face. Because they are fixed in place, crowns, bridges and dentures won’t become loose the way that unsecured dentures do. Replacement teeth that are fixed by implants look just like regular teeth.