What are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is a a cylindrical or tapered titanium bolt that is positioned into the jawbone beneath the gum line that allows for a replacement tooth to be mounted. This means that a dental implant doesn't come loose like a denture can, the fact that the bolt is made from titanium means that there will be a durable structure that ensures the longevity of the tooth implant. Potential clients must have healthy gums to be able to support the implant, in the rare case that the patient does not have enough room in their jawbone to support an implant, you may require a bone graft. Or if your upper jawbone is too shallow to support an implant, you may require a sinus lift, however, this is rare. For more information and pictures on how dental implants work, click here

Alternatives to Dental Implants in Cardiff

A fixed bridge is the most popular alternative to a dental implant, which is essentially a false tooth that is supported by two teeth either side of the missing tooth. There are many disadvantages to having a fixed bridge installed compared to a dental implant. firstly in order to install the false tooth, the two teeth either side of the missing tooth must be ground down, damaging healthy teeth, to support the bridge being installed. Another disadvantage is that because the natural bone underneath the false tooth is not stimulated like it would be with dental implants, which may deteriorate over time, causing the appearance of your smile and face to change. Dentures are another alternative to dental implants, they are an appliance that sits on top of your gums where the missing teeth are. Disadvantages of dentures are the discomfort you may experience when installing and wearing the denture, which causes sore gums and a shift and clicks in the mouth when one speaks, eats, smiles or coughs.

Benefits to Getting Dental Implants in Cardiff

There are dozens of benefits to dental implants, here are a few of them:

• Because dental implants become a part of you, they eliminate the discomfort of removable dentures and allow eating food to be natural and pain-free.
• Dental implants are durable, lasting many years or with good maintenance of the implant, they can last an entire lifetime.
• Your speech will not be inhibited when fitted with dental implants. With dentures, the teeth can slip within the mouth causing a slur in speech.
• Dental implants can improve your self-esteem due to giving you back a natural looking smile.
• Dental implants are cleaned in the same way as normal teeth - there is no need to remove them at night for cleaning or soaking like you have to with dentures.

Tom Keyes' story

Tom Keyes came into our practice for a free consultation and to ask questions about dental implants in Cardiff. Tom is an avid rugby player who plays for a local team in the wing position. One weekend Tom had an away match and forgot to bring his mouth guard to the game, but he was told he was starting the game by his manager, so he didn't want to let down his team. During the game he was at the bottom of the ruck after getting tackled, because he was holding onto the ball to pass to his team-mate, he wasn't able to protect himself, and unfortunately a player on the other team accidentally kicked Tom in the face when joining into the ruck. Tom's initial response was a scream of pain, he released the ball and covered his mouth with his hands. When the physiotherapist came onto the pitch to assist Tom, it was clear that his incisor had been knocked out, and due to being in a remote area far away from his dentists, they were not able to reattach his tooth in time. Tom was distraught, so he looked to for somewhere that provided dental implants in Cardiff after deciding implants were for him. When going into surgery at Bamboo Dental, Tom was very nervous due to his fear of the procedure being extremely painful, however, when he was offered a sedative so he could sleep through the treatment, a lot of the anxiety about the surgery had diminished. After the surgery, Tom was amazed at how natural his implant looked, however, he was told he would have to miss playing rugby for a few weeks to allow the implant to heal fully. The dental implant had restored his confidence and after few weeks had gone by, he was back playing for his rugby team and made a joke saying he'd never forget his mouth guard again.

What to Expect When Having Dental Implants in Cardiff

If you're interested in having dental implants in Cardiff, you can come into our practice after booking a free consultation with our dental surgeon who will answer any queries you may have about the process, we will also discuss your suitability for dental implants using an oral x-ray.If you decide that dental implants are for you, we can book you in for an appointment shortly after the free consultation. During the procedure, you will be put under a local anaesthetic or to make you more comfortable a sedative can be administered, or if you're having more than one implant you will be put under a general anaesthetic. The treatment consists of the dental surgeon making an incision in the gum, then drilling into the jawbone to allow a gap for the implant to be fitted. From there you may a second procedure where the top of your gum is uncovered, this allows for the artificial tooth to be fitted. Another option is you may have the artificial tooth attached to the implant straight away, however, this option is less common. After the procedure we will book you in for a follow-up appointment.

Contact Us for a Free Consultation

So if you're looking to get Dental implants in Cardiff with a reliable and trusted business, contact us or call us on 02920005957 for a free consultation where you can start your journey towards a natural looking smile.