Possibly the most incredible way to bolster teeth back to full strength, dental implants have become the go to treatment for patients all over the world seeking to replace missing or damaged teeth. The sheer strength and function of dental implants has lead to them being branded 'your third set of teeth' and they may just be your best set of teeth so far. With the help of various knowledgable professionals, this extensive guide has been created to give you everything you need to know about the treatment before jumping in teeth first.

You, Me & Dental Implants: A Patient's Guide

The first thing you need to be aware of is exactly what dental implants are and how they work. In a nutshell, dental implants are small titanium posts that are embedded into the gums as a structure to attach a new fabricated tooth.

The Treatment Process of Dental Implants

Under the eye of an experienced dental implants surgeon, treatment is fast and very safe. The very first step is for us both to get together and talk through the procedure. Here, our award winning dentist will carefully assess the current condition of your teeth to make sure that you are a suitable candidate for the procedure. Bamboo Dental take our patient's safety very seriously and so will only accept a new patient if they are suitable for the requested treatment. You will also get the chance to ask your dentist any questions that you may have in your mind at this point. You may also have a few oral x-rays taken to help with the assessment.

Treatment time...

A local anaesthetic will be used for treatment in most cases. If requested, it is possible for a sedative to be used in conjunction with this. If your treatment involves multiple dental implants then it may be an option for you to have the procedure under a general anaesthetic. During the treatment our experienced dental surgeon will create an area in the jawbone to fit in the implant. It is then fitted and you will be given an artificial tooth whilst your implant starts to fuse to the bone in your jaw. After a short amount of time you will return to the clinic for your final crown to be fitted to the implant.

Being Suitable for Dental Implants

Wondering if you are suitable for dental implants? Well, we can give you a good idea here - although a full assessment is required to be sure! The first factor that is important is that your gums are healthy. You also need enough bone in the jaw to be able to fit around the implant properly. These two aspects are crucial for the implant to fit securely and work effectively as your new tooth. The structure needs to be correct for the implant to be a long term solution for you. You must also be the type of person who is able stick to the maintenance of great oral hygiene. A key component of this is to make sure that you attend check ups to the dentist at least every 6 months. Your general health is also something that needs to be taken into account when checking for suitability. Some diseases can hinder the progress of the treatment. For example, osteoporosis can halt the healing process involved in the rebuilding of the bone structure around the implant. This can lead to a failure of the treatment and so it is important to disclose any medical illness to your dentist.

Let's Talk Advantages of Dental Implants

1.They look so realistic you wouldn't even know they aren't real!

Yes, they are designed to look just like real teeth. Not only this but the way that they are fixed to your jaw bones makes them potentially even stronger than your original teeth.

2. Improved speech

Many people decide to move from dentures to implants. For those people who went through this process a dramatic change happened. Whilst wearing dentures the removable nature of them can often cause them to slip and click in the mouth. This can create a slurry speech and cause great embarrassment to the wearer. After having these dentures replaced with dental implants we have had many reports of speech returning back to perfect. And confidence restored!

3. Dental implants will last a lifetime

The titanium material used in the creation of your dental implant coupled with the extra resilient crown on top mean that your new dental implant is a tooth for life. It will stand the test of time. On the other hand, alternative treatments will need replacing after some time. Here are some more advantages of dental implants that you may want to read about.

Let's Talk Downsides to Dental Implants

Of course it is worth considering both the pros and cons of any treatment available. In the case of dental implants it is really difficult to find any downsides and so the ones to consider mainly stem from what you may be missing out on from choosing an alternative treatment.

1. More expensive than alternative treatments

Alternative treatments such as dentures are much less expensive. If you feel that the added benefits of dental implants are not worth the higher price tag then perhaps dentures are the option for you!

2. More complex procedure

As the procedure involves an anaesthetic and a surgically placed implant there is a lot more expertise involved than if you had something else such as a denture. If you are someone who is not comfortable with this type of treatment then perhaps an alternative is a better option. The recovery of the treatment also involves the regrowth and bonding of bone to the implant. This can mean that it can take a little more time for the treatment to be complete compared to alternatives such as dentures.