Dental Implants

Without your natural teeth you may find that there are many things you miss. However, modern dentistry has come a long way in recent years and there is no need for you to continue living in discomfort. With dental implants from us, you can have replacement teeth that look, feel and function like natural teeth. Teeth that are comfortable and stay in place allowing you to speak, smile and eat with confidence.

Losing a crown means losing the visible part of your tooth, however, if you lose the root as well, you have lost the unseen part of your tooth too. The root anchors the tooth to your jawbone, acting as a foundation for the crown. Without the root, the bone around the missing tooth will gradually recede causing the remaining teeth to shift. If this is allowed to continue chewing will become more and more difficult. The bone shrinks after tooth loss. This causes the nerves to become exposed and the dentures will lack support. Loose fitting dentures can cause further problems and lead to sore gum tissue and additional pain.

A dental implant is made of titanium and shaped like a screw. The dental implant is placed into the jawbone and serves as a secure root for the new tooth. Once the dental implant is in place, several different types of dental restorations, such as crowns, bridges or dentures, can be attached.

There are several situations where dental implants may be considered.
 

Dental Implant replacement of a single tooth.

The most common method for replacing a single missing tooth is with a fixed bridge that is cemented to the teeth on either side of a missing tooth. With all fixed bridges the teeth adjacent to the space must be reduced to properly hold the bridge. The most conservative bridge is a Resin-Bonded Bridge (RBB), sometimes called a Maryland bridge. the resin-Bonded Bridge offers the advantage of minimal reduction of adjacent teeth to support the missing tooth. this type of bridge can only be used under certain circumstances

Dental Implant replacement of several teeth.

When two or three adjacent teeth are missing, a bridge may be the treatment of choice depending on the condition of the teeth next to the space and the bone supporting these teeth. The more missing teeth to be replaced, the greater the force that is placed on the remaining teeth which support the artificial teeth. In some cases, when there are not enough teeth, a conventional bridge is not possible and a removable partial denture will have to be considered to replace the missing teeth.

Dental Implant replacement of full upper or lower jaw

A complete denture rests on the gums. In the upper jaw it also rests on the roof of the mouth. In addition to chewing forces being spread over a larger area, forces that might tend to dislodge the denture are offset by a suction which forms between it and the roof of the mouth. this suction helps to keep the denture in place. Most people are able to adapt reasonably well to an upper complete denture. However, a lower complete denture is considerably more difficult to wear. The forces are applied over a smaller area and due to the movements of the tongue a suction usually can not be developed.

The constant pressure on the gums under the dentures can cause slow changes in the underlying bone which result in the dentures losing their fit. For this reason complete dentures should be professionally examined at regular intervals, and when the tissues show sufficient change, the dentures should be relined, rebased, or remade, depending on the specific conditions. When improperly fitted dentures continue to be worn, the pressure may result in excessive bone loss. Eventually, so much bone loss can occur that a well fitting complete denture can not longer be made. Under these circumstances, implants may be the treatment of choice.