Your Questions Answered: The Key Facts About Dental Implants

Dental implants are amongst the core treatments we offer here at AP Smilecare, which means we’ve fielded our fair share of questions about it! Happily, they almost always have simple answers, but before we get into too much detail in later blogs, we’re first going to use this entry to give you a bit of insight into the basics.

What Are Dental Implants?

implant example

Widely regarded by dental professionals all over the world, dental implants are ultimately a safe, well-established treatment for missing teeth. Essentially, the implant is an artificial replacement for a tooth root. It’s a small titanium screw – sometimes referred to as an abutment – that’s surgically positioned to the jawbone beneath your gums, allowing a dental expert to mount a replacement tooth onto it.

In case you’re wondering, dental implants are virtually indistinguishable from real teeth, so you won’t have to worry about any self-confidence issues when it comes to your smile. It doesn’t just have to be limited to a single tooth either – you can have any number of teeth replaced with implants. You can even have several replacement teeth supported by just a single implant!

How Do Dental Implants Work?

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Once your dental implants have been inserted, they gradually fuse with your jawbone over the course of a few months. Because of this, they’re capable of providing exceptionally stable support for any number of artificial teeth. If you’re in the habit of wearing dentures or bridges, you can count on them not to slip or shift around in your mouth, thanks to your implants. This is an especially key benefit in terms of eating or speaking; the idea of dental treatments affecting speech or diet is a common concern we regularly hear from our patients here at AP Smilecare, so we’re always pleased to be able to say it won’t be a worry in this case!

Another key advantage of implants is that no adjacent teeth need to be ground down or otherwise prepared in order to secure your replacement tooth (or teeth), so you don’t have to experience any more discomfort than is strictly necessary.

How Do You Know If You’re Suitable For Dental Implants?

Generally, a dental professional will be able to tell you in full detail about you personal suitability for dental implants, but there are a couple of major factors it’s good to know beforehand anyway. You will need to have at least reasonably healthy gums and enough bone to support the implant. Excessive drinking and heavy smoking can have a notably serious effect on how well the treatment works, too – some dentists may even refuse to fit implants entirely on this basis.

Periodontitis – otherwise known as gum disease – can also weaken your gums and bone structure, so if you’re aware you have it then it’s always best to mention this to your dentist early on. While it can certainly make things difficult, it doesn’t automatically make you ineligible for treatment.

The best way is to come in and talk to our dental experts here at AP Smilecare. Your comfort and wellbeing is just as important to us as your oral health, and what’s more we’re committed to making sure we tell you the full details of the potential risks and rewards of each course of treatment, so you can make a well-informed decision about what’s right for you. Pop into our dental clinic in Blackburn to have a friendly chat with one of our staff members, or contact us on 01254 297 000. We’re here to help!

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