How Safe Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants can sound like quite a scary procedure from their name alone, especially for anyone who suffers from dental anxiety. As a result, the safety of dental implants is a question we often find ourselves being asked here at AP Smilecare. We’ve got good news on that score – dental implants are indeed a very safe procedure. In fact, it’s one of the safest around! Like any dental treatment it does have some small risks involved, but as long as you practice good oral hygiene you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

Why Are Dental Implants So Safe?

The important thing to remember about dental implants is that it’s a well-established procedure that’s been around for decades. The first ever successful implant on a human volunteer was carried out in 1965, and implants became popular amongst the general public in the 1980s. Whichever way you look at it, that’s plenty of time for the dental industry to perfect it!

Today, it’s got a reputation as one of the safest and most predictable procedure in modern dentistry. It’s the only restoration method that stimulates your natural bone underneath the missing tooth, and it’s the strongest structure available to support replacement teeth. This means that you can continue to eat, talk and chew as well as you ever have, without having to worry about changing up your diet (unless of course, that was partially the reason for the implant in the first place!). We’ve talked in full detail about them in previous blogs, but it’s worth mentioning again that implants are made from titanium, which is not only noted for its natural strength but also for the body’s natural tolerance to it – it integrates freely and effortlessly with your bone tissue, and adverse reactions to the metal are extremely rare.

Are There Any Risks With Dental Implants?

It wouldn’t be true for us to say the procedure was completely without risk – very few treatments are – but they might not be what you think. Here at AP Smilecare, every single one of our dental professionals is fully committed to your oral health. We’re not ones to rush procedures; we first assess the overall health of your teeth and gums, using X-rays to examine your bone structure. We’ll only go ahead once we’re completely satisfied that your mouth is capable of supporting the implant, and never before.

The thing that many people get wrong about dental implants is that they need to be carefully cleaned and looked after, just like normal teeth. They’re not invulnerable! That means regular brushing, don’t consume too much sugar, and quit smoking. If an infection develops around an implant, the bone around it can quickly weaken, which puts the implant at risk. It’s these sorts of stories about implants falling out you can sometimes see in the news, but occasionally they don’t mention the reasons why!

Finally, regular checkups are vital in maintaining the integrity of dental implants. As you’ll know if you’ve spent any length of time on our blog, not all dental problems are obvious from a glance, and professional examinations can help us to spot and deal with any problems before they become serious issues. And if you’ve chosen us to fit your dental implants, you can count on us at AP Smilecare to look after your oral health by making sure that the risks are minimised – and if there are any that are specific to you, we’ll most definitely let you know immediately.

If you still have any questions about dental implants, or any of our other core dentistry services, feel free to drop into our dental clinic in Blackburn, where one of our experts will be only too happy to help. On the other hand, you can always give us a call on 01254 297 000.

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