There can be a number of reasons why people have missing teeth; it can be due to an accident, poor oral hygiene, or a medical or age related factor. For many people, having missing teeth can affect their self-esteem and can be a cause for anxiety. Finding a dentist in Nottingham who offers dental implants could be the answer to the problem. Dental implants offer an aesthetic and functional solution to gaps in your smile that take you back to having a mouth that looks and feels just as it should when you had natural and healthy teeth. There are many benefits and it is important to source an experienced dentist to give you dental implants.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are titanium screws which are attached to the jawbone where your natural teeth are no longer present. Titanium is a metal that bonds with your body’s tissues, making it an ideal metal to use as an artificial tooth root. These ‘posts’ can then have crowns, bridges or dentures attached to them, resulting in securely fitted replacement teeth for single or multiple teeth replacements – you can even have a whole set of teeth replaced with dental implants.
What are the advantages of implants?
The beauty of dental implants is that once you have them fitted, nobody will be able to tell that they aren’t your natural teeth, as your replacement teeth are made to match any remaining natural teeth that you have. They are securely fixed in place thanks to the titanium screws, allowing you to eat and drink whatever you want. You may remember your granny’s false teeth clacking when she talked? You don’t have to worry about that with dental implants! The technical term for the fusion of the titanium screws with the jawbone is osseointegration. It’s thanks to osseointegration (don’t worry, there’s no test at the end to remember this term!) that you can continue to live your life fully, without the anxiety of any embarrassing moments when chatting with friends over a leisurely lunch! Another bonus is that they are easy to maintain – simply brush and floss regularly, and keep up with your regular dental check-ups. If you do these things, implants could last you a lifetime meaning that you shouldn’t have need for further treatments to replace them in the future. By replacing your missing teeth, you also protect any remaining natural teeth from exposure to further bacteria which could eventually lead to you losing more of your natural teeth if left untreated; it also protects your gums. There are many reasons why implants are simply amazing!
Can anybody have implants?
In order to be eligible for dental implants, you need to have enough bone density in your jawbone to attach the titanium screws. A dentist will be able to examine your mouth to check your oral health and may take X-rays to establish if you will be able to have implants. If there isn’t enough bone density, all is not lost! You could also be able to have a bone graft to allow you to have dental implants.
If you think that you would like to have dental implants, why not find a dentist who specialises in this area and perhaps make your way to smiling freely and confidently for the first time in a long time.