Are Dental Implants Right For Me?
As a dentist who regularly places dental implant in Richmond patients one of the most common questions we get asked is whether dental implants are right for that person? In essence any patient with a missing tooth or teeth is a candidate for dental implants but to be a suitable candidate a patients needs to have sufficient bone structure in their jaw and healthy gums,to be able to support the dental implant.
When a tooth is lost the bone that held it in place begins to dissolve away because it’s no longer being stimulated by the tooth root. This can cause the jawbone to shrink and the cheeks to ‘cave’ in, giving a hollow look which makes a person look older than their years. A dental implant can prevent this from happening since it replaces the entire tooth structure and helps regenerate new bone, putting a stop to any further bone loss.
Not a quick fix
However, a dental implant in Richmond isn’t a quick treatment and from start to finish it can take upwards of 9 months. Admittedly much of this time is spent waiting for the implant to fuse with the jawbone in a process known as osseointegration and since the treatment is carried out in several stages it will require several visits to the dental clinic. This poses the question as to whether you have time to commit to the dental implant procedure?
Secondly, if your tooth loss was caused by poor oral hygiene in the first place then you may find there are several changes required in your daily oral regime if your implant is to remain healthy. Let’s take a closer look:
- It’s important to attend six monthly check-ups with your dentist, and probably more frequently with dental implants, so that he or she can look for any early signs of infection or disease which could be bad news for your implant as well as your teeth.
- Dental implants require the same level of care as your natural teeth and that involves brushing twice a day for at least two minutes and flossing around all of your teeth and implants at least once a day. We can’t stress the importance of this since even though an implant won’t decay, if bacteria is allowed to build up around it, then severe gum disease or periodontitis may occur and this is the prime cause of implant failure. This could happen in the first couple of months following your implant surgery or it could occur two or three years down the line. The point is that you can’t afford to relax your oral routine ever – fact!
- Finally, if you stopped smoking in order to have an implant placed then we urge you to quit altogether. Smoking is the number one reason for implant related issues and since you’ve spent a lot of money on your implant/s do you really want to risk losing them?
So as you can see, dental implants in Richmond require a life long commitment if they are to reach their full potential (which can be upwards of 15 years and often far longer) and justify your investment. For more information or to arrange a consultation to see if your situation is suitable for the procedure, why not call Sheen Dental on 020 8876 5277 or make an appointment online at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk. Dr. Harmit Kalsi and the team look forward to meeting you.