Halt Bone Loss Now With An Alternative To Long Term Dentures
The advantages of undergoing dental implants in Richmond, or indeed any other clinic in the country are well documented, but did you know they also have the distinction of preventing bone loss?
Until recently, standard dentures have been the preferred replacement of choice for many people with missing teeth and over the years they have improved drastically in shape and design. Instead of the ugly, heavy looking dentures of old, modern dentures are sleek and streamlined and most importantly, are more natural looking than their predecessors. Nowadays they provide an invaluable service to many people.
That said, for long-term denture wearers there’s still an element of risk involved and that risk comes in the shape of bone loss.
So how does this occur, and what are the consequences?
In a natural tooth, the tooth root (which acts as an anchor) promotes blood flow to the gum and supporting bone tissue. This in turn stimulates the gum and the surrounding bone and collectively, it keeps the jaw healthy and supports the tooth. The problem occurs when a tooth and indeed the tooth root is missing. As the surrounding bone tissue and gum is no longer stimulated it starts to waste away. This bone erosion can eventually undermine otherwise healthy teeth. Eventually it will change the shape of your jawbone causing a ‘pinched in’ appearance.
Unfortunately standard dentures only serve to cover the gums with rows of synthetic teeth as they are positioned to sit on top of the gum. This is why they have to be adjusted from time to time to fit the ever changing shape of your jaw. Eventually when dentures can no longer be adjusted to fit, they need to be replaced.
For long-term denture wearers this can mean greater risk to healthy teeth as the surrounding bone tissue continues to diminish.
A solution lies in the form of a dental implant. In Richmond here at Sheen Dental we’ve been successfully placing implants in patients for decades and for many, the positive impact that implants have are life-changing.
The main difference lies in how a dental implant works. Unlike dentures a dental implant is secured down into the jaw bone by means of a titanium rod. As the implant is anchored in it tricks the surrounding bone tissue into thinking that it’s a tooth root and as such the surrounding tissue starts to merge and fuse around it, creating a super-strong platform, thus halting the bone loss process.
Understandably tooth-for-tooth dental implants can often be beyond the modest budget of many folk, however it’s worth noting that a set of dentures can be anchored in place with just a few implants giving the jawbone enough stimulation to maintain it’s current shape.
To find out more about dental implants in Richmond, then contact Dr Harmit Kalsi and the team at Sheen Dental on 020 8876 5277 and book a free, no-obligation consultation with us. Alternatively if you’d like to get an informed view of all your dental options, then check out our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk where you can find a whole host of information to help.