Just How Many Teeth Can An Implant Support?
Here at Sheen Dental Dr Harmit Kalsi and the team have been placing dental implants in Richmond patientsfor a great number of years. One of the many questions we often get asked is how many teeth can an implant support?
Clearly one of the main concerns that people have when they’re considering dental implants is the initial cost factor. Dental implants are expensive, so it’s understandable that people would ask this question. If a patient has just one missing gap then one dental implant will be used to replace that missing tooth. Likewise if a patient has two missing gaps that aren’t adjacent to one another (like on opposite sides of the mouth) again, a single implant for each tooth is necessary. So far so good, but what about when a patient has adjacent missing teeth or even complete rows of missing teeth, what happens then?
If a patient suffers two or more adjacent missing teeth then they can choose to opt for an implant supported bridge. Usually the first gap houses the implant which in turn houses the framework and the prosthetic teeth to fill the remaining gap or gaps. So why opt for this over a conventional bridge?
Quite simply because a standard bridge needs the support of adjacent healthy teeth to support the bridging framework. These teeth have to be ground down and shaped in order for the framework to fit. Clearly grinding down healthy teeth isn’t a good option. An implant on the other hand is anchored directly into the jawbone and is therefore self-supporting. This means that surrounding natural teeth aren’t tampered with, allowing them to remain healthy.
What about patients with entire rows of missing teeth?
When a patient suffers entire rows of missing teeth, then it wouldn’t be practical, or cost effective to plug every gap with a dental implant. For this reason most dental clinics suggest implant retained dentures. In this procedure 4-6 implants are strategically placed along the jaw line which are then sufficient enough to hold an entire row of tailor-made dentures. Implant retained dentures are removable for hygiene reasons just like standard dentures, the difference is that they’ll be clipped firmly into place using a simple mechanism. Therefore they don’t rely on suction or fixatives like standard dentures and they’re guaranteed not to move. This means no more embarrassing moments.
If you’d like to find out more about how dental implants in Richmond can help you then check out our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk. Alternatively why not book yourself a free, no obligation consultation with Dr Kalsi and the team on 020 8876 5277. Here you can get all your questions answered by the professionals in a friendly and relaxing atmosphere, giving you the tools you need to make a fully informed dental decision. Go on what are you waiting for? Book yours today!