Modern Dental Implants

An increasingly popular alternative to dentures for our Bromley patients.

We have been placing dental implants at our Bromley dentist since 2009 and have had many patients come back to us saying how delighted they were with the results.

It is no fun having missing teeth, especially if they are visible. Even missing rear teeth though can cause problems with eating and may also cause your remaining teeth to become crooked as they move into the vacant space.

Traditionally, these spaces may have been filled using a partial denture or, perhaps, a dental bridge. Both of these procedures have a number of disadvantages though.

Dentures, whilst certainly offering an aesthetic solution, can cause discomfort for some patients and result in sore and sensitive gums. Over time, they can also become loose as bone density reduces around the area of the lost tooth root, sometimes causing changes to the shape of the face.

A dental bridge, whilst more secure than dentures, does unfortunately involve the trimming down of otherwise healthy adjacent teeth in order for the bridge to be attached.

Dental Implants

Dental implants, on the other hand, have none of the above problems and it for this reason that many patients from Bromley feel that the time taken for the implants to be placed is time well spent.

The procedure itself, whilst very precise, is relatively straightforward.

After the area has been numbed with a local anaesthetic, a hole will be drilled into the jawbone. As the bone contains relatively few nerves, this is not as uncomfortable as is sometimes expected.

The implant, made from titanium, is then placed into the hole and is left for a period of time, usually around three to six months. During this time, a process known as ‘osseointegration’ occurs. This means that the bone in the jaw bonds and integrates with the titanium implant. Once this process is complete, it leaves a very strong and secure artificial tooth root in the jaw.

An abutment is then attached to the implant which enables our implant dentist at Smile Dental of Bromley to attach a crown to complete the process of replacing the missing tooth.

Benefits

With an implant in place, the jawbone, which would otherwise reduce in density, remains strong and healthy and the face retains its shape.

The fact that the implant is so securely placed also means that patients should have no problems in eating any food that they wish, however much chewing is required.

Finally, although the precise length of time will depend on a person’s lifestyle, dental implants should last for a minimum of twenty years and have been known to last over thirty in many cases.

If you have a missing tooth or teeth and would like to discuss dental implants as an option for their replacement, please call Smile Dental Practice of Bromley on 020 8462 2473 to arrange a consultation.