How Dental Implants Can Transform Your Life

Are your dentures causing you pain and discomfort? Is it a hassle taking them off every night and putting them back on every morning? Do they accidentally fall out when you sneeze too hard? If so, then dental implants in Richmond may be the perfect solution to all your problems, giving you a permanent smile, one that doesn’t accidentally fall out from time to time.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are titanium screw-like devices that are permanently placed into the jaw to act like a tooth root when there is a gap due to a missing tooth or teeth. Just like with a tooth root, your jawbone fuses with the dental implant, which secures it permanently in place and makes it suitable for a denture or crown to be fixed onto.

Why choose dental implants?

The more important question is, why wouldn’t you choose dental implants? Missing teeth can impact your life negatively, from making you self-conscious about the way you look to making it difficult to chew or bite even the simplest of foods. Dental implants can give you a new lease of life in the following ways:

• Permanent – dental implants offer a permanent solution to missing teeth, meaning you don’t have to take them off at the end of the night or worry about them falling out. As they are fixed into your jawbone, once fused with the bone, the implants function like a natural tooth and can last longer than a decade if they are taken care of properly.
• Natural – with dental implants, you need not worry about having a random tooth that sticks out from the rest because the false tooth that is fixed onto your implant will be matched in shape, shade and size to the rest of your teeth.
• Prevent bone loss – when a tooth falls out or is extracted, the jawbone beneath that tooth will no longer be stimulated and may begin to shrink, causing the shape of your face to change over time. However, dental implants can stimulate the jaw like a natural tooth would, preventing any further bone loss.
• Restoring your bite – dental implants make simple tasks like biting and chewing food easy again, meaning you can enjoy your favourite fruits, vegetables and meals – but be sure to take it easy with the sugary treats!

What does the procedure involve?

The implantation procedure usually consists of three or four stages:

• A pre-operative assessment where your dentist will carry out a thorough check of your teeth and discuss what the procedure entails.
• If needed, your dentist may use a bone graft, depending on the intensity of bone loss that you have, so that there is enough bone to secure the implant into.
• The implant procedure then takes place; this involves injecting your gum with an anaesthetic to numb the area so that the procedure is comfortable. Once your mouth is numb, the dentist will cut into your gum and drill a hole into the jawbone where the implant will be inserted. The gum is then stitched back up, and a temporary denture or crown will be fitted on.
• Sometimes, you will have your new tooth inserted on the same day; however, in most cases, the bone and gums need time to heal and fuse before a denture or crown can be fitted on.