Oral surgeon and implant reconstructive dentist Dr Michael Norton talks about this cosmetic treatment that can make a difference to your smile — and your life!
Dental implants are a relatively new cosmetic treatment that can make a huge difference to our smiles — and beyond.
Dental implants act as foundation or substitutes for missing teeth that are fitted into the jaw to help in teeth restorations.
An investment in recreating a healthy smile in this way is a sound one — and dental implants can make a difference not only to our smile but also to our overall health, our comfort and confidence. In fact, dental implants can improve the quality of our life on every level and the cosmetic transformation is just one of the benefits.
They are particularly suited to people affected by periodontal disease or anyone who has had an injury to the mouth. They offer a permanent solution for the treatment of infected teeth and are a more aesthetically pleasing — and more comfortable — solution than dentures.
Once fitted, the crowns he crowns will be perfectly blended to match the colour of your teeth and the shape of your jaw.
The cost of dental implants is at the higher end of the market and prices will vary depending on your oral care requirements.
Yes, the surgical procedure can be rather costly but the care on completion and beyond is affordable and, providing you follow oral hygiene instructions, dental implants are designed to last you a lifetime.
- Do dental implants make eating easier? - They are categorically proven to improve chewing function compared with removable dentures or leaving gaps unrestored but not necessarily any better than conventional bridgework.
- Do they feel natural? - Most patients report that they fill ‘stone-like’ at first but, with time, they become just like their own teeth!
- Do they look natural? - They can do. This depends on the quality of treatment and the skill of the dental technician who makes the teeth.
- What is the success rate like? - Success rates are invariably quoted in the literature as being 95% or better, but the safest bet is to ask the clinician their personal success rate and over how many years they’ve been placing them. Always check how many implants they place per year. This needs to be greater than 50 per year and ideally greater than 100 per year to consider a dentist experienced.
- Which dental implants system do you use? - ASTRA or Straumann, but there are other options out there.
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