Implants are becoming more and more common in modern dental treatment. These days a lot of patients who are told that they need dentures or false teeth are electing to have them fitted with implants, known as implant-retained dentures, for added security, to ensure that they don’t suffer from loose teeth in the future.
What is a dental implant?
An implant is basically a thin, piece of metal that is inserted into the jaw under local anaesthetic. Once this initial surgery has healed, the false teeth or dentures are attached to the implants, rather than being held in place using the traditional plate. Implants can be used whether you need only one false tooth or a whole set. If you are having all your teeth replaced, there are some types of implants that are still attached to plates, so you will only need to have a few inserted into your jaw, rather than one for every tooth.
How can implants benefit my dentures?
Not only will dental implants feel much more secure, but it is almost impossible for anyone else to tell you are wearing them! You will find you have fewer problems eating or speaking and the bone loss that many denture wearers suffer from in later life is prevented by the presence of the metal implants in the jawbone.
What is the best way to clean my dental implants?
Because false teeth attached to implants cannot be removed as easily as dentures on a plate, oral hygiene becomes even more important. However, there are many products on the market aimed at patients with implants, such as dental floss attached to hooks which can be threaded into the small gaps between the false tooth and the gum line. Having implants fitted is obviously a serious procedure in comparison to a simple denture fitting and it may take longer for your mouth to recover and it may affect your speech and eating for a short period of time. In the long run however, there are few side effects and many patients can wear their implants for years with no problems.
Am I suitable for implant-retained dentures?
Implant-retained dentures are not suitable for everyone, as you need to have a certain bone density in your jaw in order for the metal rods to be securely attached. In some cases, the dental surgeon will be able to carry out a bone graft from another part of your body, but in others the damage done by injury, disease or missing teeth may be too severe.