Dental treatments - Enhancing your smile - Implants to replace missing teeth

If you have missing teeth, you will know some of the problems those gaps can cause.  They can affect the way you look, your ability to eat and sometimes the way you speak.  And of course all of these can have a big impact on your self-confidence.

Having missing teeth can also age you.  The jaw bone shrinks away from the tooth socket, affecting your facial profile and leading to that “sucked in” look which is so often associated with older people.

However, there is now a perfect solution – dental implants, a realistic, strong and permanent way of replacing one or more missing teeth.

Dental implants are in effect artificial tooth roots which are placed gently into the jaw bone.  Over time (usually a few months) they fuse with the bone to provide a secure foundation for tooth replacement.  Most dental implants these days are made from titanium, which has been proven to be well tolerated by bone and soft tissue.

Once fitted, dental implants can support all types of replacement teeth, including crowns and bridges.  They can also be used to hold dentures firmly in place, so that you can eat and talk with confidence.

The process

Usually patients visit us for an initial implant consultation.  During this appointment we will examine your teeth, gums and bone structure, and make sure you are suitable for dental implants.  Sometimes there may not be enough bone to support an implant - we can solve this problem through advanced procedures such as bone grafting. 

We will always talk to you about the treatment so you know exactly what to expect, and will give you the opportunity to answer any questions or concerns you may have.  We will also provide you with a detailed treatment plan and a written quotation.

When your implant is fitted, we numb the area to be treated so you don't feel anything, prepare the implant site, and gently place the implant or implants into your jaw bone. These are covered with gum tissue while the bone heals. During the next few 3-6 months the implants will bond with your jawbone. Temporary crowns, bridges or over-dentures can be worn during this period.

Once the implants have fused with the bone, we attach a post to the implant. Once the gum tissue has healed, we will take impressions (moulds), and create natural, comfortable tooth restorations.  It usually takes a couple of weeks for skilled craftsmen to create your crown, bridge or dentures.  Once we fit these, you can then enjoy showing off your great new smile!