Dental implants

Not that long ago I had a friend call me late at night. There had been an accident. A soccer ball to the face actually. All I made out on the phone was that there was blood and missing pieces of tooth. When I arrived at the clinic and had a look I discovered that one of the teeth was so badly broken that it could not be saved. My friend was upset. After all, it was right in the front of his smile.

I told him that although this was very unfortunate he shouldn’t worry. I let him know that we could “fix” this and give him back his smile. I told him we could use a dental implant. Having never needed one before he didn’t know what I was talking about. It was then that it occurred to me that probably a lot of people haven’t heard about dental implants, and if they have, they don’t really understand what they are.

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I went on to explain that a dental implant is literally the placement of a “false root” back into the jawbone where the old natural root used to be. Of course the immediate question was, “how much will that hurt, and will I be knocked out?” I let him know that you actually don’t feel much at all. The implant is placed slowly and carefully so as not to damage the remaining bone. I also let him know that often it is done under only local anesthetic – although the more nervous patients can be sedated if they wish. The false root (surgical titanium – like hip or knee replacements) then heals in the bone for approximately four months. During that time we would put a temporary tooth in place of the missing one so that no one notices. After the four months of healing is over we are able to build a new tooth on top of the new root/implant.

Dental implants have some very significant upsides. First, there is no need to do anything to the adjacent teeth, as they are not needed for support of the implant (not like a bridge where the teeth on either side need significant alteration). Second, the implant and new tooth are titanium and porcelain so there is never a risk for cavities in that area. It should be noted that it still needs to have healthy gum and bone tissues – this means regular visits to the hygienist still. Finally, the aesthetics are fantastic. Since it is a single tooth it looks just like the one it replaced.

Dental implants can be used to replace any single tooth as well as multiple missing teeth. They can even be used to anchor teeth when a person is missing all their teeth. Dental implants can be like having a third set of teeth offering the predictability of stable teeth to chew and smile confidently with. If you are missing one or more teeth and would like to know more about how dental implants can help restore your health, function and smile – then give us a call.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.