Want to replace your missing tooth or teeth? Dental implants are one solution towards achieving a natural looking smile and boosting self confidence.
But how long do they last? Do dental implants look and feel natural? What happens if dental implants fail? These are some of the questions you might have about dental implantology. In this article, we will try to answer them from both a cosmetic dentist’s perspective as well as our patients’.
Knowing what dental implant surgery is all about will help you determine whether it’s right for you or not.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants replace one or more missing teeth by acting as a foundation for crowns, bridges or dental prosthesis. These are made of titanium, meaning they are biocompatible and able to sit in the area where the tooth root would normally be attached to the jawbone. To put it simply, dental implants build a support for replacement teeth.
How long do dental implants last?
This depends on several factors including how you look after your dental implant post-surgery, your oral hygiene habits, whether you smoke or not, and how much bone tissue is left in your mouth when dental implant surgery takes place.
Modern technology allows dentists to create the right shape and size for successful dental implants that can even replace whole jaws if necessary. Dental implants used for this purpose are called endosteal dental implants. As long as these conditions are met, dental implants can last for over 20 years.
Do dental implants look natural?
This is a question patients themselves ask when wondering if dental implants can give them back their smile and self-confidence. The answer is that they look completely natural both to you and others. That’s because they work with your existing teeth and jawbone. Every dental implant looks like an actual tooth and is also colour-matched to blend in with your surrounding teeth.
Only professionals will be able to tell the difference between your real teeth and dental implants. This means that people around you won’t know you’ve had medical treatment unless you tell them, which brings us to the next question:
Do dental implants feel natural?
Dental implants look just like your real teeth and sit where they’re expected to sit. After a few short weeks, you’ll hardly be able to notice the difference as they feel and function just like your normal teeth, and cannot be distinguished from regular dental work. You can eat, drink and smile as if you still had all of your original teeth.
What happens if dental implants fail?
As long as it has sufficient bone tissue left in the mouth, the dental implant will remain secure. When this no longer holds true, dental implants need to be replaced or removed. Other reasons why dental implants fail include, poor oral hygiene, teeth clenching, and medical conditions such as diabetes, gum disease, or cancer may slow the healing process following implant surgery too.
Replacing dental implants is a complex procedure that should only take place in fully equipped dental clinics staffed by skilled dental implantologists, like the team at Ten Dental.
Conclusion
Do dental implants look and feel natural? In short, yes they do! If you want to learn more about modern, safe and effective tooth replacement procedures, get in touch with your nearest Ten Dental clinic in London at Wandsworth, Balham and Clapham High Street.