Using dental implants to restore your smile – and your health

Dental implants are a long-term, clinically proven method of replacing one or more missing natural teeth. They are designed to be a permanent tooth replacement, and are the only way a dentist can replace the root parts of lost teeth.

Tooth roots don’t just keep the crowns of the teeth securely in the mouth; they also play an important role in preserving the health and vitality of the jaw bone. When several or all the teeth are missing for any significant amount of time, the jaw bone will start to resorb. This is the main reason traditional dentures become loose – as the shape of the face changes, so does the fit of your dentures.

With dental implants, common denture woes can be avoided or alleviated. Felmores Dental Care in Basildon has a skilled implantology team who can use dental implants to replace anything from one to all of your natural teeth, giving you a second chance at a mouth full of natural teeth.

Common problems experienced by traditional denture wearers include:

Difficulty eating a varied diet, making it hard to get nutrition

Changes to speech, difficulty speaking with clarity

Denture sore mouth caused by false teeth rubbing on the gums

Social isolation and loneliness as your fear of your teeth falling out causes you to turn down invitations.

Dental implants can help with all of these issues. They are small titanium screws that are placed directly in contact with your jaw bone in a small operation, carried out here at our Basildon clinic under local anaesthetic or sedation.

Titanium is used because it supports bone growth, as well as being compatible with the human body in general. Temporary teeth may be attached in the immediate aftermath of implant placement, because the implants require time to heal and integrate with the jaw bone.

After healing is complete – which takes a few months – your dentist will attach permanent new teeth to the abutments on top of your implants. These may be crowns, a bridge, or a denture.

In the case of denture stabilisation, your dentures will still be removable for cleaning, whilst a bridge or crown should remain in your mouth and be brushed like normal teeth.