Hello again! In my previous post, I have discussed what dental implants are, and how they can be placed in your mouth. Rather than choosing bridges or dentures, I think dental implants can provide a more effective and long lasting solution for your missing teeth and also to help retain your dentures so they become more stable during function (specially lower dentures).So today I will discuss the different ways dental implants could be utilised.
Single implants: Single implants are suitable for single missing teeth and small gaps; they can replace one tooth; or; in small gaps a two-tooth bridge could be constructed on one implant in suitable cases.
Implant bridges: In larger gaps, implants could be placed to support missing teeth by constructing and fitting bridges; as a rule; placing an implant in every other tooth gap and bridging between them is commonly used. For instance, if you have 3 missing teeth; two implants could be placed on either side of the gap and a 3 tooth bridge could be fitted on them and so on.
Implants for supporting and retaining removable dentures: When the gums recede in denture wearers; the dentures become very unstable during function; they move; retain food and hurt the delicate gums underneath. If there is some stable bone in the jaw; two to four implants could be placed which are used to provide support and retention to loose dentures and make them stable during function. The denture will have an attachment that “clicks” onto the head of the implant; this rigid attachment makes the denture extremely stable during function.
Replacement of dentures with fixed bridges: In some cases, dentures could be replaced with fixed teeth on some implants; mainly 6 implants in the upper jaw and 4 implants in the lower jaw would be sufficient in suitable cases to be restored with fixed bridges (screwed on). In suitable patients; the implants are placed first, then left to bond to the bone for a few months; then fixed bridges are constructed to fit permanently onto the implants.
You may then be asking whether you are suitable for dental implant treatment or not. The answer is that most patients would; however; there are certain criteria:
Am I suitable?
1. Are you in reasonable general health?
2. Do you have healthy gums and adequate bone that can support your implant?
3. Are you a smoker?
4. Do you take any medication which could affect bone healing?
5. Have you had any radiation therapy in your head or neck area?
Apart from the last two questions, if your answer is negative for the rest, there is 90% chance for you are suitable… of course if you need and want it! Of course you need to book a consultation appointment to find out for definite if you do qualify.
How to Care for Dental Implant:
You cannot wrap your task list once you are done with your dental implant treatment. If you want to keep your dental implant for a long time, there are few simple and easy dental–care–tips that will surely improve the chances of long term success of dental implants.
1. Scrupulous oral hygiene – Brush twice and floss once daily or use interdental brushes and irrigators to keep your teeth and gums plaque free.
2. Quit smoking – smoking weakens affects your overall health as well as the health of your gums and teeth. Moreover, smoking increase the failure rate of dental implants.
3. Regular dental examinations and hygienist care– routine dental check up after every 6months and hygienist care every 3 months ensure that your oral health is kept under close supervision and small problems are taken care of to prolong the life of your teeth and obviously; your dental implants.
4. Healthy lifestyle – a healthy diet is essential to a healthy mouth and body.
If you have any further questions or require any information which could assist you regarding dental implant treatment; or if you would like to book a consultation; please get in touch and a member of our friendly team would be more than happy to assist you.