Missing teeth xray

Losing a tooth, or several teeth, can greatly affect your quality of life. Not only does it make it difficult to eat normally but it can also affect your confidence, making you too self-conscious to smile or talk properly. This, in turn, can affect your ability to work productively or lead a normal social life. Reasons here.

There are lots of reasons why we lose teeth; gum disease, tooth decay, accidents and aging can all cause teeth to loosen, fall out or become damaged and need replacing.

See: How Could Dental Implants Upgrade Your Smile?

The Latest Technology in Dental Replacement

Previously, the only option available to people with missing teeth was dentures or bridges. Now, thanks to advances in dental technology, there is a range of sturdier, more durable and natural-looking options available to patients, including dental implants.

These can be used either to fix dentures or bridges securely into position (implant-supported prostheses), or on their own to replace single or multiple teeth (implant-retained prostheses).

Types of Implants

Implants can be used to replace a single tooth or a whole arch of teeth. Root Form Implants usually consist of a metal screw or rod, typically made from a safe, bio-compatible substance such as titanium, which effectively serves as an artificial root replacement and will, over time, fuse with your natural bone.

This provides a sturdy base upon which a crown, single artificial tooth or bridge/over-denture (multiple replacement teeth) can be attached.

Alternative types of implant include Plate Form or Trans Osseous Implants, which involve placing a metal plate, rather than screws or pins, underneath the gums, and Subperiosteal Implants, which require an implant that is individually moulded to fit the exact outlines of your jawbone which is then inserted beneath the gumline.

Generally-speaking, though, Root Form Implants are the most popular option and offer the highest rates of success.