Dental implants: what you should know before making your decision

Tooth loss in adults is not uncommon. In your lifetime, you are more than likely going to lose one or more teeth, especially as you age. Reasons for missing a few pearly whites are numerous but typically result from serious tooth decay, gum disease or accidents that precipitate an extraction.

So, you were not able to preserve your natural tooth, but there are several restoration devices available to you that will replace your tooth. In time, you and others might not be able to discern your prosthesis from its neighbours.

So what option best suits your way of life? We always suggest dental implants in St John’s Wood to our patients as a cost-effective method of replacing teeth.

Our highly capable and experienced implant dentist at Aura Dental knows what is most appropriate for you and your needs. Come to us for a consultation and to start the process of restoring your smile.

Can I live without a tooth?

You might ask, ‘what harm is caused from missing a tooth?’, especially when the now empty space is to the back of your jaw and out of sight.

But by not replacing that back molar, you are putting yourself at risk, and the longer you put off finding a solution to your tooth loss, the harder and more expensive treatment becomes.

But why?

When you lose a tooth, your neighbouring ones overcompensate in its absence. They shift position in attempting to cover the site, which eventually results in their weakening and becoming unstable. In the end, instead of missing just one, you might have a couple of gaps between your teeth that are more noticeable than ever.

Your jaw must be exercised to prevent it from weakening and going brittle. In a healthy mouth, your teeth stimulate your jawbone by pressing down onto it when you chew.

With teeth missing, specific areas of your jaws shrink because they are not properly used, a process that is called bone resorption. When this happens, your facial structure changes entirely to the point where you look much older than you are.

What is a dental implant in St John’s Wood?

An implant comprises of three parts: a small titanium pin, an abutment and an artificial crown.

The pin is the artificial part of the tooth that is hidden out of sight under layers of tissue and bone. We insert the piece in your jawbone in a simple procedure using a low-powered drill.

The thought of us drilling into your bone might seem daunting, but rest assured, with anaesthesia, you will experience minimal discomfort.

This piece of metal might appear to be seemingly insignificant, but its role in your mouth is not. Eventually, in time, it acts as the artificial root to your new tooth, holding it firmly in place while you chew, talk, sleep and basically carry on with your life.

What benefits does it offer me that other restoration devices cannot?

Have you been wearing dentures for years but have started noticing small problems with it? Do you find the device slipping out of place at the wrong time?

Earlier, we discussed what happens to the jaw when it is not utilised correctly. Even while using dentures, you are still at risk because the device does not exercise the missing tooth at the root. The same cannot be said for dental implants, which do. Saying that, not only do implants stimulate the jaw, they even help to revive bone that has been lost from years wearing a less effective prosthesis.

Dental implants in St John’s Wood do not only look good but are beneficial  in many ways!