Ask your dentist about dental implants, the permanent way to replace teeth

August 4, 2016Dentist North LondonImplants

With dental implants, your dentist can permanently replace your missing teeth. At Victoria Road Dental Clinic in Ruislip, we can use implants to replace anything from one to all of your natural teeth, giving you back a smile to be proud of, all the functionality of a healthy jaw, and renewed confidence to go out and enjoy your life without the fear of slipping dentures causing embarrassment.

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that your dentist places in your jaw bone in a small operation. We carry out this procedure under local anaesthetic at our Ruislip clinic, and thanks to the intricate planning that your dentist undertakes beforehand, it is fairly simple from a patient’s point of view.

As soon as your dental implants are in place, a process called osseointegration starts. This sees your implants form a strong bond with your jaw bone, similar to that of natural tooth roots. Your dentist will then attach permanent new teeth – be they crowns, a bridge, or dentures – to abutments on top of your implants.

Research has shown that dental implants will last for many years, so long as you look after them. You will need to visit your Ruislip dentist and hygienist on a regular basis to ensure that you stay in good oral health, because implants can be affected by conditions such as gum disease in the same way natural teeth can. So long as you take good care of them, though, your dental implants and new teeth could last for the rest of your life.

Some patients at our Ruislip dental practice who require all the teeth replacing in one jaw are suitable for a treatment called All-on-4. Whilst traditionally between six and eight implants have been required to support a full arch of teeth, with this procedure your dentist places just four implants, which can then support a jaw full of teeth in the form of a dental bridge.

This can be a beneficial treatment option in patients who have lower than average bone density, negating the need for a bone graft. Your dentist will discuss your suitability for this treatment at your consultation.