12 Feb

How to tell if you are suitable for a dental implant at London dentist

Over the last few years, dental implants have replaced dental bridges and partial dentures as the dental replacement of choice. This is because unlike all the other dental substitutes, a dental implant replaces the whole tooth from root to crown. This gives the patient a more realistic feeling and also provides an added degree of security that can be missing from other dental replacements.
The dental implant itself is a small titanium screw that is anchored directly into the jawbone to act as a base for an artificial tooth. Once drilled into the bone the implant needs to be left for several weeks or even months in order to fuse with the bone and gum tissue. This process is called osseointergration and is crucial to the success of the treatment. For osseointergration to be completely successful, the patient needs to have a sufficiently strong jawbone and gum tissue. This can mean that some patients are not suitable for the treatment especially if they have very bad gum tissue or the missing tooth is the result of a physical trauma which also damaged the tooth socket and jawbone.
In cases where trauma has damaged the jaw it is possible to undergo a bone and tissue graft in order to restore the structure before fitting the implant. This will add a considerable time to the length of treatment however but ultimately the results will be worth it. Dental implants can last a lifetime if you are a suitable candidate and remove the anxiety that can occur when using other dental substitutes. Make an appointment with a London dentist to see if you are suitable for a dental implant.