How do dental implants work?

If you have been affected by tooth loss due to tooth decay or any other reason, our dental implants in Guildford can serve as a solution for these problems. Dental implants are available here at Farnham Road Dental Practice. These dental implants are surgically introduced appliances that serve as fixation points for crowns and bridges. The implants are metal objects with a similar appearance to screws. They are surgically introduced into the jawbone, where they interact with the bone tissue and integrate into it. As a result of this process, the crowns and bridges used to replace missing teeth remain functional for a long time if the implantation is successful. The implants also will not slip, and therefore do not create any bone damage which older methods such as dentures or fixed bridges might.

What are the criteria for receiving dental implants?

Most patients are capable of getting dental implants, however, certain criteria must be met to make the operation both safe and effective. Your jawbone should have got to its maximum growth before getting dental implants. It is also a requirement to have the appropriate bone structures in the jaw and have healthy surrounding tissues (gingiva, etc.) in the mouth. If you are affected by any disease or condition that can have an impact on bone growth, getting dental implants is contraindicated. If you are a long term tobacco smoker, this can influence your oral tissues in a negative manner, therefore the evaluation of your oral tissues is necessary. You are also advised to quit smoking when getting dental implants.

What are the benefits of getting dental implants in Guildford?

Losing teeth is very inconvenient. It affects patients in a wide range of ways, depending on the location of the lost tooth or teeth. The most obvious inconvenience is the difficulty that patients may experience with chewing or eating. Tooth loss can also cause difficulties with speech, not to mention the appearance of it when it affects an immediately visible area. One of the lesser known negative consequences of tooth loss is the negative effect it might have on the jawbone structure and the oral tissues. The longer time your tissues and your bone spend without your teeth or an implant in them, the more they disintegrate and the less likely it will become to successfully deliver dental implants. Therefore it is important to consult your dentist in time when you experience tooth loss. If you are a patient that is capable of receiving our dental implants in Guildford, these implants can provide a solution to many of the problems that tooth loss can cause.

What kind of risks are involved?

As a dental implant is introduced surgically, it comes with certain risks, which are important to be considered. Every single surgery comes with risks, and the risks associated with dental implants are relatively small, however, it is important that you know about them. Infections or nerve damage might occur where the implant is placed in a small number of cases. When the dental implant is required to be operated into the upper jaw, it can pierce a sinus, which can result in sinus problems.

The modern up-to-date nature of dental implants in Guildford is what draws many people toward the treatment. If you have been spending hours researching replacement tooth options then stop. Book a consultation at our practice, Farnham Road Dental Practice, and find out how you can get completely natural looking teeth that are long-lasting and function just as your original ones once did.

Once you have attended your consultation appointment and one of our practitioners has confirmed that you are suitable for the treatment your next appointments will be scheduled. The first part of the treatment consists of you having one or multiple titanium screws inserted into your jawbone, where they will fuse together over time. The screws are positioned where the roots of your original teeth used to be. This keeps your jawbone stimulated and prevents it from deteriorating after you have lost teeth, boosting your overall health as well as your appearance.

These screws act as a support for your new artificial teeth, and after your mouth has healed you will have another appointment during which your dental practitioner will attach the required appliance to these supports.

A simple treatment no matter how many teeth you are restoring

What appliance you require will depend on how many teeth you are missing and what positions they are in if you have some original teeth left too. Getting dental implants in Guildford is easy whether you are restoring one or all of your teeth. Your dentist will discuss which appliance is going to be most effective for you at your consultation appointment.

When you are replacing a single tooth, or multiple teeth in different places that still have original teeth on either side of them, a crown or multiple crowns will be fitted to your tooth implants.

A bridge or partial denture is used when you are missing multiple teeth, but which appliance is most suitable for you will depend on the positioning of your missing teeth. If you need to replace multiple teeth that are all next to each other then a partial denture will be used, but if you have original teeth in between your missing ones then a bridge will be more effective and offer your original tooth more support.

If you are replacing a whole mouthful of teeth then a full denture will be fitted. You will not need one screw per tooth if you are replacing all of your teeth. Some patients only need four screws to support their new teeth, whilst others can require up to twelve.

Do you wish to upgrade from your current appliance?

Many people that get dental implants in Guildford are upgrading from their removable dentures or other appliances, such as metallic coloured crowns. Removable dentures are efficient when it comes to replacing teeth, but people often find themselves worrying about their dentures coming loose or falling out in public, or getting food stuck in them if it is too chewy or sticky. Tooth implants will eradicate these worries, as your new teeth are unable to come loose due to their fixed nature and you can enjoy any food you would like to eat.

Another reason why some people favour this treatment over others is that it provides you with completely natural looking teeth that blend in with your original ones. The tooth-coloured restorative treatments like crowns are difficult for other people to spot, meaning when people upgrade from their metallic coloured crowns they often notice a boost in their confidence too.

Have you lost a tooth and are not sure what to do about it? Perhaps you are having problems with existing crowns, bridges or dentures? If this sounds like you, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here, at Farnham Road Dental Practice, where we can offer you a modern solution for your missing teeth.

Whether it is for a single tooth or multiple teeth or indeed all your teeth, we have the answer! Our dentists provide quality care in replacing missing teeth in a safe and supportive practice, putting the needs of our patients at the heart of what we do.

Dental implants in Guildford are a modern solution to replacing missing teeth. We simply place small metal screws, made of titanium, into your jaw in the place of the missing tooth. Once established, the bone gradually bonds with the implants, creating a stable and secure base for artificial teeth. We can then fix crowns, bridges and dentures onto the implants in order to create a natural looking smile. This is now considered the most popular choice for replacing teeth and here at Farnham Road Dental Practice, we can replace either one single tooth or multiple teeth.

Are implants the right choice for me?

We are able to provide implants for most of our patients experiencing missing teeth, with the exception of children whose jaw and facial bones are still growing and developing. There are so many benefits compared to traditional options for missing teeth, that choosing implants really could be one of the best decisions you ever make!

So what are the benefits of having implants?

There are many benefits to choosing dental implants in Guildford. Our implants will give you the feeling and appearance of real teeth and provide support for your face so that your natural facial shape and smile are maintained, often taking years off your appearance!

If good hygiene is maintained our implants can last you a lifetime so that you never have to worry about missing teeth again. They provide a stable structure for replacement teeth in the form of crowns, bridges or dentures so that you can smile, bite and chew with confidence.  No more having to worry about sticking to soft foods in case a tooth falls out!

Often when you lose your natural teeth you also start to lose your jawbone density and remaining tissues. Our implants help stimulate the jawbone to grow, as it bonds to the metal screws, creating new tiny blood vessels and creating a mouth that is healthy and strong. They also stabilise and improve existing loose dentures or can even fully replace them.

In addition, you will not need to remove your new teeth from your mouth like traditional false teeth. You will carry your new smile with you 24/7, just like the real thing!

So if this sounds like the ideal solution for you, get in touch with us here at Farnham Road Dental Practice so we can talk you through your options to regain a natural, fully functioning smile that is all your own, giving you the confidence to carry on your life with a full set of teeth!

If you have lost some of your natural teeth through accident, illness or even extraction, you will no doubt be aware of how it can impact your confidence when smiling.

A dental issue that is common, extensive tooth loss can not only affect your confidence, but can also impact your ability to eat a wide variety of foods and can even affect the strength of your bite.

Dentures used to offer a practical solution to this problem, but often created issues too, such as extensive rubbing on the jaw line and worry about them moving or falling out unexpectedly.

Luckily, modern dentistry has found the perfect solution to all of these issues in the form of dental implants in Guildford.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants in Guilford are small, titanium screws that are placed into the jawbone, allowing single teeth, bridges and dentures to be fixed on to them, providing an immovable alternative to dentures.

Implant dentistry is a safe way to not only improve your smile, but provide a great way to increase the strength of your bite, allowing you to eat whatever foods you want to without issue, restoring the functionality of your teeth.

Other benefits of dental implants

If you have gaps in your teeth, dental implants are an effective way to fill these gaps and improve your confidence instantly.

At Farnham Road Dental Practice, our team of experienced dentists are told by our patients who have had implants fitted, of the many other benefits they have noticed.

Speech

An often-overlooked concern regarding missing or misaligned teeth is that of speech. When a person has dentures fitted, they must adapt, learning how to speak again, as dentures can be bulky and uncomfortable. Not only this but many people with dentures report having to tighten their facial muscles as they are worried about their dentures becoming loose, this will also have an impact on speech patterns.

As dental implants are attached to the jaw line, they are not bulky and therefore do not cause any disruption to speech patterns.  As they cannot come loose, people with implants can relax their facial muscles and talk freely without issue.

Eating

Although there is a wide range of denture adhesives on the market, denture wearers often report feeling unconfident eating certain foods, like corn on the cob. As consumption of this type of food requires excessive and specific jaw and teeth movements, it is understandable why those wearing dentures are concerned about performing it.

With dental implants, you can perform as many specific movements of your jaw as you want to, your implants will not come loose, providing greater security when eating different types of foods.

Lifestyle

Implants require care but no more than regular teeth.

If your brush and floss twice a day and attend dental check-ups every six months, there should be no problems or additional purchases required to keep them healthy and strong.

Interested in dental implants in Guildford? Call us today!

If you dread any social interaction because you are embarrassed about your teeth and hide your mouth with your hand when talking or smiling, then a trip to see us at Farnham Road Dental Practice could just be the thing for you!

One of our many different solutions for a whole array of dental problems is that of dental implants in Guildford. As we get older it can become harder and harder to grow old gracefully with a beautiful smile if you have teeth missing from decay or from a sporting accident.   But just how do implants work and are they the best option for your needs?

How dental implants work

If you have knocked out a tooth by accident or even have one missing due to gum disease, your dental practitioner may suggest dental implants in Guildford as a solution for you.  Modern day implants look like natural teeth and can last, if looked after well, for a very, very long time.

Vintage is the groovy trend at the moment, but not when it comes to a nice set of pearlies!  But don’t panic, super modern implants are in fashion now!  And the procedure couldn’t be any simpler. A small, strong post, generally made from titanium, is placed into the jaw bone and then the artificial tooth is connected to it. Even if you have a number of teeth missing, it is possible to attach more than one tooth onto the implant, so that you get your normal functioning teeth and happy smile back.  You will also need to be prepared to make regular trips back to your dentist before the actual implant is finally secured in your mouth, as our technicians will need a little time to craft the parts that are needed.

Oral health is the name of the game!

Everyone should have a good home oral health care regime and this is no different after you have had implants. Artificial teeth actually promote healthy bone growth and caring for them couldn’t be simpler.  It’s easy, just make sure that you floss to prevent bacteria and plaque building up and brush your teeth twice a day.

Goodbye gaps and hello new pearly whites!

Once you have come and discussed your needs with us and we have laid all your options out on the table, you will be at the beginning of your new dental journey.  We will ensure that we are with you every step of the way, this support will ultimately help you to reach your goal, allowing you to regain your confidence and boost your self-esteem.

With a regime of good home oral health care, combined with regular check-ups on your artificial teeth from your dentist, a brand new smile should last for many years to come.

So get with the trend of modern, magnificent dentistry and enjoy your life again, laughing and chatting…and all without your hand in front of your mouth!

Some dental treatments are done in a matter of minutes. Others take as much as a year to complete. The treatment is a journey of several stages and sometimes long periods between those stages. But the destination is well worth the trek. One of those treatments is dental implants, the modern way to replace lost teeth.

Let’s take a look at the stages involved in getting dental implants here at Farnham Road Dental Practice is Guildford:

Consultation

This is much more than a chat. We take an in-depth look at your mouth and particularly at your jawbone. We need to make sure that your jawbone is robust enough for treatment and to sustain the dental implants once you start chewing on them with full power.

Preparatory work

If we think your jawbone has deteriorated, we can suggest getting bone grafts, or sinus lifts, or, if it’s the upper jaw, having extra-long dental implants that anchor into your cheekbone.

If you have had gaps for a while, your remaining teeth may have wandered a bit and you may need to wear braces for a while to put them back into alignment so there is enough space to fit your implants.

All this can extra months to your treatment journey.

You may also need to have other failing teeth extracted.

Implant surgery

This is a minor surgical operation that takes place under local anaesthetic. We are usually done in a morning or an afternoon.

Healing time

This is the important bit. You need to allow 2-6 months, depending on your individual healing speed, for your dental implants to integrate with your jawbone. During this time, the jawbone grows new bone tissue, including blood vessels, all over the surface of the dental implant.

Fitting the crowns

The final part is fitting the hand-crafted porcelain crowns. Once they are in place, you can eat whatever you like.

Maintenance

This is the easy part. A diligent oral health care routine and regular hygienist sessions to remove plaque is all you need to take care of your dental implants.

Want to know more? Why not book a chat with our implant dentist?

Back in the day of your grandparents, if you lost all your teeth, you’d only get one option for replacing them and that would be with dentures. Dentures are replacement crowns set on a plate that is gum-coloured and fits over the gums, relying on suction for stability.

Dentures were big news in their day in the mid-20^th century. In fact, for a couple of decades, there was a big trend to have all your teeth removed as a young adult and replace them with dentures; the idea being that it would give you great teeth for life and save on dental costs.

People didn’t know how much dentures were going to wobble around.

However, that was then, and this is now. Now, we have more choices and one of those is replacement teeth that are firmly anchored into the jawbone and never wobble.

This latest generation of replacement teeth are called dental implants and they work so well because they replace the root of the tooth too, which dentures don’t.

At Farnham Road Dental Practice in Guildford, more and more of our patients are having dental implants fitted because they are the best way to mimic the teeth that have been lost.

Imagine how hard it is to get a good chew going using teeth that are resting on the gums and don’t always fit so well after a while. You can see that you might be reduced to living on soft foods only and having to cut your food into small pieces before you eat.

With dental implants, you get your full chewing power back and with it, the full range of food choices return too. If you want to bite into a toffee apple at the fair, go right ahead. You won’t need to worry that you’ll become one of the comedy acts when your teeth stay in the apple.

Getting dental implants starts with coming in for a consultation. We need to find out how strong your jawbone is, and whether or not it will be able to hold onto the implant once you start chewing on it.

Give the clinic a call and let’s get going on your new set of teeth.

If you have been thinking about replacing your lost or failing teeth with dental implants, you may have been talking to friends and colleagues about the process. You may even have heard stories of terrible pain endured and long healing processes suffered through.

If you have, please don’t take them all as gospel. Human beings have a habit of making medical procedures sound worse than they actually are. It’s better to find out from us at Farnham Road Dental Practice in Guildford than from someone who may be subconsciously trying to make themselves sound heroic.

So, here’s quick heads-up of what to expect if you decide to get dental implants fitted.

Which teeth?

It all starts with an in-depth consultation. Our implant dentist will carry out a thorough examination of your teeth, to be clear about what needs to be replaced. You may have teeth that are starting to fail, and it might be easier to take them out now and replace them with crowns on a dental implant. For example, if you have a gap and one or both teeth either side of it are looking likely to fail in the near-ish future, you can get them taken out now and have the whole lot replaced on one dental implant.

Your jawbone

The implant surgeon will also need to take a good look at your jawbone with x-rays and scans. This is to see if it is strong and dense enough to sustain dental implants. If it has deteriorated, you might need to have preparatory work done, in the shape of bone grafts or sinus lifts. Or you could have extra-long implants that anchor into your cheekbones.

The procedure

This takes place under local anaesthetic, which is more than enough to numb the jawbone, which has very few nerves in it to transmit pain signals. If you are nervous, you can also have sedation so that you can deeply relax.

Afterwards

We recommend a day in bed to recover. Any pain can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers. Plus, a liquid diet for a week or so and soft food until your implants have integrated with your jawbone, in 2-6 months.

Give us a call for an exploratory chat.

What is it about people that tells us how old they are? There are signs that we associate with age. Silver hair is one. Mottled skin is another. Stiffness of movement one more. And lastly, there is the pointy chin that seems to come up to the end of the nose.

This last one is not caused by age, but by loss of teeth. When a tooth is lost, the bone around where the tooth used to be starts to disappear. It literally melts away, and it doesn’t take very long to do so either.

Resorption

This is the technical term for when the body dissolves part of itself. This is what it does with the jawbone when a tooth has come out. The jawbone can lose up to 25% of its size and density in the first year alone after tooth loss. If you have lost a tooth, you can probably feel quite an arch in the bone where it used to be if you run your tongue over it.

Tipping over

As the bone melts away, the nutrients are sent for use elsewhere in the body, which is efficient. But the effect is that the neighbouring teeth are no longer held so securely in their sockets and they can start to tip into the gap and may even fall out, and so a domino effect can start to take place.

Stop resorption

It is possible to stop resorption, but it means having to replace the lost tooth root as well as the crown. Dentures and fixed bridgework won’t stop it, but dental implants will. Dental implants, which are available from us at Farnham Road Dental Practice in Guildford, are the only tooth replacement method that replaces the root of the tooth as well as the crown.

One dental implant can replace up to 3 teeth on a bridge. Dental implants last for a long time, maybe even the rest of your life, so they are a great investment.

Find out more

If you’d like to know more, please call us and come in for a chat and a consultation. You can keep your youthful profile with dental implants in your jaw.

Now that most or all of your teeth have failed, what kind of replacement teeth will you have? Will be dentures, those tried, trusted and comparatively inexpensive replacement teeth? Or will it be a way of replacing teeth that may be completely new to you – dental implants?

In Guildford, at Farnham Road Dental Practice, we know that our patients need a bit of time to think about the right way to replace their teeth. You need time to weigh up the pros and cons of the 2 methods. You may need to talk them over with us more than once, and that’s understandable too. This is a decision that will affect the rest of your life.

We are always happy to talk about the benefits our various treatments, and we won’t pressure you to decide on one method over the other. Let’s kick off that conversation now, with a look at what dental implants are and their benefits as replacement teeth.

Get your roots back

There is one important difference with dental implants and that is that they replace your tooth roots, not just the crowns of your teeth. Dentures, on the other hand, use suction to the gums and jawbone for their stability, so they need to fit really well.

Fusing with your jawbone

When you get dental implants put into your jawbone, they then fuse with it over the following 2-6 months. They can then withstand chewing pressures of 97kg or 200lbs, which is more pressure than the average male adult exerts when chewing. You can once again eat whatever takes your fancy, from toffee apples at the fair, to nuts and roast potatoes. Nothing is out of bounds due to lack of stability or fear of breakage.

Disappearing jawbone

Without tooth roots to stimulate cell renewal, the jawbone rapidly starts to disappear. The chin looks pointier, the face starts to collapse in on itself, and all of a sudden, you look older. Dental implants stop this happening.

Price

Although they have a high initial outlay compared to dentures, dental implants can last for decades and so end up costing about the same as dentures, which must be replaced every few years.