Dental implants work by replacing not only the visible part of your tooth but also the root structure of your missing tooth. The implants are made of titanium, a lightweight, strong, biocompatible material, and are essentially like small screws that are placed directly into your jawbone to create an artificial root. Over time, the presence of the implants will encourage jawbone growth, which will fuse to the titanium. The process, known as osseointegration, creates a strong and permanent foundation. Your replacement teeth are then attached to the implants with an internal screw, known as an abutment. With the root holding them firmly in place, once your replacement teeth are attached, they’ll look, feel and function just like your natural teeth. There are two main types of dental implant procedures:

• Single Dental Implants – when only one or a few teeth need replacing, single-tooth implants are the perfect solution.
• Full Dental Implants – when a full upper or lower set of teeth needs to be replaced, replacement teeth can be supported on eight or more implants.

Choosing the right option for teeth replacement can make all the difference to your health and happiness. Dentures and bridges are both common options for replacing missing teeth but, while effective in their own ways, are missing one essential thing; they don’t replace the root of the missing tooth. While the surface of the problem will be solved, there can be further problems.

When you eat, your jawbone works hard to support your teeth and continually restores and regenerates. However, with dentures and bridges, this doesn’t happen and the jawbone can lose strength and density. With time, this can have a huge impact on your surrounding teeth and your facial features; your previously healthy teeth can become loose and your face can change shape and appear sunken. Ultimately, if your jawbone isn’t used and encouraged to grow, it will diminish and change shape and you’ll need further treatment to support your remaining teeth and dentures.

Dental implants are the only long-lasting, comfortable and natural-looking solution for replacing missing or damaged teeth. As well as encouraging jawbone growth and protecting your oral health, they are fixed permanently in place. While dentures can move around when you talk and eat and be uncomfortable and embarrassing, dental implants can be relied upon to stay firmly in place.

In theory, dental implants are suitable for any adult in good general health. However, there are certain circumstances that need to be carefully considered before treatment can be prescribed. Firstly, it’s important that there’s enough jawbone density to support the implant. At Dental Corner, we use digital imaging technology to ensure we get the most accurate view possible of your teeth, mouth and jawbone to ensure that treatment is suitable. We also review your oral and medical health in detail. There are some conditions, such as diabetes and gum disease, as well as lifestyle choices, such as drinking and smoking, that can increase the risk of implant failure. We work with you to ensure not only that dental implants are a suitable treatment but that they have the best possible chance of success.

The best way to ensure that dental implants are suitable is to come to Dental Corner for a full assessment with our highly-qualified implant dentist. If you don’t have enough bone density for implants, that doesn’t mean we won’t be able to help. Bone grafting can be used as a preliminary procedure to build up your jawbone and create the support your implants need. Alternatively, we are highly experienced in the innovative All on 4 dental implant technique, which avoids bone-deficient areas at the back of the mouth. By fully reviewing your medical history, oral health and lifestyle choices and fully understanding your needs and goals, we can help prescribe the best possible treatment for you.

There are lots of practices offering dental implants in Australia, which can make it difficult to decide which one is best. However, not all dental implant dentists are the same. If you’re looking for a dental implant dentist, you should always consider the following:

• The Qualifications of the Dental Implant Dentist – dentists can complete relatively short courses that enable them to offer dental implants as a treatment option. However, this doesn’t mean they’re well-qualified. Instead, it pays to look for a dentist that has taken intensive postgraduate courses and has the clinical, theoretical and practical education required to deliver high-quality treatment.
• The Experience of the Dental Implant Dentist – while many dentists offer dental implants, they might not actually perform treatment that often. By finding a dental implant dentist who performs hundreds of implants a year, you know that they have encountered a full breadth of case types. With this experience on your side, you can have confidence that your treatment plan will cover every possible eventuality.
• What Materials the Dental Implant Dentist Uses – as well as there being many different levels of service when it comes to dental implant treatment, there are many different levels of quality when it incomes to implants. You need to know that your implants are genuine and adhere to safety regulations. While low-cost alternatives might reduce the cost of your treatment in the short term, you might face complications and more costs down the line.