Dental Implants

Dental implants are a titanium screw that is placed where the root of a tooth used to be and a false tooth or teeth is then attached to this screw. Implants are therefore used to replace missing teeth. They can be used to replace single teeth or even all of the teeth. The dental implant fixture is usually placed by an oral surgeon and the crown then placed on top by the dentist. The crown or false tooth may be screwed onto the dental fixture or glued on and is usually porcelain or porcelain with the precious metal underneath. Dental implants (the screw underneath) are made from titanium which has been used internally in the body for decades and proven to be safe. Titanium has the curious property of being ‘osteogenic’. That means that it loves bone and the feeling is mutual so they tolerate each other perfectly. Having a dental implant placed is a surgical procedure and should be considered as such. Some pain and swelling after the procedure are normal and your surgeon will provide you with pain relief medication afterwards. It may be likened to the feeling after a tooth is extracted and shouldn’t go far beyond that depending on how many implants are placed. Your surgeon will assess your particular situation. During the placement procedure, adequate anaesthetic should ensure you feel nothing.

As mentioned previously implants may be used for one tooth or a whole arch of teeth depending on what teeth are missing and are priced accordingly. A single tooth implant could be expected to cost from start to finish in the region of 2500 euro however this would tend to be discounted heavily if multiple teeth were to be replaced. As far as we are aware most dental insurances do not cover dental implants however rarely they do and it is worth contacting your provider. In our opinion properly placed AND maintained implants are by far the best way to replace missing teeth and represent the closest to natural teeth possible. There is no doubt implants are expensive but over decades of service would be well worth it. Dental implants well looked after can be expected to last for decades. They react extraordinarily like natural teeth and if you don’t look after them they will be lost just like natural teeth. They must be cleaned really well or they will get gum disease. They will also be sensitive to drastic changes in your general health such as cancer therapy or untreated diabetes. Having said all that a well looked after dental implant will last.

Dental implants should be treated like natural teeth. They should be cleaned with a soft or an electric toothbrush along with your other teeth. Dental floss or other interdental cleaners should be used.  Above all food and plaque should not be allowed to sit around the gum collar as this can lead to a gum disease condition called peri-implantitis. Our dental hygienist will assess your home care every six months with shorter time intervals for people in higher-risk categories- for example, smokers or people who have chronic illnesses like diabetes. Often a special titanium tipped cleaner is used for cleaning dental implants as it was felt regular ultrasonics could damage the implant fixture. This is hotly debated and is being disputed at present.

When dental implants fail it is usually because of gum disease often mixed with a heavy bite. This leads to the implant fixture gradually detaching from the bone. Good home care is essential with regular trips to the hygienist. Smoking should be avoided as it is very hard on gums. In the presence of a grinding or clenching habit, a nightguard should be worn.

Missing teeth are unsightly and increase the biting load on the remaining teeth. Multiple missing teeth can reduce the face height by causing wear on the overloaded remaining teeth and allow the tongue to grow laterally. Dental implants are the best way to replace a missing tooth in our opinion. They are fixed and are not removable like a denture. They are stand-alone- that is they do not require work to be done on the adjacent natural teeth.

Also, they will last and last if treated well. They stop the bone in the area of a lost tooth from fading away thus maintaining face height avoiding the sunken cheeked look. Dental implants can also be used to stabilize a denture. So even if complete replacement of an arch is not possible due to poor bone or cost implications a smaller amount of implants can be placed and a denture constructed that will click onto the implants. This is extremely stable and will not move in the mouth yet is still removable.