Weighing up the pros and cons of dental implants

06 / 01 / 2020

Hollywood Smile with Dental Implants

No one wants to deal with the discomfort that results from losing a tooth!

If you have missing teeth, normal activities such as eating, chatting and sometimes smiling can cause you discomfort.

If you suffer from missing teeth, we recommend treating these issues sooner rather than later, to avoid unnecessary pain and long-term damage.

Dental implants explained

One popular solution for missing teeth is all-on-4 dental implants.

Implants are made from titanium, and they are fixed directly into your jaw using a screw-like feature that acts as an artificial tooth root.

At Dorset Dental Implants, we have a highly skilled and well-qualified team of dentists who can successfully carry out the dental implants procedure and leave you feeling better about your smile.

For more information please click here to email the practice to make an appointment or call 01202 973300.

We know that missing teeth can bring a number of issues:

• negative impacts on oral health
• issues impacting your bite
• issues with speech and eating
• impact on confidence levels

Dental implants are an appropriate long-term solution for anyone who has lost one or more teeth.

It is our goal and responsibility to help you restore your appearance, your chewing ability, and of course the overall health of your mouth.

Despite the benefits we have covered, as with any procedure, when you get dental implants there are a few risks involved.

Below, we have put together a list of the pros and cons of getting dental implants, so that you can be as informed as possible if dental implants are a treatment your dentist thinks you should have.

Benefits

Restore your beautiful smile:

The aesthetic factor is the most obvious benefit of having dental implants.

The procedure can help you achieve a natural, healthy-looking smile by giving you the appearance of real teeth.

An effective procedure often means you won’t be able to tell the difference between the implant and the natural teeth, appearance-wise and function wise.

ImplantsDental implants are long-term solutions for missing teeth.

Your dentist will advise you on the upkeep of your procedure (e.g. how often you should return for a check-up) but generally, you will need to replace the crowns every 10-15 years.

However, well cared for implants should last a lifetime.

Eat and chew with ease:

What makes dental implants different (in comparison to dentures and bridges) is that you can’t really feel the difference when you are eating and chewing.

When your procedure is over, you are not restricted to eating soft foods and will have the ability to eat and drink whatever you please, as long as you are still cleaning properly!

Prevent bone loss:

If you have missing teeth, you leave yourself at risk of periodontitis.

The roots of your teeth are responsible for strengthening the jaw bone, but when you lose a tooth the bone around the missing tooth may start to wear away and disintegrate.

Risks?

Nerve damage:

According to research from a recent study at King’s College London around 1% of implant procedures carried out each year result in nerve injuries.

Although this is not a high number, dentists should still take on the responsibility of informing their patients about these risks.

Nerve damage can result in pain or numbness post-surgery.

At Dorset Dental Implants we ensure to fully inform our patients of this risk, and also carry out the procedure to the highest standard in order to minimise the occurrence of these risks, utilising high-end diagnostic equipment, namely our CT scanner.

They don’t always work!:

Dental Implants Dorset Clinic Although the dental implant failure rate is low, it remains a possibility.

Some reasons why treatment may fail can include: gum disease, insufficient jawbone or other medical conditions such as diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, but it can also be caused by poor dental hygiene or smoking.

One way to limit the potential failure is for dentists to ensure they have a thorough consultation and gain a solid understanding of their patient’s dental health before treatment.

Patients should be fully informed about this risk before agreeing to treatment.

What next?

If you think dental implants could be right for you, or simply want to know more, then our highly qualified dentists would be happy to advise you!

We offer free consultation meetings where you can discuss any of your concerns and we can help work out a solution which is best for you.

Get in contact today on 01202 97 33 00.