What Are Dental Implants?

Everyone seems to have heard about implants for missing teeth, but what are dental implants? If you are one of the 69% of adults between the ages of 35 to 44 who have lost at least one tooth or have no teeth left in your mouth, you may want to read on. Missing any number of teeth can mean that you struggle to chew the foods you love to eat or smile without worrying that people will notice your gap. If this is the case, then a dental implant could be the answer.

Dental implants are essentially fake teeth. They’re not quite as good as nature gave you, but they’re as close as you will get. Consisting of two parts: a titanium replacement and a hand-made crown, they are among the strongest and most permanent options to replace missing teeth. The titanium replacement acts as a tooth root and sits under your gum. The crown is similar to a natural crown and goes on top, giving the tooth a natural, seamless look. Smile Stories uses high-powered photography equipment to ensure the crown exactly matches your tooth. We can make it as bright or as natural as you like.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

What’s great about dental implants is they look and feel like natural teeth, they’re long-lasting and don’t damage surrounding teeth. As long as you take good care of them, implants have the potential to last a lifetime. The titanium root replacement will last many lifetimes. They also allow easy access between teeth, which means top-notch dental hygiene if you put the work in. Yep, they’re the crème de la crème of fake teeth. Scientific research has shown implants have between a 93% and a 98% long-term survival rate.

What Are Single Tooth Dental Implants?

A single tooth dental implant is a single titanium screw with a crown. They’re ideal for filling spaces at the front or the back of the mouth, especially if the patient has lost a tooth due to trauma, gum disease or a failed crown.

A single tooth dental implant provides a stable foundation for your replacement tooth which will look, feel and function just like a natural tooth. Single tooth dental implants can replace a missing tooth while preserving the condition of the healthy teeth around it.

What Are Multiple Tooth Dental Implants?

This is when several titanium implants are placed, which can support a few to a full mouth of teeth. Not only do multiple tooth dental implants look and function like natural teeth, but they can replace teeth without the support from adjacent natural teeth. The majority of treatments replace multiple missing teeth, such as removable dentures or fixed bridges that require support from natural teeth.

What Are the Alternatives to Dental Implants?

You may be aware of some alternatives, such as traditional dentures, but they’re not attached to the jaw like natural teeth are. This means they can be disturbed easily and don’t always suit the shape of your mouth or gums. They can slip out of place when you bite into hard foods, which means you may have to avoid certain things, and your speech can also be affected. Not what you want, right?!

Dental bridges are also an option to replace teeth, but these need to hang off an adjacent tooth which adds these teeth into a lifetime of extra maintenance too.

Dental Implants Are so Much More Than Just a Titanium Screw and a Crown

Dental implants are embedded in your jawbone, which means the bone around them ossifies (a fancy way to say becomes rigid or fixed in position), keeping them in place. This process usually takes two to four months once the implant is placed. Once the implant is part of your body, we add the dental crown on top. This allows you to eat your favourite foods without worrying and without pain or discomfort. No one will be able to tell that you have them so you can smile with confidence. They can be truly life-changing.

Want to Know if Dental Implants Are Right for You?

So there you have it. We hope that we have been able to answer your question “What are dental implants?” and shine a bit of light on the whole treatment. If you want to replace a missing tooth, you’ve come to the right place. Here at Smile Stories, our team of cosmetic dentists has years of experience performing successful implant surgeries and transforming smiles. Start your smile journey today!

At Smile Stories, we help you find the right cosmetic dental treatment. Book your free video consultation and find out more about how our dental implant procedure can help give you lifetime smile confidence.