Make a solid decision
If you lose a tooth, it is never an easy experience. Whether through an injury at work, an accident during a sports game or just sheer misfortune, there are literally countless ways in which adult teeth can be lost, and when it happens it is almost always traumatic by degrees. After the initial trauma and shock subsides however, it is important that people are aware of the various treatment options that are open to them to replace the lost tooth – rather than simply settling for the most convenient or cheapest options. Making the right decision when replacing a lost tooth is arguably more important than the loss itself, as – depending on the treatment that the patient chooses – it could potentially impact on their oral health from then onwards. This is why patients need to be aware of dental implants in Richmond, and why they are the strongest, sturdiest decision which they could make.
What are dental implants?
Commonly, when a tooth is lost, patients opt for cheaper and easier ways of filling the space, such as dental bridges and crowns. However, treatments like these act primarily on an aesthetic basis, as they sit on the gum line within the patient’s mouth, and get their strength from the surrounding teeth. This can lead to discomfort and a number of problems as time goes on however, as the existing natural teeth inside the patient’s mouth have a tendency to drift out of place over time as they attempt to fill in the missing space. Dental implants, on the other hand, negate this problem by being permanently fixed within the gap where the tooth has been lost by being surgically embedded inside the patient’s jaw and bone structure. As such, they feel exactly as a natural tooth would, and do not present the same structural problems that crowns and bridges might. Those who have lost a tooth some time ago, and have the space filled through bridges or crowns and are embarrassed by the social implications that periodically removing their teeth presents can also have the space permanently filled through dental implants, simply by speaking to a trusted local dental practice about their options.
How are they placed?
The procedure of installing dental implants involves a small surgical procedure, during which a titanium-alloy socket is embedded deep within the jawbone of the patient after a small hole has been made. This tooth root is then covered over and given time to heal. It is during this healing period that the titanium-alloy metal naturally bonds itself with the patient’s bone structure. After this has happened, the tooth root will be permanently fixed in place, and is therefore the perfect anchor-point to attach a denture to. After this denture is screwed within the socket which is embedded within the patient’s jawbone, it will never shift out of place and can be used with the same vigour and confidence as a natural tooth would be. Dental implants are commonly considered to be far more comfortable than traditional measures, so much so that patients often forget that they have a dental implant in the first place, as the sensation is almost indistinguishable from having a natural set of teeth.
