All you need to know about dental implants

All you need to know about dental implants

13 April 2017

Tooth loss always been around. Replacing missing teeth is something even early civilisations recognised the benefits of. Archeologists have recovered ancient skulls where materials such as cast iron and carved sea shells replaced missing teeth. Despite these primitive methods and materials, some of these early implants actually fused with the bone, showing how suitable the jawbone is for replacements to natural teeth.

Obviously, dental implants have come on hugely since this primitive time. Titanium dental implants have around since the 1970s. Titanium offers the benefit of being lightweight and very strong and isn’t rejected by the body. Dental implants also benefit from having the highest success rate of any implanted surgical device. That’s why we offer this clinically proven treatment at Staplehurst Dental in Kent.

The importance replacing missing teeth

Losing one or more of your teeth will start a chain of events that can have physical and cosmetic consequences. The most obvious result is a gap in your smile. Less obvious is the loss of chewing function, making you lack a healthy balanced diet. While these are serious issues, a potentially bigger problem lies hidden beneath the surface: bone loss.

Your jawbone needs the chewing action of the teeth to stimulate it and keep it strong. Otherwise it will begin to disappear. Without the support of your teeth and facial bones, your face will begin to sag. The good news is that tooth replacement with dental implants in Kent offers the solution to help prevent this bone loss.

Dental implant treatment

Dental implants in Kent may be used to replace almost any missing tooth, provided there is adequate jawbone to support it. If not, we can offer a bone graft procedure to rebuild enough jawbone to safely place an implant.

The dental implant is placed directly into the jawbone below the gum tissue. A temporary cap may be placed on the implant until the healing period is complete. A cosmetic temporary crown can also be made to fill the missing space.

In the final step of your treatment with dental implants in Kent, a custom-made crown is attached onto the implant. This restores form and function to your missing tooth, so you can enjoy a healthy smile once more.