Dental Implants

Throughout life a variety of situations can leave you with missing teeth, an accident or a fall can leave a gap in your smile. Poor oral health can obviously also result in tooth loss and become very stressful. But facing a tooth gap bravely is now unnecessary. Here at Ocean Dental we have a contemporary solution: original Dental Implants or Teeth Implants by DENTSPLY Friadent – highly developed, used all over the world, tried and tested a million times over.

An accident or a fall can leave a gap in your smile at any stage of life. Caries and periodontal disease can cost you whole rows of teeth over the years. This can result in a stressful situation but facing a tooth gap bravely is now unnecessary. Here at Ocean Dental we have a contemporary solution: original Dental Implants by DENTSPLY Friadent – highly developed, used all over the world, tried and tested a million times over.

What are dental implants?

A dental implant is a metal post (usually titanium) that are surgically placed beneath your gums to act as artificial roots once they have integrated with the surrounding bone become part of the jaw.

The most widely accepted and successful implant today is the osseointegrated implant, based on the discovery by Swedish Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark that titanium can be successfully fused into bone when osteoblasts grow on and into the rough surface of the implanted titanium.

How is a dental implant placed?

Before any implants are placed, it is important for our implant dentist to undertakes an assessment of the health of your teeth and gums. No dental implant treatment can commence until any signs of gum disease or decay are treated. Thereafter, your treatment will be planned and discussed with you. Initially there will be several x-rays and, in some cases, a CT scan to assess that bone quality and check for nearby anatomical structures to avoid before any drilling. The procedure is usually carried out under local anaesthesia; IV sedation can be offered if it is a long procedure or the patient is very anxious.

Each implant is placed into the socket of the missing tooth and is carefully drilled at the precise location. If an implant has a screw-thread on its outer surface it can be screwed into position otherwise it is usually tapped into place. The main aim during installation of any implant is to achieve close contact with the surrounding bone. This creates initial stability, which over time is steadily enhanced by further growth of bone forming a structural and functional connection between the living bone and the implant. Once the dental implant is placed it must then be restored to replace the missing tooth. The dental implants normally have some form of internal screw thread or post space that allows a variety of components to be fitted. Once fitted, these components provide the foundation for long-term support of crowns, bridges or dentures.

What are the advantages of dental implants?

Implant teeth are virtually identical to your second set and they have a completely natural mouth feel. There are many benefits of dental implants compared with the alternatives of a denture or a bridge. Dentures can have a number of problems or begin to flap and bridges require damaging neighboring teeth.

• Reduced bone loss
If you loose a tooth, you will be left with a hole where your tooth root used to be and the bone around this area will slowly begin to disappear and this can change the shape of your jaw. However, a dental implant placed in that area can actually stimulate bone growth and production, preventing loss of valuable bone structure. In some patients where bone loss is significant, a bone graft may be required to increase the level of bone. Bone loss can be a problem for people who have dentures, and as the shape of the jaw slowly changes, the dentures need to be adjusted or re-made to fit the new shape of the jaw. The area around the mouth where bone is lost can sag make a person look older.

• Improved function of eating and speaking
Once dental implants are fully integrated into your jaw, they function just as well as your own natural teeth you can eat the foods you want and speak with complete confidence. With dentures, eating hard foods such as nuts or an apple can be a problem: either the dentures come loose or patients find the hard biting forces causing pain to their gums. Irritation and inflammation of the gums is a common problem amongst denture patients.

• Improved dental hygiene
Bridges and dentures require special cleaning instructions and extra attention, however dental implants just need regular brushing, flossing and dental hygiene appointments, just like your natural teeth. Further details of cleaning dental implants can be found below.

• No need to drill or remove any healthy tooth structure
When replacing missing teeth with dental bridges, the teeth adjacent to the gap need to be prepared with the removal of healthy tooth structure to accommodate a crown or bridge abutment to fit over the top of the tooth. In the future, if one of the supporting teeth is damaged, the entire bridge restoration will also be compromised. With a dental implant, the restoration is independent of any of your other teeth. By replacing lost teeth with an implant, no support is required of the adjacent teeth and maintains them healthy, and without the need for preparation or alteration.

• Better aesthetics
Dental implants should be indistinguishable from your surrounding natural teeth whereas dentures can come loose and look unnatural if they do not blend with your gums. Some bridges and dentures have unsightly metal clasps to hold them in place. Dental implants provide a much better cosmetic look giving you the confidence to always smile!

Do dental implants hurt?

Placing dental implants requires a small operation, and since local anesthetic or sedation is applied patients feel no pain at the time, but some discomfort can occur during the week following the surgery. You will be provided with some pain relief for any discomfort or swelling.

Are dental implants safe and how long will they last?

Implants are a well-established, tried-and-tested treatment as with anything there is risks attached and may vary to each individual’s level of oral health. Our implant dentist will discuss these with you as part of the treatment planning process.

Depending upon how you maintain the oral health of your teeth, including your implant teeth most modern dental implants will last for at least 15 years.

Who will undertake the dental implant Treatment?

Not all dentists can undertake dental implant treatment. An implant dentist will have appropriate experience and skill to ensure any risks are minimized.

What is the cost of dental implants?

The price of dental implants depends upon a number of factors including the type/quality/brand of implant used and the number of implants required. At Ocean Dental we provide a number of different dental implant prices which are comparable to European alternatives and other implant dental clinics in the UK to allow patients a choice.
Our dental implant costs may not always be the cheapest but are definitely affordable to ensure that we do not compromise on the service we provide. Although, in some cases our dental implant costs will be 50% less than other UK dental clinics. Consequently we have patients who travel from far and wide to save money on their dental implant treatment costs.

A single tooth implant costs only XXX which is inclusive of dental implant, permanent abutment and full metal ceramic crown. In many situations, the cost of a single tooth implant is only a fraction more than the conventional treatment of crowns and bridges.

Why choose Ocean Dental for your dental implants?

At Ocean Dental we have significant experience of placing dental implants. We ensure that we provide a high class service to ensure all your questions are answered before, during and after treatment. Our testimonials are a reflection of our high standard of care.

We use Dentsply Friadent implants, which offers a secure solution for every age and for every situation. Permanent, bite-resistant that provides security and a quality of life, allowing you to enjoy your food once again.

Come and visit our team at Ocean Dental practice in Manchester for a free no obligation consultation. We will be happy to answer any of your questions and will provide a complete dental treatment plan for you to consider.

Ocean Dental, 169 Mauldeth Road, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6SG
T: 0161 224 7135 E: implants@odental.co.uk