Teeth play a very important part in peoples' lives, not only
are they necessary for eating, unless you are happy living on mushy food, they
help to give the face structure. Teeth also help with communication, whether it
is verbal communication or the facial expressions involved in communication
emotions, such as happiness and anger.
In the same way that individuals are different, so are
teeth, some will be whiter than others, some will be softer than others and
more prone to decay and other dental problems. And obviously teeth can be
damaged accidentally, during the activities we undertake and be broken or even
knocked out completely. The condition of a person`s teeth is exposed for all to
see when they smile which can be distressing for the individual, particularly
as so much emphasis is placed on perfection these days.
In days gone by, the only option available to replace
damaged and missing teeth was the dental plate, which was sometime ill fitting
so caused discomfort or became loose in time with gum shrinkage making them
prone to sliding out of place at inopportune times. Today, however, there has
been much progress and it is possible for a dentist to implant single teeth in
the space left by removed or lost teeth.
These implants consist of a titanium rod that is screwed
into the jaw bone which over time becomes fused to the bone. The denture is
then attached to the top of the rod either by clipping or screwing it in place.
The procedure is usually carried out under local anesthetic but it is possible
for it to be done under general anesthetic if you are not able to tolerate
local anesthetic or you are anxious about the procedure, this can be discussed
beforehand.
During the discussion with the dentist, a choice will be
made, depending on your general health and other factors whether or not to have
an immediate or delayed implant. An immediate implant is where a tooth is
implanted into the empty socket right after the damaged tooth has been removed.
If this is not possible as the tooth was removed or lost previously and the jaw
has healed a delayed implant will be carried out. This is carried out as two
separate procedures, the first is when a hole is made in the jaw for the
implant rod to be inserted, which is allowed to heal before the second
procedure when the tooth is attached to the implant rod. Immediate implants can
also be carried out in two stages if required.
Once the procedures have been carried out and everything has
healed, the implanted tooth will behave in the same way as all your other
teeth, as long as they are looked after and checked regularly. Tooth implants
are generally very successful but, as with all things, side effects and
complications can occur in a small number of cases. So if you are considering tooth
implants to rectify a current problem, be sure to discuss it with
your dentist. Be aware that tooth implants are quite a bit more expensive than
normal false teeth, but they will give you confidence and the perfect smile.
