Made from a biocompatible metal (more specifically, titanium), dental implants are designed to be accepted by your body. This tooth root replacement will, over a period of 2 to 3 months, fuse with your jawbone to anchor a false tooth.
The aim of this treatment is to provide a healthy, long-term tooth replacement option that will take care of your jaw, gums and remaining teeth. While also replacing a missing tooth.
How are dental implants safe?
The dental implant procedure has been carried out for over 50 years, and through the decades, the process has been refined through research as well as trial and error.
With the technology available, dental implant surgery has a very low failure rate. This low failure is helped kept low by the initial assessment you receive.
Are you right for implant-supported treatment?
Implant-supported tooth replacement options work. They have long-term health and aesthetic benefits that can make the whole treatment process worthwhile.
But first, are you a suitable candidate for the treatment?
Do you have adequate jawbone density?
Are you in good general health?
Are you a non-smoker?
These are just a few of the considerations taken into account when assessing your eligibility for dental implants.
Now, before we continue, it’s important to keep in mind dental implant-supported treatments are not the only way to replace missing teeth.
If you are not a suitable candidate then you may be eligible for a dental bridge or denture.
The safety of dental implants
As previously mentioned, the biocompatible material is designed to integrate seamlessly with your jawbone. And as long as your body doesn’t reject the implant, the success rate is quite high.
Your oral health also plays a role. One of the most common reasons dental implants failure is because of peri-implantitis. This is the dental implant version of gum disease. The disease causes the gums and bone to pull away from the implant, causing it to fall out.
The quality of the surgeon placing the implants plays a role
Like any surgical procedure, there are risks of which Professor Ironside will explain in your consultation. However, Professor Ironside does not place the implant himself, but rather refers to you to a trusted oral surgeon who is qualified for exactly this type of procedure.
If you’d like to know more, or request a consultation with Professor Ironside, please contact us.
Your jawbone health and dental implants
Replacing a missing tooth root with a dental implant helps the jaw healthy. It does by stimulating the jaw like a natural tooth root does. When you chew, the bite pressure helps stimulate the jawbone. This stops the jawbone atrophy.
When you don’t replace a missing tooth, there is nothing there to stop the jawbone atrophying. Which can lead to a sunken hollow appearance in the cheeks as well as further tooth loss.
Are dental implants safe?
Dental implants have a very high success rate. Some of the literature puts the success rate of the treatment around 98%.
But the obvious caveat to that is: it depends on the type of implant, the quality of the oral surgeon as well as your oral and general health.
When visiting Professor Ironside, a qualified prosthodontist, you will only receive the best quality dental materials for all your dental needs.
If you would like to know more about how safe dental implants are, or to request a consultation, please contact us today.