Restoring missing teeth with implants

Teeth can be lost for a variety of reasons; decay, gum disease, congenitally missing or trauma.

Missing teeth spaces can allow other teeth to drift sideways on downwards into the space; this ca cause occlusal and even joint problems.

Missing teeth can also create aesthetic problems, but the biggest drawback is the inability to enjoy your food. To many people, eating is the culmination of all the senses.

So when you cannot chew your food, or enjoy a hearty meal, then you can always ask us for advice. There are many options.

Replacing these missing teeth by way of bridges fixed over existing teeth is a possibility, but this can be very destructive and reduces the life expectancy of the natural teeth. Sometimes a tooth may need subsequent root canal treatment.

Dentures can be made, but they need replacing, can become loose or even break. They are usually made of acrylic or metal acrylic with metal clasps. Nowadays we can also make flexible dentures that stretch over the teeth and do not need clasps.

By way the best way of replacing teeth is using implants. Implants can support many teeth, maintain bone levels and being fixed are a natural way of replacement.

Implants are made from Titanium alloy, are bio-inert and have been used in dentistry for over 50 years.

In the first of a series of articles we will be discussing numerous case studies.

Patient AB attended with 2 unrestored implants placed at another clinic, unfortunately the clinic had closed down. Lower Right 654 were missing.

We were using the same Nobel active implant system and we were able to help. We assessed the patient, his occlusion and his aspirations.

The patient had the implants placed 6 months ago and had lost his temporary acrylic bridge after it had fractured.

One of the implants had been placed very close to the canine tooth, which could jeopardise the nerve of the canine and also the long term integration of the implant.

We used impression posts attached to the implants and took silicone impressions.

2 weeks later a metal porcelain bridge was attached to the implants by way of integral implant screws. patient was very happy to be able to chew on both sides; now he is considering Invisalign.

Dental implants if paced with care and attention can last a lifetime.