There can be several reasons you may suffer from tooth loss at some point in your life, and missing teeth can have several negative effects. Not only can tooth loss impede your oral health, but it can also seriously affect your quality of life, reducing your ability to eat, speak and smile with confidence. Thankfully, there’s an excellent solution – dental implants. And thanks to modern dentistry, going through getting them has never been more straightforward.
At The Village Dentist, your local Castle Hill dental practice, we’ve revolutionised the smiles of countless patients with implant dentistry. In this article, we provide a comprehensive guide to this restorative dental procedure, covering everything you need to know when considering this tooth replacement option.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are a safe and permanent option for replacing missing teeth. This versatile dental treatment can be effective in replacing one tooth or multiple teeth. A dental implant is a small titanium screw that your dentist surgically inserts into your jawbone, which then has a prosthetic tooth attached to it. The screw fuses with your surrounding jawbone, providing a stable and long-lasting anchor for the artificial tooth. The prosthetic tooth, similar to a dental crown, looks and functions just like a natural tooth!
Though the process for getting dental implants can be more extensive than getting a crown, a dental bridge or even dentures, it’s well worth the time, providing a solution that allows you to eat, speak and smile just like you used to. And if you take good care of them, they can offer you many, many years of service.
Dental implant benefits
It’s no surprise that dental implants are surging in popularity, as they present an array of benefits, including:
- Enhanced oral health: As dental implants don't anchor to adjacent teeth and rather standalone, your surrounding teeth don't require any preparation and can maintain their natural structure. A dental implant also fills the gap left by a missing tooth, which reduces bacteria accumulation and, therefore, gum disease and tooth decay.
- Improved speech: When you experience tooth loss, you may slur because of the impact missing teeth can have on your facial muscles. Once dental implants are in place, your facial muscles can restore, gradually improving your speech.
- Exceptional comfort: Unlike dentures that can shift in your mouth, dental implants are secured structures. With time, they fuse into your jaw bone and, essentially, become part of your mouth, providing you with complete comfort.
- Superior convenience: Dental implants are not much different to your natural teeth. They stay in your mouth all the time and don't require any 'out of the ordinary' maintenance aside from a good dental hygiene routine - exactly how you would look after your natural teeth.
- Boosted self-esteem: Dental implants restore not only function, allowing you to speak and chew with confidence, but also the appearance of your smile. When you're confident with the way your smile looks, you can laugh and smile (as you should) at every opportunity!
- Dietary advantages: Some tooth replacement options, for example, dentures that move in your mouth, require alterations to your diet. Dental implants, which are fixed securely in place, allow you to eat your favourite foods with no issues.
- Long service life: Unlike many tooth replacement options which may require ongoing maintenance or periodic replacement, dental implants can stand the test of time. Dental implants, specifically the ones we use at The Village Dentist, are exceptionally durable, and with the right care, can last you a lifetime.
The dental implant procedure
Getting dental implants can be a more lengthy process than getting a dental crown, bridge or dentures, for example. However, we’re yet to come across a patient who doesn’t think the extremely rewarding results outweigh the time spent achieving them. The dental implant process typically requires multiple appointments which take place over several months. Here’s what you can generally expect:
1. Consultation
The first part of the process is ensuring you’re a suitable candidate for the procedure. To do this, you’ll have an in-depth consultation with your dentist. During your consultation, they’ll conduct a thorough oral examination, explain exactly what’s involved in getting dental implants, provide you with a quote, and answer any questions you may have.
2. Planning
Once you’ve had your initial consultation, the exciting planning process can begin! The planning process involves x-rays and 3D scans to determine where best to place your implants. It also involves considering aesthetic factors, for example, the colour and shape of the prosthetic teeth that’ll eventually attach to your implants.
3. Inserting
The next step of the implant dentistry process is inserting your implants. This part of the process involves a small surgical procedure, during which your dentist places your implants into your jaw bone. Once inserted, a few months of recovery are required to allow for the fusion of your implants to the bone surrounding them. During your recovery time, the personalised prosthetics that’ll be attached to your implants are designed and manufactured in a dental laboratory.
4. Attaching
When your implants have healed and are fully stable, the next step of the process involves attaching your prosthetic teeth to them. Upon attaching them, you and your dentist may notice some final adjustments that may be required. Once the final adjustments are complete, your improved-looking and functioning smile is good to go!
5. Aftercare
After your dental implant procedure, your dentist will provide you with specific instructions on how to take care of them in the short and long term. Mostly, it involves nothing outside of a standard effective dental hygiene regime. This usually includes twice daily brushing, daily flossing, using an antibacterial mouthwash and visiting your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleans.
FAQs about dental implants
Below, you can find the answers to some questions we commonly get asked at our Castle Hill dental practice about dental implant treatment:
How much do dental implants cost?
There’s no fixed price for dental implant treatment as patients have unique needs with varying requirements. The price can depend on many factors, for example, how many implants you require, whether additional dental work is required to prepare your mouth for implants (for example, bone grafting), and the type of implants you receive. To get an accurate understanding of the costs involved with dental implants, it’s an excellent idea to book a consultation.
Can anyone get dental implants?
Adults with one or more missing teeth who have excellent oral health and good overall jaw bone density are usually great candidates for dental implants. If you have missing teeth but don’t have good oral health or good bone density in your jaw, don’t worry. A good dentist will work closely with you to get you to the point required to be a suitable candidate for the procedure.
Does getting dental implants hurt?
Before your dentist inserts your dental implants, the area is completely numbed. Because of this, the only thing you may feel during the insertion process is slight pressure. As for the recovery process, you might experience some slight discomfort for the first 48 hours after the procedure, but nothing that’s not manageable with some over-the-counter painkillers. Getting dental implants is, in general, not a painful process, with most patients reporting little to no discomfort.
Swiss-made dental implants in Castle Hill
If you’re looking for reputable dental implants in Castle Hill, you simply can’t go wrong at the Village Dentist. And we’re not just saying that! We’re lucky to have Dr Oliver Cvekus on our team who performs dental implant procedures for our patients. He’s equipped with unparalleled knowledge and experience in the field, allowing him to ensure your comfort, minimal recovery time and optimal results. Aside from that, we supply and recommend Swiss-made dental implants, called Straumann dental implants, that offer unbeatable quality.
Starting your dental implant journey and taking the first step to smiling, speaking and eating with confidence again is just a click away. Contact us today to see how we can help you.
