Getting back into the habit of regular oral health care.
It is not unusual to see some patients who visit our Derby dental implant centre and looking to have implants placed to replace missing teeth, who have neglected brushing some areas of their teeth for some time.
Where a tooth, or a number of teeth have been lost, their logic may be that, because there are no teeth in that part of the mouth, then why brush there? Of course, there is the argument that gum disease may still occur, but, to those who are less aware of this, it may seems logical not to brush where teeth simply don’t exist.
Habits
As we know, any long held habits can be hard to break, but once a patient has had dental implants placed, it is essential that this particular habit is changed. Whilst the dental implants themselves are highly durable and will not suffer from a lack of cleaning, the gum and bone in the area of the implant certainly can.
If brushing is neglected, gum disease can occur and the bone that the implant has been placed into, can deteriorate and threaten the survival of the implant itself.
How to clean
How dental implants can be useful for younger people too.
We perhaps tend to think of those who have lost their teeth as being of the older generation. Time, as we know, can take its toll on our health and our teeth are no exception.
With adequate care, we can certainly retain our natural teeth for much longer these days, however, it is still likely that some teeth will be lost as we approach old age. To counter this, many older patients of the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre have certainly benefited from the placing of dental implants to replace their missing teeth.
Younger patients
What about younger patients though? Are dental implants useful for them too?
In a word, yes. Although less likely to lose teeth through wear and tear, younger people can, and do, still suffer from tooth loss.
Whether this is through neglect, accidents or the side effect of a medical condition, the loss of a tooth, or teeth, in a younger person can have a devastating effect on their confidence and self esteem, at an important time in their life.
Once a young adult has reached maturity and their facial features are developed, there is no reason why a young person should not benefit from having a dental implant placed.
Dentures
Implant, bridge or denture?
We would all like our teeth to look great and without any fillings well into our old age.
With a good oral health regimen and regular visits to have your teeth checked by our local Derby implant dentist, the chances of this are increased significantly.
However, the reality is that most of us will have some dental decay during our lifetime, and, whilst this very often starts out as a minor issue, it often becomes more significant, particularly if not treated quickly.
Once a tooth has a filling, it can never be quite as strong as a healthy natural tooth, however good the dentist is. There is always a small risk that decay can return causing the tooth to weaken progressively.
First steps
Cleanliness during and after the implant procedure.
With any medical procedure, cleanliness and hygiene are very important. Any slippage in this area can lead to infections and complications. This applies to dental implants as well, and, at our surgery in Derby, we endeavour to ensure the highest levels of hygiene possible.
In fact, when we opened our local practice, we took the time to look at all of the needs of the implant patient.
Not only do we now have a modern implant treatment room but also a separate room for scans and, perhaps more importantly, a separate room where our dedicated team can ‘scrub’ up to ensure full cleanliness, thereby greatly minimising any possible risk of infections.
Bacteria
This level of cleanliness is important and is the reason why all masks and gloves that are worn at our practice are used once only and then safely disposed of. All equipment too is fully sterilised.
By maintaining this high level of cleanliness, the risk of bacterial infection is minimised, thereby giving your new dental implant the best chance of success.
The fact is that whilst the implant procedure is highly successful, especially when performed by highly trained dentists such as Darren Bywater, any infection could threaten the survival of the implant.
Post implant care
A successful implant is about more than just the procedure alone.
Placing a dental implant is a highly skilled process and one that requires a number of years of extra training for any dentist who wishes to perform them in their dental practice.
This additional training is essential as, though to the layman, creating a hole in the jawbone and putting a screw like object in it may seem straightforward, the procedure is much more sophisticated than that.
In fact, ensuring that everything is set up correctly before the procedure commences plays a large part in the success rate of dental implants.
Oral health
One important factor that we check for at the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre, is for any indication of gum disease. This applies especially in the area where the implant will be placed.
As gum disease can threaten the bone into which the implant will be placed, it is essential that this is treated and eliminated before the implant can take place.
The patient will also be required to refrain from drinking alcohol or smoking for a period of time prior to the procedure (and following it). This will help to improve the patient’s oral health and also reduce the risk of any infections which may threaten the procedure.
X-rays and scans
A look at dental bridges and how an implant may offer a more sustainable alternative.
A dental bridge is so called because it ‘bridges’ the gap between teeth and, in place of the gap, inserts a false tooth which is held in place by being attached to the teeth on either side of the gap via dental crowns.
This is all well and good, and certainly provides an aesthetically pleasing tooth replacement which is more stable than a partial denture, but are there even ‘better’ options available?
Healthy teeth
Lowering the risk of gum disease to maintain implant health.
Once a crown has been attached to a dental implant, there can be a tendency to think that this is the end of the matter.
Whilst it is certainly true that having a dental implant is one of the most maintenance free ways of replacing a lost tooth, the reality is that, like with all teeth, a reasonable amount of care is needed.
This does not mean, unlike with dentures for example, that any special treatment is needed for the dental implant, but that the patient should give additional focus to maintaining a high quality oral health care regimen.
Early warnings
Looking after your newly placed dental implant.
Having a dental implant placed is an invasive procedure. Although we do everything we can to minimise discomfort, we have to accept that having an implant placed into the jawbone is going to cause some tenderness and soreness once the anaesthetic has worn off.
Whilst any discomfort should ease soon afterwards and is usually easily managed with over the counter painkillers, there is some simple advice which will make recovery easier in the days following your treatment.
Time off
If possible, it is worth taking a few days from work to give you time to relax and allow any discomfort to subside. Whilst we know that many people have busy lives, if you can take a few days break, this should help.
If this is not possible, do try at least to take it easy and allow yourself some recovery time in the best way that you can, given your own circumstances.
Eating
Reducing the risk of implant failure.
Dental implants typically have a very high success rate indeed. In the vast majority of people, they will be placed successfully, filling any gaps between the teeth that may have previously existed.
The fact is though, that dental implants can, very occasionally fail. This is rare and almost always has a specific reason associated with the failure, many of which can be avoided.
Most failures are associated with the osseointegration period (when the jaw bonds to the titanium implant) and we will take a look at some of the more common factors below.
Bone Loss
Bone loss is most common in older people, those who smoke and those with certain illnesses.
If a dental implant is placed where there is insufficient bone, even though it may bond with the implant, it is likely to become unstable and fail.
Patients of the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre though, should have no concerns about this. We always scan and x-ray the jaw prior to the procedure and will not place implants unless we are happy that there is sufficient bone available for the procedure to proceed.
In cases, where there is an insufficient amount, a bone graft may be used to build the bone up before we commence.
Infections and smoking
Cosmetic dental procedures – more than simply a smile improvement.
Many of our Derby dental patients are attracted to cosmetic dentistry with the intention of improving the way that they look.
However, whilst an aesthetically pleasing smile is certainly desirable, some procedures also work to improve the patient’s oral function and can offer benefits that are more than simply visual.
Aesthetic procedures
Some procedures may be thought of as almost completely aesthetic, but, as well as improving appearance we should also remember that there are additional benefits too, such as improved self-confidence.
The following are two of the most common types of procedure that fall into this category.
Teeth whitening
