In the past, people used to dread losing their teeth because they knew that the replacements would never be as good as the real thing. Dentures may start off fitting well, but everyone knows that over time they will become loose and start to slide back and forth over the gums. Fixed bridgework offers more stability but at the expense of losing 2 perfectly good teeth to become buttresses for the bridge.
Thankfully, all that has changed now and for most people, dental implants from us at Crofts Dental Practice in Essex have become their first choice for replacing teeth.
Anyone who had already had dental implants fitted will be able to tell you that the longish treatment journey is worth it. Once their dental implants are in, and have fused with their jawbone and the handmade porcelain crowns have been screwed into place, no one will ever know that these replacement teeth are not their own. They are never going to start wobbling around, and they don’t need to compromise any adjacent teeth to get fitted.
Dental implants are the only way to replace the whole tooth, root as well as crown, and teeth need their roots if they are going to function properly.
The treatment journey takes a bit of time because we have to allow 2-6 months for the titanium posts to fuse with the jawbone in a process known as osseointegration. During this time, you have to be pretty careful about what you eat. You will start off, for a week or so, on a liquid diet, and then move onto a soft food diet. You need to wait until your implants have fully integrated with your jawbone and your new crowns are on before you go for it with the super crunchy, chewy foods such as roast potatoes and rump steaks.
As for maintenance, it is so much less hassle than dentures. You are aiming to keep gum disease at bay. All you need to do is brush your teeth carefully for 2 minutes twice a day, plus floss daily. Back this routine up with regular deep cleans with the hygienist and you are set.