Dental implants in Grantham after tooth loss
Periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease, is the foremost cause of tooth loss in adults worldwide. It targets soft tissue that surrounds the teeth causing the gum to become infected and leading to loose teeth or, in its most advanced stages, tooth loss. Another common cause of tooth loss that is prevalent amongst children is tooth decay, which is due to the excessive consumption of sugary foods and drinks and inadequate oral hygiene. Tooth loss is an unsightly issue and can harm your self-esteem while also making biting and chewing difficult and painful. Luckily, here at Dental Health Centre, our dentists can offer a permanent solution to missing teeth by providing you with a long-term and more permanent alternative to traditional removable dentures and crowns, known as dental implants in Grantham.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants in Grantham are medical-grade titanium posts that are commonly used to anchor dentures or crowns to the jawbone so that they may function like natural teeth. Dental implants can be surgically fixed into your jawbone while you have a local anaesthetic applied to the treatment area, making them permanent if they are looked after well after the treatment is complete.
What are the benefits of dental implants?
Getting dental implants in Grantham comes with many benefits, and this is supported by its increase in popularity and the number of people who are opting for them over traditional dentures or crowns. Unlike traditional dentures, bridges and crowns that are removable, dental implants can be permanently fitted into your jawbone to perform similarly to a tooth root. The jawbone naturally fuses with the implant, allowing it to function as part of it. A false tooth or crown is then fixed onto the implant, matching the shade, size and shape of your remaining teeth and giving your full set of teeth a more natural and cohesive look with no unsightly gaps.
Dental implants will also continue to stimulate the jawbone through regular movement carried out when chewing or biting, thereby preventing bone loss.
The procedure
If you choose to undergo treatment with dental implants, you must first consult our dentist to assess the condition of your mouth and run through a medical history check to ensure you do not have any medical conditions that may affect the healing process. Our dentist will then take 3D scans of your mouth to determine whether you have sufficient bone density for the implant to fuse properly. If you have already experienced bone loss, we may need to use a bone graft before we insert your implants. When fitting in an implant, our dentist will numb the area using local anaesthesia and cut through your gum to drill a hole into your jawbone for the implant to be fitted into. Once the implant is fitted in, the dentist will stitch your gum up and stop any bleeding that occurs by applying pressure on the incision site. We will most likely prescribe you a course of antibiotics to prevent the development of any infections post-treatment and advise you to buy over-the-counter painkillers to ease any discomfort you may experience.