Dental Implants

Depending on how well you look after them, our dental implants in Essex can last a lifetime. With that being said, it’s important you know how to take care of dental implants as they do require on going maintenance and regular visits to the dentist for a check-up, just the same as your natural teeth will do.

While dental implants do not decay, they can develop plaque which can irritate and inflame the surrounding gum tissue. You should brush your teeth twice daily and make sure the gum line and teeth are cleaned thoroughly each time to avoid infections and plaque build-up.

Dental implants can be placed in patients of any age above 18-21(with fully developed jawbones), provided that they have a sufficient quantity and quality of bone tissue available. Most healthy individuals that maintain a good oral hygiene program are suitable candidates for dental implants.

Circumstances where implants may not be suitable, or situations that have an increased risk of implant failure, include heavy smoking – this hinders the healing process, excessive alcohol intake – this disrupts healing of the gums, people who grind their teeth (bruxism) and immuno-compromised individuals (steroids, auto-immune disease, patients undergoing radiation treatment). Another case where dental implants may not be suitable is if you suffer from periodontal gum disease. All active gum disease must be treated prior to any implant procedure to ensure the long-term success of any treatment. Periodontal disease is a major cause of bone loss, which would hinder the success of any implant procedure. We will assess your oral health during your consultation.

No, the general procedure for placing implants is carried out under local anaesthetic (the same as when having a filling or extraction). Some people may choose to also be sedated during treatment. Discomfort is expected after the procedure for the next few days after the treatment is carried out.

It is possible depending on your bone structure to have immediate implants at same time as extraction. And you can have temporary teeth straightaway. Otherwise implants usually need 3-6 months healing so treatment can take upto 9 months but you will always have temporary teeth.

With our dental implants in Essex treatment, we use a combination of dental X-rays and a CT scan to assess your bone density and volume. Information about nearby anatomical structures to avoid (such as nerves) can also be gathered.

Sinus Lift – if you need to replace missing teeth at the back of the upper jaw, a sinus lift, where the sinus is lifted, can increase the height of the bone available for the placement of implants in this area. This usually takes 6 months to heal. Bone grafting may also be required.

Bone grafting – this is where a piece of bone is taken from somewhere else or artificial bone secured over an area that is deficient in bone; over time, the newly placed bone will fuse with the underlying bone creating a better environment for an implant to be placed. This usually takes 6 months to heal.

Dental implants have been used for over 30 years to replace missing teeth and they can last a lifetime depending on how well you look after them. Like any other restoration, your implant-supported teeth can still be damaged by trauma and affected by gum disease and poor oral hygiene.