MISSING TEETH
DENTAL IMPLANTS
Have you lost all or some of your natural teeth? Bridges, dentures and flexible dentures are not the only solution, thanks to advances in modern dentistry. Have you heard of dental implants? Implant dentistry offers a clinically proven and safe solution to getting a great smile back and being able to bite and chew with confidence.
This is how they work:
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Dental implants are small metal screws that are placed in the jaw in place of a missing tooth.
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Once established, crowns, bridges and dentures can be fixed onto the implants, creating a natural-looking and stable restoration.
Life benefits:
● When you lose your natural teeth, your jaw bone and surrounding tissues start to resorb or disappear over time. When implants are placed in the jaw, it stimulates the remaining bone to grow and mesh around the metal, along with tiny blood vessels, preventing bone loss.
● Retained bone structure prevents the face from acquiring a ‘sunken’ look.
● Implants help restore function so you can eat, chew and bite as usual.
● Implants are a natural-looking way to replace missing teeth.
CROWNS
A crown is a type of dental restoration used to fix teeth that have been broken, weakened by decay or contain a very large filling.
Here is how it works:
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An impression is taken of the tooth that needs restoring.
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A crown is made in the dental laboratory to fit the tooth precisely and match the neighbouring teeth.
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The tooth is then prepared and the crown fitted securely on top.
A crown could be a good solution for you if you have some discoloured fillings and would like to improve their appearance. Crowns can be used to replace these to give you a more appealing smile. Additionally, if you have had root canal treatment you will need a crown to protect or cap the restored tooth, allowing you to eat and bite down on it as if it was a real tooth. Crowns are also used to anchor a bridge or denture firmly in place in the mouth.
Life benefits:
● Strengthens remaining tooth structure.
● Natural-looking restoration.
● Functions like a real tooth, so you can bite and chew as usual.
DENTURES
If you have a few or all of your teeth missing, one solution is to have a denture.
Here is how it works:
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A denture is made from hard-wearing material that mimics the look of teeth and gums to give your mouth a natural appearance.
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After impressions are taken, a denture is designed in a dental laboratory.
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Dentures are made to fit snugly on your gums and you will be able to remove them for cleaning.
When you wear a denture for the first time it may take some getting used to when speaking or eating and chewing. It is important that you take extra care when conducting your hygiene regime so that you can avoid bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease. The hygienist will be able to show you how to best take care of your denture and gums and will tell you about specialised brushes you can use to do this.
Life benefits:
● A solution to replacing several missing teeth.
● Designed to give you a natural-looking smile.
BRIDGES
If you require a more extensive restoration than a crown or have more than one tooth that needs to be repaired, a good solution is a bridge.
Here is how they work:
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Bridges are usually made of a precious metal base, which gives them a solid structure and makes them hard-wearing. If you need a bridge in your smile line, porcelain is usually added to the base to make it look more like real teeth.
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A bridge helps to strengthen the prepared teeth and makes chewing and eating easier because they are fixed and can’t come out.
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Some bridges can also be fixed to your jaw with dental implants, if you have several teeth next to each other that are missing.
Once you have a bridge fitted, you will have to take extra care during your daily hygiene regime to ensure it stays plaque free and does not cause bad breath.
Life benefits:
● A sturdy way to restore several teeth in a row.
● Beautiful, natural-looking restoration.
● Restores the ability to chew and eat as before.