Implants in Brentwood
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are a well-established, safe and effective way of replacing one, several or even all of your teeth if required. They can be a natural-looking, strong, long-term solution to a missing tooth or loose dentures, and can also help improve quality of life and self-confidence. Implants are suitable for people of all ages, depending on your overall health.
Your natural tooth consists of two parts; the crown, which is what you see in your mouth and the root, which is under the gum and holds the tooth in place. Dental implants are designed to replicate this natural tooth structure – the crown is made of porcelain to look like a natural tooth, and the dental implant is made of strong titanium, which acts as the root. Titanium is well tolerated by the body and once implanted in the jaw, bone grows onto the surfaces of the implant, which effectively fuses it to the surrounding bone. This creates a solid and strong base.
One advantage of implants over dentures is that while dentures may move around in your mouth, implants stay in place. This can reduce pain and discomfort. They can also protect the jawbone and prevent other teeth from moving around, as well as stopping food from getting stuck between the teeth, which can lead to gum disease. Implants can help to improve everyday functions like eating and speech.
The Process of Placing Implants
Every dental treatment at Talbot Dental starts with a consultation and examination. For dental implant treatment, we take X-rays and a 3D scan of your jaw and teeth. This helps us determine if implants are the best option to replace your teeth and helps us to plan to place the implants.
On the day of surgery, we will always numb up the area with local anaesthesia so you won’t feel any pain. If you are anxious about the procedure then please do let a member of the team know, so we can give you further advice and reassurance. We may plan sedation to help manage your anxiety and help you to feel more relaxed. At our Shenfield practice, near Brentwood, we can plan sedation to have with your implant treatment to help you feel further at ease.
During surgery, we place the dental implant into your jawbone, and then we will stitch your gum back in place. Over a few months, the implant should bond with the jaw bone and attach to the gums. During this time, we will give you advice on how to manage and clean the area.
We will customise a replacement tooth for you that fits the space in your mouth and matches the colour of your surrounding teeth. Once this crown is made, we will attach it to the implant.
Looking After Your Dental Implants
After your surgery, please ensure you continue brushing twice a day, flossing and using TePe brushes at least once a day.
Taking care of dental implants is just like taking care of your natural teeth, so your morning and evening routines can stay the same.
We thoroughly recommend you continue routine dental examinations and regular hygiene visits.