The American writer William Arthur Ward once said that ‘’a warm smile is the universal act of kindness’’, and not to be outdone, Mother Teresa posited that ‘’peace begins with a smile’’.
Should you be eager to bring about world peace or, at least, some cheer to passing strangers, but you have missing teeth that are making you too self-conscious to smile radiantly, then perhaps you’re considering dental implants or dentures?
Having missing teeth can make you feel self-conscious and less likely to smile, as well as causing issues with mastication and sometimes leading to infection. Increasingly, dentists are recommending implants as the solution to this.
In short, dental implantation is a procedure of filling in the gaps or spaces left by losing one or more teeth from your set. A knocked out or broken tooth cavity can trap a variety of germs and bacteria, which is why the cavity needs to be filled by a dental implant. Such a procedure is also common in terms of arresting serious tooth decay.
If this has piqued your interest and you’re keen to get your teeth into the topic further, then read on. Here, we explore what dental implants are and what their benefits are over dentures.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are basically replacement tooth roots. These are then used as the foundation for the addition of new fixed or replacement teeth. Unlike dentures, you have to undergo surgery to get dental implants, and although this means that they’re the more costly option, it also makes implants the option with greater longevity and convenience of use.
Indeed, with proper care, experts claim that the success rate of dental implants is as much as 98% of all procedures. What makes implants so effective as an alternative to dentures is that the foundations are installed deep within your jaw. As such, the foundation of the new teeth is particularly strong and solid.
Aside from that durability, where aesthetics are concerned, dental implants certainly have an advantage over dentures. Titanium is used as a manmade replacement for the original tooth’s root and is fused for security. A crown or bridge is then fitted on top to mimic the appearance of the surrounding teeth. As a result, when you smile, the tooth should blend in seamlessly with its neighbours.
Are There Different Types Of Dental Implants?
Generally speaking, there are three different types of dental implant – a single tooth implant (or a crown, which deals with just part of the tooth), an implant supported bridge, or an implant retained denture. The type used depends on the amount of teeth missing and the overall state of the patient’s gums.
Alternatively, a more recent, innovative procedure when dealing with multiple teeth are full arch fixed implant bridges, sometimes referred to as All-On-4.
What is an All-on-4? And, why is it recommended? Basically, it’s an operation where the foundations of your new teeth are placed in strategic locations around the jaw, with the technology deployed providing a better and more comfortable fit for your set of teeth.
Decisions, decisions.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
Though dental implants can last a lifetime, they do require care, particularly in the period immediately after implantation. For the first day or two after the procedure, hot food and drinks should be avoided. Smoking, of course, is also extremely unwise. For the next few weeks, it’s also advisable that patients eat only soft food or liquids, and brush incredibly gently.
But with all that considered, dental implants represent long-term (and often, lifetime) solutions to missing teeth or decay. Since the procedure involves the insertion of an artificial tooth (or teeth) into the gums via a titanium screw, which essentially serves to replace the root, the foundation of an implant is strong enough to allow you to eat and drink as normal without abrasion, disruption or damage to your teeth and gums.
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
Because of the longevity of this procedure, it can tend towards the costly, with the average price in the UK starting at around £2’500. That said, and considering dentures cost in the region of £1’000 when done privately, the durability and convenience of implants means that price tag shouldn’t put you off.
Aside from on rare occasions, the cost of dental implants isn’t covered by the NHS. Occasionally, they might be made available to patients who can’t wear dentures or whose face has been damaged through illness or an accident, and therefore, these implants are the only option.
On the other hand, dentures are generally available on the NHS, as a Band 3 treatment costing £282.80.
Benefits Of Dental Implants Over Dentures
Though dental implants may not look totally natural, they will tend to look and feel pretty close to your old set. This offers functional and aesthetic benefits on your end.
From the get-go, the major benefit of dental implants is that they make the normal functions of your mouth feel, well, normal again, particularly when compared to how it feels to eat and talk with dentures or missing teeth. Once the teeth are installed, it may well feel like you’ve never lost your teeth in the first place.
What’s more, unlike uncomfortable or troublesome dentures, dental implants are a permanent fixture that will stop the bone receding and your jaw changing shape. What’s more, you can brush them as you would your natural teeth.
One of the problems with dentures is that they tend to limit the food that you can enjoy. It’s not recommended to eat tough or chewy foods with dentures on because there’s a chance that your dentures might fall out or get damaged when doing so. With dental implants, however, you can eat toffee, dried fruit and your ma’s overcooked roast dinner, all to your heart’s content.
However, as the team at Marylebone Implant Centre (MIC) tell us, you do have to know that once your implants are installed, there will be a period when you’ll have to eat with caution. It’s going to be tough eating steaks and other chewy food during the first couple of months but once the implants set, you’ll be good to go.
Another problem with dentures is that they don’t always feel a natural fit with your teeth. Conversely, your dental practitioner will shape the implants to fit the curvature of your mouth as naturally as possible, meaning that some of the issues that denture-wearers experience with talking are mitigated.
Having dental implants also saves you from the embarrassing act of having to remove your dentures in front of people, which some find mortifying to carry out in company.
Of course, we can’t talk about the benefits of dental implants without talking about how this affects your confidence. With a new set of teeth, you may well find yourself feeling more confident. Whether during talking, eating or simply smiling, implants can help restore self-esteem which was previously affected by your missing teeth.
The Bottom Line
Though dental implants are certainly more expensive than dentures, their benefits and impact on your overall quality of life can’t be denied. If you’re keen to invest in your happiness and your confidence is being affected by missing teeth, dental implants could be the right choice for you.