Dental Implants

Dental Implants Facts & Myths

Although dental implants are an increasingly popular solution to missing teeth there are still plenty of myths surrounding them. From age restrictions to the pain involved there’s a lot of ‘fake news’ out there when it comes to the dental implants process. So, what should you believe and what should you ignore?

• There is no age limit on dental implants and age isn’t one of the factors that a dentist will take into account when assessing whether dental implants are the right solution. More relevant is the condition of the mouth and jaw.
• Dental implants are a permanent and very effective solution that uses high quality materials to achieve a great result. The surgical metals that are used in dental plants are the same as other implant surgery (e.g. hips). Although you might pay a little more for implants than dentures, for example, the longevity and quality of the dental implant often makes it a more cost effective solution in the long run.
• Just one missing tooth can have a serious impact on the rest of your mouth. Gaps harbour bacteria that can affect surrounding teeth and – if left for some time – can result in bone loss. Gaps in teeth also mean that the surrounding teeth have to bear the pressure of chewing and biting, which can damage those teeth, sometimes beyond repair. So, dental implants can be just as important for a single tooth as multiple.
• Because of the design of the dental implant and the fact that it’s permanent in nature there are no sore spots to deal with.
• Dental implants can significantly improve your ability to bite and chew. Dentures might move around while eating and make it difficult or uncomfortable but dental implants behave like a normal tooth.
• Dental implants help to make speech clearer because there is no risk that an implant will slip and make words sound nonsensical or slurred. Patients with dental implants tend to be much more confident when speaking, particularly as the implant fills a gap that may previously have made speech sound odd.
• In reality, dental implants look – and feel – so real that even you might forget that you’ve had any restorative dentistry done. Dental implants are not noticeable, whether you’re the person wearing them or you’re looking at someone else’s teeth. Confusion sometimes arises where there is a noticeable metal line along the base of a tooth. Although it’s sometimes assumed that this is the implant, it’s not – implants don’t use any metal at all. Instead, this is actually the dental crown, which is made up of porcelain fused to metal.
• Once the dental implant is in place it is cared for just like any other tooth. Because they behave just like teeth they are much simpler to care for than dentures, for example, and they don’t move around in your mouth either. Even if you have implants that are supporting dentures, the implants are still the easy part – you can remove the dentures to clean them but the implants can stay in place and are cleaned alongside your other teeth.
• Over a period of decades dental implants have been developed and refined and are now viewed as the best way to replace missing teeth. Dental implants are one of the most practical solutions to problems such as tooth loss, which is why they have become so popular. From the straightforward process of getting dental implants, to the fact that it’s easy to clean them, implants are in fact the most practical solution to tooth loss.
• Healing times vary from patient to patient depending upon their systemic health but we have never come across anyone who has told us that the healing time has made them wish they didn’t have dental implants. The benefits far outweigh the healing process for everyone who has dental implants. If you’re concerned how long it takes to heal after dental implant, this could be as little as a single day. Maximum healing times are no more than six months but most patients find the process to be much faster.

Unfortunately, there are many myths surrounding this area of dentistry and the benefits are often overlooked.