Replacing missing teeth with dentures has a role, but more people than ever are changing to dental implants

Technology moves at a rapid pace. Where once, we were enthused about broadband and the loss of the long winded dial up tone, now we are worrying about AI. All of this has happened in a relatively short period of time. Contrast this with advances in dentistry and things may seem to move a little slower. For example, the first dentures are thought to have been introduced around 700BC by the Etruscans in Italy, Dental braces were used by the ancient Greeks and Romans and even amalgam type fillings were used over a thousand years ago. Although these have changed in form and have been greatly modified and improved, they are still essentially the same treatment.

This doesn’t mean that things haven’t become better. The use of x-rays and scans has removed the guesswork of diagnosing a problem and modern local anaesthetics have removed the risks associated with ‘gas’ and also provide more comfort to the patient undergoing treatment.

Perhaps one of the biggest recent advances in dentistry though, is the use of Dental Implants to replace missing teeth instead of dentures.

The origin of dental implants

Although some might argue that dental Implants have also been around for a very long time, with ancient Egyptians and Mayans using bone, wood or shells to replace missing teeth, this seems to have been done largely after death as a way to make the body more attractive for its ‘next world’. Modern dental implants only go back as far as 1965, when the very first dental implant was placed into a human by Dr Per-Ingvar Brånemark, the man who discovered them.

They were only discovered by accident when an experiment that involved the placing of titanium rods into the bones of rabbits came to a conclusion. On trying to remove the expensive rods for reuse, it was found that the metal had fused securely with the bone. It was this that led to the idea that a titanium implant could replace a missing tooth root, something which no other tooth replacement method had previously achieved.

Modern dental implants

Inevitably, early dental implants were more rudimentary than those used today. As you would expect, at Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we use only high quality implants to ensure that you have a successful procedure. This is perhaps a good time to warn our patients to be very cautious if they are considering having implants abroad because they are cheaper. One of the reasons for this could be that cheaper materials are used as these may not fuse with the bone as successfully and may become loose and even fall out.

In the experienced and skilled hands of our friendly implant dentists, anyone having implants to replace missing teeth at our Canterbury dental clinic can be sure that they will receive the very best treatment possible.

Versatile implants

Many people tend to think that dental implants only replace individual missing teeth, but they are much more flexible than that. They can also replace multiple missing teeth by using implants to secure a fixed bridge. They can even replace a full arch of missing teeth very successfully, providing the patient with a level of stability that they would be unlikely to get with dentures. Talking of dentures, for those who don’t want to give theirs up but who wish they were more stable, implants can even be used to stabilise them.

Patient suitability

If you are wondering if you are suitable for implant placement, the best thing that you can do is to arrange to have an initial consultation where you will be assessed by our experienced implant dentist and you will be able to ask questions etc.

In general, most people of all ages (on maturity) are suitable. The biggest ‘issue’ is where bone loss has occurred in the jaw area to such a degree that there isn’t enough strong bone into which to place the implant. Where this is the case, you may require a prior bone graft or sinus lift before the implant placement can go ahead. Our scans will show if this is the case or not and if it is, we can discuss the options of these additional treatments or discuss alternatives if you prefer.

With a 99% success rate, providing that the correct aftercare is applied, it is probably no wonder that dental implants are becoming increasingly popular with all ages. Not only do they look great, but they offer an excellent way of having replacement teeth that feel almost the same as your own natural teeth.

If you would like to consider being a part of this ‘revolution’, why not take the first step by having a consultation with one of our Canterbury dentists? You can contact us by calling Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic today on 01227 463529.

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