Things to consider about dental implants

Dental implants are a great way of replacing missing teeth – in fact we believe the best way. The alternatives are nowhere near as good and if everyone really knew the full benefits, everyone would be getting implants. We have been replacing people’s missing teeth with implants in Croydon for over 20 years, so we know a thing or two about them.

Looking after dental implants

Dental implants have a high success rate and generally last a long time. We would expect implants to last 15 years plus, however they can fail and there can be issues.

The worst issue is the implant failing. Now, although this is uncommon (there is less than a 3% chance over a 15-year period) it can happen and these are the things you can do to improve your chances of implants surviving in the long run:

1. Practice good oral hygiene at home

Keeping implants clean is a must. If you’re not cleaning them properly, they can fail. This means using interdental brushes to clean in between them, normal brushing two times a day, and using water piks. The better you clean implants, the longer they will last.

2. Professional cleaning every three to six months

Studies show that it takes around three months for plaque to mature into harmful biofilms that can destroy the gums around implants. This is the same bacteria that can cause your teeth to fail. Professional cleaning will remove this harmful bacterium before it gets to the bad stage. Even when you are cleaning thoroughly on a daily basis, we would still recommend seeing our hygienist. Bacteria are so resilient that they will find a way to stick to crowns, bridges and implants, and having a simple hygiene visit will stop this from happening.

3. Make sure your blood sugar levels are well controlled

If you have uncontrolled diabetes, it leads to poor healing and can result in you having a high susceptibility to gum disease. If you have diabetes and it’s well controlled, then you are classed are normal and this will have no effect on your gums and implants.

If you are unsure, it’s always best to get checked at your GP.

4. Refrain from smoking

Studies show that smoking reduces the survival of implants – it goes from 97% to 85%. It’s not just the fact you smoke. The more you smoke, the higher the chance of you getting complications, so even if you don’t quit, try and cut down. If you’re about to have implant surgery, the sooner you quit, the better.

To summarise, implants are very long lasting, especially compared to other treatments, however they do need replacing every now and again if you get complications.

Are dental implants better than real teeth?

Although dental implants are the best replacement for teeth they are not as good as a natural healthy tooth. If you look after your own teeth really well, they should last a lifetime. With implants, we would be happy with 30 years. Anything manmade will have a finite lifespan, so if we can save your teeth, this is always preferred.

How much are dental implants? Why do they cost so much?

Dental implants start from £1800 and there is a lot of work that goes behind them. If you are comparing different clinics there is a lot to consider.

Firstly, you need to ensure the clinic is a good one. Read their reviews to ensure they have happy patients. Secondly, you’re making a big investment in your health and wellbeing, so you will want to ensure you are getting treated by the best. Our specialist has undergone intense training and is recognised as being the best in his field. Read more about Dr Mish here.

Secondly, you want to ensure you’re getting the best implants and if you choose cheaper dentists, they will most likely be using cheaper products. We use a German company called Ankylos and it’s generally regarded as one of the world’s leading implant companies. As we place so many, we are able to offer these fantastic implants and still retain our competitive prices.

Thirdly, when it comes to restoring the implant with a crown, the dentist has a choice of which material to use. Newer, better materials offer the best outcomes in terms of cosmetics and durability, and we never skimp on these. Our go-to material nowadays is Zirconia which is about five times stronger than traditional ceramic crowns, and it’s completely metal free, so you get much better aesthetics. What’s more, there is a variety of laboratories to choose from and if your dentist sends the work off to a cheap lab, the outcome is often poor. Our laboratory technician is Mark Patterson and he is regarded as the best.

If you would like to discuss dental implants further, call 020 3925 3846, email team@gentledentalcaregroup.co.uk or fill in our form and we will get back to you ASAP.