Blog

Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Implants

There is little doubt that dental implants can be a terrific choice, but many people don’t really know much about them. We encourage all our patients at Leeds City Dentalcare to ask as many questions as they want, but it can sometimes be difficult to remember everything, especially when you are in the dental chair! We have put together a few of the most popular questions and these include:

• What are dental implants? A dental implant is essentially an artificial tooth root. Dental implants are a way of replacing a single tooth, or multiple teeth, and consist of three separate parts. Each implant has a post that is inserted into the jaw. This is attached to an abutment which sticks up above the gum line, just like a little stubby tooth. The abutment can be used to support a variety of different restorations, including a single crown, a bridge, or a denture.
• How long will a dental implant last? A dental implant should last for many years, or even a lifetime. However it does require care as it needs to be thoroughly cleaned each day, and you will need to see Dr David Brown at regular intervals for a check-up and professional cleaning.
• Is it painful to have an implant? We will make sure you receive plenty of anaesthetic during the surgical procedure to insert the post. Afterwards you may feel a bit sore, but this is usually easily managed with over-the-counter painkillers. If you have quite a few implants then you may experience a little more discomfort, but this is something we can discuss with you at the time as we will make sure it is managed.
• Can anyone have a dental implant? Most people will be suitable for implants, provided they are in good general health and do not have any unresolved dental problems. It is also important not to smoke, or to at least quit while preparing for implant surgery and during the healing process, as smoking does increase the risk of failure.
• Is there a risk that the body will reject the implant? Dental implant in Leeds are made from a titanium alloy as this is an extremely inert metal that has a high biocompatibility with the body. Dental implants can fail, but this is not likely to be due to rejection. Most failures occur due to lack of proper oral hygiene.
• Will I be without my teeth for very long? Once the implant is placed it will need to heal as this allows it time to integrate with your natural bone so it provides strong support to the final restoration. The exact timeframe can vary quite a bit, depending on the type of implant, and whether or not you needed to have any additional procedures beforehand such as a bone graft. We will make sure you are not left without teeth and will provide you a temporary prosthesis to wear until your permanent teeth can be placed.

These are just a few of the questions we get asked, but we are sure you probably have many more. If you are interested in finding out how dental implants could work for you then it is worth booking a consultation with one of our dentist in Leeds. We will be able to assess your oral health, and can help you decide if dental implants are the best choice. This is also your chance to ask more about the actual implant procedure, and to find out which type of restoration might be right for you.