Dental implants in Ealing

A tooth implant is a tiny screw or post made of titanium or titanium alloy, a biocompatible material. After implant placement, the body sees it as natural tissue and responds to its presence by growing blood vessels and bone around the implant, fixing it securely in place. After a healing period of several months, a replacement crown is fixed to the implant via a connecting fixture known as an abutment.

Implants are the only tooth restoration method that replaces the root of the tooth as well as the crown. Because of this, implant-restored teeth have a much greater chewing power than bridges and dentures. This means you don't have to restrict yourself to a soft food diet, you can eat whatever you want with confidence. And you don't have to miss out on the vital nutrition you get from chewy steaks and crunchy apples. 

Implants are also more secure than other replacement methods as they don't rely on surrounding teeth (bridges) or suction to the gums (dentures) for their stability. Implants are fixed directly into the jawbone and are as stable as a natural tooth, so they won't slide around or fall out and embarrass you. 

Dental implants provided at our dental practice are long-lasting; with proper care and maintenance, they have been proven to last for several decades or more. Implants also help to maintain the structure of the face. Because they encourage new bone growth, they can help to restore the jawbone that may have dissolved after a tooth was lost.

Once a tooth is gone, the body believes that the jawbone is no longer needed. This is because when opposing teeth tap against each other while we eat, this gives the jawbone the message that it is still needed. If one tooth goes, the jaw no longer receives those taps and begins to reabsorb so the nutrients can be used elsewhere in the body. The jawbone can lose up to 25% in size and density in the first year after tooth loss alone, causing the face to sag.

Appropriate dental care from our experienced dentists in Ealing can restore your face shape while giving you the confidence to smile again

Initially maybe but in the long-term, an implant represents a cost-effective way of maintaining a fully functioning and hassle-free smile for life. Moreover, a dental implant is the only restoration to stop the bone loss process that can otherwise mean a shrinking jawline and an ageing look. 

At IKON Dental Specialists we make it easy for you to get the treatment you need by providing a series of payment plans including interest-free and no deposit options. These allow you to spread the cost of dental implants over a series of months or years. Talk to us about how we can help you today.

Because of advancements in technology and techniques, modern implant dentistry is a comfortable procedure for patients. Digital technology, for example, allows our team to create exacting 3D mock-ups of a patient’s jaw including jaw density and positioning of nerves and vessels. This in turn allows our team to virtually plot the exact position and depth of each implant down to the nearest fraction of a millimetre.

Technology also enables us to produce surgical guides so we can drill a small pilot hole directly through the tooth down into the jawbone without the need to cut the gum. This means that when a dental implant is placed, it’s a quick chairside process typically carried out within 20 minutes or less. Add to this the fact that typically no sutures are necessary and the above results in a comfortable experience and a speedy recovery.

Dental implants are right for most people but because placing an implant requires a surgical procedure there will be some exceptions. Those who have pre-existing heart conditions, for example, may benefit best from other replacement options. So too, may a patient who has uncontrolled diabetes or osteoporosis. In addition, those people who regularly grind their teeth (bruxers) may not be best placed to undergo dental implant treatment. Finally, those who are currently undergoing radiotherapy on the head and neck area are not advised to get dental implants fitted.

Several conditions or lifestyle choices also need to be dealt with first before dental implant treatment should be considered. These include conditions such as gum disease and habits including excessive smoking or drinking of alcohol and the regular use of recreational or hard drugs.

During a smile consultation, the IKON dental team will talk with you and examine you to ascertain whether you are eligible for an implant-based restoration.

Even when a tooth gap isn’t in the immediate smile line it can still cause problems to other healthy teeth. Nearby teeth, for example, will start to move or shift towards the gap and this can cause previously straight teeth to appear misaligned. When teeth are crooked, effective brushing and flossing can be a problem. Unwanted plaque can build up and attack otherwise healthy teeth and gums. This, in turn, could cause a tooth to eventually fail. 

But that’s not all…

When a tooth is missing, the bone tissue that once supported the tooth root is no longer stimulated. The body senses this and starts to reabsorb the tissue components back into the body. This leads to significant jawbone loss over time which results in a sagging facial appearance. A dental implant acts as a missing tooth root and when implanted into the site, it stops the bone loss process while giving the impression of a complete (and more youthful) smile.

A sinus lift is sometimes required if there is not enough bone in the upper jaw to support dental implants. If you don’t have enough bone, dental implants won’t be able to fully integrate to ensure a stable environment for your new teeth to be able to function correctly. This means that the dental implants would fail but a sinus lift procedure, sometimes called sinus augmentation, or sinus graft, can be the solution.
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The sinus lift procedure works by lifting the sinus upwards to make room for additional bone. Sinus lift treatment will be carried out by one of our dental specialists and you will always be in the safest of hands throughout every aspect of your treatment journey.