Missing teeth can have a huge impact on a person’s appearance and self-esteem, as well as mouth function and oral hygiene. With more and more solutions available to patients, Dr Jennifer Collins, lead general dentist at Northumberland Dental Care in Dublin 4, shares some useful tips on the benefits of dental implants.
As Dr Collins explains: “Dental implants are artificial roots that can provide a permanent solution to missing teeth. The implants are embedded in the jaw, so they create a false tooth that both looks and feels real. As long as a patient is in good overall health, with heathy teeth and gums, they can be a suitable candidate. Treatment takes from six weeks to six months, so it is important to discuss the process in detail with your dentist.”
Five Reasons to Consider Dental Implants:
1 Enhanced appearance
Dental implants are designed to look, feel, and function like natural teeth. With dental implants in place, patients find that they can smile with confidence again, improving self-esteem and often providing a new lease of life.
2 Durability and comfort
With proper care and maintenance, implants can last as long as conventional restorations on teeth. They are extremely durable, and many implants will last a lifetime. As the implant is fused with the bone, it becomes a permanent fixture, eliminating the discomfort and inconvenience of removable dentures.
3 Improved eating
Replacing missing teeth with implants allows a person to chew their food more easily. Sliding dentures can make chewing difficult. Since dental implants function like your own teeth, they allow you to eat your favourite foods as normal.
4 Natural speech
Missing teeth can often alter a person’s speech. Similarly, with poor-fitting dentures, teeth can slip within the mouth, causing a person to mumble or slur their words. Dental implants allow you to speak naturally, without the worry that teeth might slip.
5 Better oral health
Dental implants preserve natural tooth tissue by avoiding the need to cut down adjacent teeth, as with a conventional bridge. Since the nearby teeth are not altered to support the implant, more of your own teeth are left intact, improving long-term oral health. Individual implants also allow easier access between teeth, resulting in better oral hygiene.
Dr Jennifer Collins is lead general dentist at Northumberland Dental Care in Dublin 4, part of the Dental Care Ireland group. For further tips and advice on looking after your oral health, visit www.nidm.ie
