Smilies across the nation
Across Britain, there has been an overall increase in recent years in the amount of patients seeking cosmetic dentistry solutions to improve their overall dental wellbeing and boost the aesthetics of their smiles. There are many reasons behind this, including the rise in engagement with social media, as well as the smiles that are presented to us through various media and television platforms. Whatever the rationale behind the increase is, the results are the same. Record amounts of Britons are seeking cosmetic dentistry, including dental implants in Windsor, to maximise their dental wellbeing, and to smile to their fullest potential.
Grinning and bearing it
While the numbers of those seeking treatment are rising across the board, it is still estimated that a whopping twenty-seven million adults across the country are currently living with one or more missing teeth. While many of those who suffer a missing tooth may believe that they can ‘put on a brave face’, they may not be fully clued up on the seriously negative effects that having an untreated missing tooth may have on both their dental, and social wellbeing. One of the most damaging effects that having an untreated missing tooth can have on patients is bone loss. This is caused as the bone tissue around the missing tooth, which is generally preserved through pressure and stimulus of chewing, is reabsorbed and dispersed elsewhere. It is estimated that, if left untreated, the bone density of a patient’s surrounding jaw can decrease by up to 25% after the first year, and continues to do so thereafter. The results of bone loss generally causes the patient to appear far older than they actually are, and are generally irreversible. Thus, those who suffer from an untreated missing tooth and refrain from seeking treatment may be at the beginning stages of something far more difficult to reverse. Loss of speech is another effect that having an untreated missing tooth can have on patients, which can be damaging to not just their oral health, but also their social well being and overall happiness.
Getting to the root of things
Thanks to the wonders of modern dental science, dental implants are far more sturdy and permanent than treatments that were previously used to treat missing teeth, which generally just provide prosthetic solutions to what is a structural problem. Implants however, work in a way which makes them as long-lasting as a natural tooth as they address the problem at its root.
The process of receiving dental implants today would initially consist of a consultation period between the patient, and their trusted dental practitioner. This consultation is done to establish the patient’s eligibility for dental implant treatments, as well as highlight the positive impact that they could expect the treatment to have, and the timescale in which they can expect to enjoy the results. Thereafter, providing the patient is eligible and wishes to continue, the actual installation process would begin. This is with a small hole being surgically drilled into the roof of the patient’s mouth, where their missing tooth or teeth ought to be. From there, a titanium socket is placed within the hole, and left to fuse within their jaw bone. Titanium is used for its unique biocompatibility. After this, a replica tooth constructed from either porcelain or plastic would be inserted into the socket. As such, the gap would be filled with a sturdy and virtually indistinguishable tooth, which will last for years to come, and keep the patient smiling.
