Is Your Anxiety Stopping You Considering Dental Implants?

Ipswich implant dentist, Dr Hiten Pabari, considers why you might  want to think again.

With dental implants being universally accepted and acknowledged as a great way to replace missing teeth, it isn’t surprising that patients of the Foxhall Dental Practice are becoming increasingly interested in the procedure as an alternative to both dentures or a bridge.

There is no getting away from the fact that an implant placement requires some quite complex dental surgery, and this is something which may deter some potential patients from having the treatment, especially those of a nervous disposition.

Whilst we respect our patient’s decision if they choose not to have this treatment, we do feel that they are missing out on a great opportunity and swapping short term benefits for long term gains.

The many benefits of dental implants

It is one thing to say that patients should consider dental implants, but of course, there has to be a genuine reason why this is the case. After all, dentures can often be used without the ‘hassle’ of dental surgery, so why bother?

The most compelling reason to have a dental implant is that it is as close to a natural tooth as you can currently have. Unlike dentures and a bridge, dental implants replace the root of the tooth with an artificial structure. As this replicates the roots, it provides an unequalled level of strength and stability, certainly greater than that of dentures. It also helps to prevent bone loss in the jaw that occurs when a tooth is lost, unlike the alternatives.

Once the treatment is completed, providing that you look after them, there is every chance that you will need no further work doing on that tooth for the rest of your life. With dental implants often lasting for over 20 years, you can more or less forget about them once they have been placed and fused with the jawbone.

An additional benefit is that implants are more straightforward to keep clean than a bridge or dentures and this can be done at the same time as you clean your natural teeth.

But I’m afraid of dentists

We won’t try to pull the wool over your eyes; having a dental implant procedure requires a certain level of commitment and is a lengthier procedure than many others. We appreciate that this may present something of a barrier for some of our more nervous patients. The placing of the implant, the surgical part of the procedure, may be lengthier than others but it is still a relatively short period of time, especially when compared with the life expectancy of the replacement tooth. If we could speed up the procedure safely, we would, but it requires accuracy and skills that make it more time consuming than many others.

For those that fear pain during this procedure, it is important to remember than you will receive a local anaesthetic prior to it commencing. This ensures that you are afforded the maximum comfort possible. You can also be sure that you will be in the safe and experienced hands of our Ipswich implants dentists.

Once you have had this initial part of the procedure, you are on the home straight. Apart from the aftercare, all that is left is to attach the abutment to the implant, and the crown to the abutment. Once this has been done, you will have a strong replacement tooth that looks and feels very natural.

Osseointegration

The period between the initial placement and the attachment of the crown usually takes around three months. This is a slightly inconvenient time for patients as it is important that the implant remains healthy and does not become damaged by eating foods that are too hard. You will be required to take special care when cleaning your teeth during this period, and also eat a largely liquid and soft food diet. We appreciate this can be a little challenging, but again, it really is a small sacrifice in order to have a fantastic long term tooth replacement.

We appreciate that making a decision such as this may be quite tricky for some patients, especially those who dislike dental visits anyway. If you feel that it would help to talk this procedure through with an implant dentist at your local dental surgery, we are happy to arrange for you to have a no obligation implant consultation. This will enable you to understand the procedure better and to be able to question our team about any concerns that you have.

If, after this consultation, you choose not to have implants, we will respect your decision and no pressure will be put on you to change your mind. We firmly believe that patients are fully entitled to have all the facts before making a decision, so if you would like to have an initial consultation, please contact the Foxhall Dental Practice on 01473 258396.