Dental Implants

Implants are a reliable and fixed solution to replace missing teeth, providing secure, comfortable and aesthetic results.

They help to restore the smile by filling gaps as well as improving the function, allowing patients to eat as they would with natural teeth, and persevere their jaw bone.

WHAT IS AN IMPLANT?

An implant is a small titanium post that is fixed to the jaw bone where there is a missing tooth. A crown or bridge, or even a denture can be placed on top. The benefit of a denture seated on top of an implant is that it is much more secure and less likely to drop out or move around in the mouth compared with a traditional denture.

There are occasions where our own teeth are not strong enough to hold in a bridge to replace several teeth, so implant retained bridges provide an alternative option to dentures in these cases.

WHY CHOOSE AN IMPLANT?

• Improve your confidence – Missing teeth, especially near the front of the mouth, can affect ones self confidence to speak, eat and smile in public. We often hear patients say they “hate their smile” or “ I don’t like showing my teeth when I smile” and this is something we would love to help change and improve! Feeling happier with your smile and confident that the teeth look natural can make a huge difference to someones day to day life.
• Fixed solution to missing teeth – unlike dentures, which we recommend taking out at night, implants with crowns or bridges are fixed in place and look and feel like natural teeth. It is a great choice for a single or even several missing teeth and can bring life changing results. Dentures are an easy, cheaper way of replacing missing teeth, however they do have their limitations and if you have an increased gag reflex, or do a lot of public speaking, or just simply don’t like the idea of having a denture, then an implant is a fantastic solution to replace missing teeth. Occasionally dentures can drop out, which can cause some embarrassment if out in public. With implants, there is no risk of the implant, crown or bridge coming out as it is secured into the jaw bone firmly.
• Look younger – When there is a missing tooth, the jaw bone can start to decrease in size where the root of the tooth is missing. This can have an effect on neighbouring teeth, but can also change the shape of our face, increasing the ageing process. Maintaining the jaw bone structure can help to fill out the facial tissues, giving a younger appearance. Although dentures can replace teeth, the jaw bone can continue to decrease in height under them as there are no roots, or implants in place to stimulate the bone.
• Improve the function – When there are missing teeth it can have an effect on what we are capable of eating. With dentures, some foods are very difficult to chew and biting into hard foods like apples can be challenging. With conventional bridges we also advise patients to be a bit more careful as bridges attached to teeth can sometimes come out too. With dental implants, the teeth can function as normal without the need for a restrictive diet as the crown/bridge is secured into place.
• Long term solution for missing teeth – The average bridge can last around 7 years and can occasionally fall off when the adhesive begins to wear away, or if too much pressure is applied. Dentures may also become unstable over time as the jaw bone shrinks slightly underneath them. Implants provide the best long term solution for replacing missing teeth as the jaw bone is maintained and we are not relying on any glue or bonding to hold them in.

WHY CHOOSE US FOR YOUR IMPLANT TREATMENT

1. Here at Shawbirch Dental Practice we understand you want to get the best care for your teeth and be reassured that you are in the best hands. Dr Kamil Skierski is a fantastic, highly skilled implant surgeon, with over 10 years of experience in placing dental implants. He has been working in Shropshire since 2005 and has helped thousands of patients improve their smile and confidence. Dr Kamil continues to broaden his knowledge by regularly attending courses across the UK and Worldwide to ensure he is working with the most up to date skills and technology. His friendly, welcoming and humorous personality will be sure to put you at ease in the dental chair!

2. We appreciate that the cost of an implant can be off putting, which is why we have a finance system in place so that you can spread the cost of the implant, interest free for 12 months. It is easy to set up, our reception or admin team will be happy to help put this in to place for you if you let us know you would prefer to spread the cost through finance.

3. Our Denplan plans comes with supplementary implant cover, so if you choose to have this, you can be reassured that you can still attend the same practice for any implant care you require in the future.

WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

If you are interested in learning more about the option of replacing a tooth (or several teeth) with an implant, your dentist can discuss this with you and explain the process in a little more detail. If the tooth we are planning to replace has not been removed yet, we can organise the extraction for you and a temporary tooth replacement if necessary while we wait 8 weeks for the socket to heal. If the tooth has already been missing for over 8 weeks we may be ready to go to the next stage.

Following a consultation, if you are happy to proceed with the treatment we will refer you to another practice for a CT scan of your jaw. This provides more information than a normal dental X-ray and helps us to plan the implant treatment in more detail.

Once we have received the CT scan and reviewed it we may want to see you again to discuss the treatment in more detail. We will also provide you with information on how the treatment can be paid using our finance plan, where you can spread the cost over 12 months.

Before your treatment, we will provide you with some instructions for before and after your dental treatment so that you can plan your day accordingly.

The implant treatment is carried out by Dr Kamil Skierski who is very highly skilled and experienced in implant placement. The treatment is carried out under normal dental local anaesthetic and may take approximately one hour.

The implant is left to integrate with the jaw bone for around 3 months before we place a permanent crown/bridge/denture over the top of it. When it is ready for its final restoration, the dentist will scan the mouth with the iTero device to get a digital impression of the teeth and soft tissues to send to a dental laboratory. The final appointment will be a few weeks after this when the permanent restoration is fitted on. If it is a denture, it may take several visits to get further measurements of the teeth and jaws.

AFTERCARE

Full aftercare instructions will be provided when the implant is placed, which is similar to after having a tooth extracted.

It is important to look after your implant just as you would with your own teeth, with thorough brushing twice daily and interdental brushes. We often recommend using the Waterpik with an implant nozzle on to clean around the implant. Regular 6 monthly hygienist appointments are also advised to keep the gums healthy around the implant.

Smoking can decrease the lifespan of an implant and affect its success of the implant. We strongly recommend anyone having an implant to try their best to stop smoking beforehand to increase the prognosis of the implant.

For more information on implant treatments, please ask us at your next visit and we will be happy to explain it to you in more detail!