Implants are a very common way to replace missing teeth which have been damaged by tooth decay, gum disease or injury and have become a very popular dental procedure. They are very low risk, have a 98% success rate and have various benefits including preserving the bone and stopping adjacent teeth being damaged.
Dental implants are an alternative to bridges and dentures which are actually fixed and made to match your teeth for a really natural look. Dentures have a tendency to slip and slide which can effect speech and make eating difficult. But because dental implants fuse with your bone they behave just like your natural teeth and so are very convenient. They don’t require any extra care like dentures or bridges, you simply clean the teeth as you would normally do. Also they don’t require adjacent teeth to be reduced as dental supported bridges do, so your mouth is generally healthier in the long run.
Having dental implants is a surgical procedure, but it is done under local anaesthesia so once that kicks in you shouldn’t feel any pain. It should normally take under an hour to do an implant, but can take longer depending on the location in your mouth. After the procedure you will feel some minor discomfort, but by taking some pain killers you should be able to manage that pretty well.
There are two phases to having an implant, first the implant is drilled into the bone to act as a replacement tooth root. Once this has healed and fused with the bone to become strong, we then fit the crowns which are the tooth replacements and made to look just like your normal teeth.
If you are unhappy with the colour of your teeth, before the replacements are made it can be a good time to have teeth whitened or veneers fitted so that then the implant will be matched to fit the improved colour for an even better smile.
We are often asked how long dental implants last and it’s a difficult one to answer, as it depends on your dental care routine and lifestyle. However, if you care for them properly, many implants last a lifetime. Simply care for them as you would do your normal teeth, brush twice a day, floss and use mouthwash and visit your dentist regularly for cleaning, check-ups and preventative care such as fluoride treatments.
We are specialists in implants and located in Marbella, near the copper tower and the Palacio de Congresos. Our experienced team includes dentists, surgeons and anaesthetists to make having an implant a comfortable and safe procedure which will give excellent results. Contact us to discuss implants and get a quote.
