How does a dental implant Melbourne replace a missing tooth?

Missing teeth can have a huge impact on your life. To begin with it can transform the appearance of your smile as well as your overall appearance causing embarrassment, low self-confidence, and low self-esteem. If you are unhappy with the appearance of your teeth, then this can cause sadness and depression and affect your mental health and well-being. It can also affect the way others perceive you because your smile is one of the first things people notice when they meet you. You may look older than you actually are and people may assume that you do not take adequate care of your dental health or well being. Overall, you will make a less positive impression on others than those with a complete smile.

Missing teeth also affect your remaining teeth. Before you know it, more teeth may become wobbly and start falling out. To prevent this you need to visit the dentist as soon as possible and find out about replacing the missing tooth.

What is a dental implant Melbourne?

The most popular method of replacing a missing tooth is with a dental implant Melbourne. Although dental implants have been used successfully since the 1960s, awareness about dental implants started growing in the last 20 years and are now a dental implant. Melbourne is the gold standard in tooth replacement. With an average success rate of 97%, a dental implant Melbourne is the best way to replace your missing tooth.

Dental implants are small, titanium screws, which are very strong, resilient and non corrosive. This makes them an excellent choice for restorative dental treatment. However, the main advantage of titanium screws is that they are biocompatible. This means that they function in harmony with the body without causing adverse reactions. When they are inserted into the bone socket of the missing tooth, they initiate a process known as osseointegration.

Osseointegration

Osseointegration in medical terms is the direct structural and functional connection between the jawbone and the implant. In simple terms, bone cells grow around the implant to grip it securely in place so the implant will essentially become a permanent fixture of the gums and jawbone. Titanium is very strong, it has a similar tensile strength to steel and has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of all metals which means it is lightweight at the same time. Fractures in titanium implants are rare, as it is highly resistant to external forces and therefore an implant can last for the rest of your life.

Osseointegration is essential for the long-term success of the implant and typically takes around 4 to 6 months to complete. Success rates range from 96% for implants replacing the visible front teeth to 99% for those replacing the back molars. It is important that during these months you visit the dentist on a regular basis so that they can make sure that the healing process is coming along successfully. It is also important that you maintain excellent dental hygiene at home to avoid infection and also to maintain good dental health during this time.

Replacing your missing teeth

Once the dentist has confirmed that the implant is securely in place, it can be fitted with a crown or a set of dentures. Firstly, an abutment is fixed to the head of the implant, and this works as a connector post between the implant and the prosthetic. If you are replacing a single tooth, then the abutment will be fitted with a crown. The most popular are tooth-coloured, ceramic crowns because of their natural appearance. With dental implants, your crown will look and feel like your natural teeth. The crown itself may need replacing every 5 or 10 years. However, the implant will remain firmly in place.

The first dental implant in a human patient lasted for 40 years, until the patient’s death, and since then there has been further development and advances in implant dentistry. Once your implant is in place, you need to make sure you look after your teeth carefully, and you continue to visit the dentist on a regular basis so that your implant can last for the rest of your life as well. Speak to your dentist today to find out more about dental implants and whether or not they are suitable for you. Unfortunately in certain conditions, for example underlying health issues, including uncontrolled diabetes, dental implants may not be suitable for you; however, in most cases, your dentist should be able to put together an individually tailored treatment plan to replace your missing teeth with dental implants that will last for the rest of your life.

Disclaimer

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.