Why should I choose dental implants?

If you are looking for more of a long-term solution to improving your smile, then dental implants could be the path for you. These are used when you have missing or severely damaged teeth and replaces the tooth completely when attached. It consists of a crown attached to an implant post that is inserted into your bone, it feels and looks just like your natural teeth which is such a great relief.

What is the process?

There are a few different steps to getting implants, each one being vital to the success of your treatment. It may sound like a lot, but the results you will get at the end make it all worth it! Our dentist in St John’s Wood will guide you through every step of the way to ensure you are as comfortable as possible. 

The first step of your implant journey will be a consultation appointment, this is important as it allows us to make sure that getting the implants are the right option for you and your needs. This will involve us having a look at the problem area and taking some X-rays to get an accurate image of your teeth and the bones around them. Your eligibility for implants depends on how much bone you still have left, as this plays a key role in whether it is possible to successfully insert the implant post. 

Once it is all confirmed and you and your St John’s Wood dentist are ready to begin the process, you can begin the first stage. This is when the implant post is inserted into your jawbone, this is a very important stage as it creates the foundation of your implant. The site will then be closed with sutures, which are a type of stitch. 10 days later, you will visit us again so we can remove the sutures and examine how the post has been going since the insertion. After all is well and good, we will leave this to heal for several months. The healing process allows for the bone to start growing around the post so it becomes part of your jawbone, this is great for added durability. 

When the implant post and the bone have successfully fused together, this is when the next stage begins. We will examine the post and bone again to make sure they are fully ready for the next post to be attached. This post is called an abutment, and this is placed into the implant post. This second post takes an impression of your gum line so your custom crown, denture or bridge can be created. 

For the last part of the process, once your custom bridge, crown or denture has been made, it will be attached to the abutment. They are either screwed in or cemented using a specific type of dental cement. This is when you will see the results really show, and it will look just like your natural teeth, blending in naturally and comfortably. 

We do recommend that you have some follow up visits with our dentist in St John’s Wood, to make sure that your new artificial tooth is adapting well to your mouth.