Category: Dental implants

Being told you are losing a tooth can be a traumatic experience, however, technology has advanced in the past decade and replacement teeth, made up of Dental Implants are a proven replacement.

Some patients, over time, experience loss of jawbone density which can mean complications in your journey. Several causes of bone loss, including: tooth loss, advanced gum disease, diabetes, smoking and osteoporosis could mean your dentist may have refused you the treatment in the past.

Aura Dental believe that Dental Implants should be available to as many people as possible. Most patients do not require any additional help with their bone but procedures like bone augmentation and sinus lifts are available if required. Your bone levels can be assessed as part of your free consultation at Aura Dental.

What is a sinus lift?

A sinus lift increases bone density in the upper jaw where the sinus pocket has expanded to fill an area missing bone. Bone tissue is added either side of your nose, in between the jaw and the maxillary sinuses.

Sinuses come in all different shapes, sizes and they can also grow with age, therefore, this procedure can also help if your sinuses happen to be low in the upper jaw for implants to be safely fixed.

X-rays and a CT scan will give our implant surgeons the information they need to see if a sinus lift is necessary for you to have dental implants in St John’s Wood.

What is bone augmentation?

Bone augmentations, also known as a bone graft, can build up the jaw bone in order for implants to be placed. Bone is also used on some simple implants to speed up the healing. Most patients use a synthetic bone substitute but different options can be discussed during your consultation if bone is required.

There are different ways to carry out bone augmentation, including using a barrier material between the bone and soft tissues of the mouth to give the slower moving bone cells time and space to regenerate. New bone takes 3-12 months to stabilise before dental implants in St John’s Wood can be fitted.

One of the hassles of having dental implants in St John’s Wood is that you have to allow a good stretch of time while the implants integrate with your bone tissue. That may be fine and dandy if you have just one or two missing teeth and don’t mind living with a gap while the implant and bone below the gum line fuse with each other. But if you have a whole or arch of teeth that are failing, or maybe even both arches, you are not going to going around toothless for a few months, are you?

Well, the good news is that with Teeth in a Day dental implants in St John’s Wood, you don’t have to. How’s how this treatment works:

Stage one: the implant surgery

You come into us at Aura Dental and we start by removing any teeth you have left in the arch that are failing. Once we have cleaned out your teeth, we are ready to insert between four and six dental implants on each arch. We usually put four dental implants in the lower arch, and six in the upper arch. Once that is done, we then attach some pre-made bridges, which our lab technician will have adapted to fit your arches. These are temporary teeth. You go home with your new teeth in a day.

Stage two: the healing stage

This is a vital part of getting dental implants in St John’s Wood, so you must not be all gung-ho with your new implants. For the first 24 hours, you will need bed rest, and then for the next week or so, you will have to restrict yourself to a liquid diet of soups and smoothies. You will be able to numb any pain with over-the-counter medications. It’s best then to remain on a soft food diet for the next few months so that you do not put strain on your implants while they are becoming one with your jawbone.

Stage three: you get your perfect teeth

You come back and we fit you with metal-reinforced bridges with crowns that are indistinguishable from natural teeth.

And that’s it. Job done.

We are all careful to keep our teeth healthy and intact, but sometimes accidents happen. Whether the result of trauma, old age or oral disease, missing teeth can cause many problems and should be replaced as soon as possible. Modern dentistry has developed considerably over the years and dental implants have proven to be effective and long-lasting.

At Aura Dental, we are here to make you feel as comfortable as possible with your implant surgery. If you decide to have dental implants in St John’s Wood, our experienced dentists will explain every step of the procedure and make sure they answer all your question and queries. All implant treatments are customised to fit our patients’ requirements and dental needs.

Understanding how dental implants work

Prior to your surgery, you need to familiarise yourself with dental implants and how they work to restore your missing teeth. While there are quite a few different types of dental implants available, they all work the same way. Dental implants are small titanium posts, which are surgically inserted into the jawbone, ideally after the extraction of a badly-decayed or dysfunctional tooth. Having your implants fitted just after your tooth extraction will minimise the waiting time between the healing period and the fitting of the replacement teeth.

Once the dental implants are attached to the jawbone, they will gradually begin to form a bond with the bone tissue through a process known as osseointegration. This procedure is possible because implants are made of titanium, a metal that is compatible with the human body. This healing period has different durations for different patients, but once it is completed, you can have your replacement teeth fitted. In some cases, replacement teeth can be attached to your dental implants directly after the surgery.

Is treatment with dental implants painful?

Dental implants in St John’s Wood are not a painful treatment. Patients with increased sensitivity or dental phobia can choose from a wide range of sedation options for extra comfort.

Contact us

If you would like to learn more about dental implant surgery, now it is the time to give us a call.

People really rather dread other people finding out that their teeth are not real. There is quite a stigma attached to having false teeth that look like false teeth. Maybe it’s because false teeth on dentures have in the past been liable to behave badly and embarrass their owners, and the crowns didn’t look very real either.

Both pitfalls can be avoided, provided the crowns are made by a good dental technician, like those here at Aura Dental, skilled in crafting lifelike teeth for each person, and the foundation for the crowns will remain stable.

This second requirement is what sets dental implants in St John’s Wood apart from other tooth restoration methods.

Strong and stable

It’s the way that dental implants in St John’s Wood are embedded in the jaw that makes them much more stable and strong than either dentures or fixed bridges.

Dentures only offer about a quarter of the chewing power of natural teeth because they rely on suction to the gum for stability. Bridges rely on neighbouring healthy teeth which are fitted with crowns that act as buttresses to the bridge. Trouble is, the teeth have to be ground down to take the buttress crowns and can never be whole natural teeth in their own right again.

Dental implants in St John’s Wood are tiny titanium posts or screws that replace the root of the teeth and then have porcelain crowns fitted on top, once the implants have integrated over several weeks into the jawbone.

Once integrated, dental implants provide as much chewing power as natural teeth, and can be very long-lasting, even for decades. As long as you look after them well, and avoid gum disease, there is no reason why they should start to wobble around and give the game away. Plus, they will prevent you getting a pointy chin and collapsed face, which come with jawbone loss.

The implants help preserve the jawbone, which starts to dissolve once it’s missing tooth roots. The jawbone needs the tremors of tooth roots to renew itself and without them it actively starts to melt away, losing as much as 25% of its size and density in the first year alone after tooth loss.

If you suffer from missing teeth in St John’s Wood, dental implants will provide natural-looking replacements. At Aura Dental, we have a lot of experience in giving patients these high-quality substitute teeth in a wide range of tooth loss situations. Whether you’ve had a single front tooth knocked out while playing sports, or several teeth have failed over many years, dental implants are a fully-functioning solution.

The stages of dental implants in St John’s Wood

The process begins with an in-depth consultation at our relaxing dental practice. The team will talk to you about your dental history and assess your oral health. It’s important to have healthy teeth and gums and sufficient jawbone density before treatment can begin. Some preliminary work might be needed to prepare you to receive the implants. The team will take precise measurements of your teeth and mouth and create a meticulous treatment plan.

Then comes the minor surgical procedure, during which the dentist will place small titanium posts into your jawbone. After a short period of rest, you’ll return to the practice to have the new teeth affixed to the implanted posts. These teeth are customised to look natural and perform effectively. From start to finish, the treatment can take several months.

Healthy future

Having dental implants in St John’s Wood brings numerous oral health benefits:

• The jawbone meshes with the screw-like titanium posts, securely anchoring the new teeth in the mouth so you can use them just like natural ones. You’ll have no more worries about biting into and chewing your favourite foods;
• Unlike with removable dentures, there’s no need to use dental adhesives;
• The new teeth are easy to clean – brush and floss as normal;
• Your smile will have much more aesthetic appeal;
• You may find the stability of the new teeth makes certain words and phrases easier to pronounce;
• Your facial bone structure will retain its robustness. You won’t develop the sunken look associated with tooth loss.

Long-lasting benefits

If you look after them properly in St John’s Wood, dental implants will last for decades. It’s a procedure that can significantly enhance your quality of life.

When you are faced with losing your teeth, you may feel a bit depressed and daunted. This is a body part you have lost and it’s not small thing. Also, you now face a choice between three replacement methods and if you have only just lost your tooth or teeth, you may not yet know how bridges, dentures and dental implants in St John’s Wood vary.

When you come to us at Aura Dental, we can talk you through the differences between these three methods. Here, we are focussing on dental implants in St John’s Wood because these are the most recent way to replace teeth and they offer the best functionality in terms of being able to eat and speak properly. They also last longest and preserve the health of your face, jaw and mouth better.

It’s all about root replacement

Replacement teeth are only as good as their stability, which natural teeth get from having roots embedded into the jawbone. Different replacement methods have different ways of gaining stability: dentures rely on suction to the gums; bridges use the neighbouring healthy teeth; and dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are inserted into channels that are drilled into the jawbone.

Dental implants in St John’s Wood are made from titanium, a miraculous metal that bonds with the body’s natural tissues. The jawbone grows blood vessels and bone tissue around the implant. It takes about a couple of months for bone and implant to integrate so that the replacement tooth becomes as stable and secure as the original natural tooth.

Chewing power

This makes all the difference to what you can do with your new teeth. Dentures only offer about a quarter of the original chewing power of your teeth, and this lessens over time as the gums and jawbone naturally recede. With dental implants in St John’s Wood, you can continue to eat whatever you like, however crunchy or chewy it may be.

Lasting power

Dental implants can last for the rest of your life as long as you take good care of them, brushing and flossing twice daily, and making regular visits to the hygienist.

Any adult over the age of 21 is suitable for dental implants so long as the jaw has finished growing. Whilst missing teeth are a pretty common occurrence amongst adult of all ages, whether the tooth loss was due to an injury, sporting event or poor dental care, the effects can be more harmful than many may think. Most patients know that having gaps in your smile can of course have a negative impact on your self-esteem and social life but what is less known is that missing teeth, that are not replaced can cause the bone in your jaw to deteriorate and ultimately alter the shape of your face.

Replacing a missing tooth within the first few months, instead of waiting for several months or years, can prevent extensive and expensive treatment later in life. At Aura Dental, our patients find dental implants in St John’s Wood a worthwhile investment as they are one of the most successful procedures available to replace a missing too and hold long-lasting results.

How do dental implants work?

A dental implant replaces your missing tooth’s root structure which then has a crown added which helps you chew and speak properly. An implant is a small titanium screw which is surgically fixed beneath the gum line in the jawbone, these are then restored with the replacement teeth after a healing period of several months. Dental implants are more effective compared to other tooth replacement options, because they do not simply sit on the gums – they interact with the jawbone, prevent its deterioration and promote the generation of healthy bone tissue.

Am I a good candidate for dental implants?

In general, most people are good candidates for dental implants in St John’s Wood. However, since dental implants fuse with the jawbone in order to stabilise replacement teeth, adequate bone density and quality is one of the most important requirements for their success.

Children cannot have dental implants since their jawbone has not sufficiently developed and bone grafts or mini implants are sometimes considered for patients who do not have enough bone tissue; however, modern implant techniques allow patients to have dental implants even if they are suffering from extensive bone loss.

If you are pregnant, or a smoker, dental implants may not be for you and patients who tend to grind and clench their teeth, different tooth restoration options will be discussed with Aura Dentals specialists. Finally, patients with diabetes and heart disease can still have dental implants in St John’s Wood as long as their condition is under control.

In any case, candidacy for dental implants should be considered on an individual basis with the Aura team.

When you start to lose your teeth, your life can diminish in scope. You may not notice it with the first tooth, but slowly, as more fall out or have to be removed, you will find that it becomes harder to chew and your diet becomes restricted. If the teeth are coming out of the front of your mouth, you will find that you don’t smile and laugh like you used to, for fear of showing your awful gappy mouth to people and offending them.

Gaps may not have mattered a few decades ago, but these days, perfect teeth are the order of the day. And with standards like that to live up to, it’s easier to stay tight lipped and perhaps get a little bit depressed because you’re not laughing enough. If you want a new life with new teeth that do a good job of eating, then you need to seriously consider getting dental implants in St John’s Wood.

In St John’s Wood, dental implants are becoming the go-to tooth replacement method for our patients at Aura Dental. They love how these modern day artificial teeth do such a good job that once they are in and integrated to the jawbone, beyond diligent twice-daily brushing and flossing, they can pretty much forget about them.

Dental implants are so much easier to look after than dentures, with all that adhesive and overnight soaking, and the fear that they might break. All you have to worry about with dental implants, is keeping plaque at bay, so that you don’t develop gum disease.

Either? Or? How about both?

You may be one of the many people who already have dentures, or can’t afford dental implants and so have to choose dentures. If so, there’s a wonderful compromise technique called denture stabilisation. This uses mini dental implants to hold the dentures in place so that you don’t have to worry about them wobbling around on your gums. The dentures continue to be removable, and we recommend you continue to soak them overnight to give your gums a rest, but otherwise, you get all the advantages of dental implants in St John’s Wood at much less expense.

Since the first implants were placed by dentists in the 1980s, they have been serving happy patients worldwide, and improving their quality of life.

At Aura Dental in St John’s Wood, dental implants are fitted to replace any number of missing teeth. Implants can support multiple forms of tooth replacement. With proper care, these restorations can last a lifetime.

Dental implants for overall dental health

One of the many beauties of dental implants is that they work to improve your oral health as a whole, benefitting the remaining natural teeth.

Our jawbones need stimulation to remain dense and in good shape. When a tooth is lost, the stimulation that’s naturally provided by the root stops and the jawbone and gums begin to recede and change shape. Surrounding teeth can become loose in their sockets, or fall into the gap left by the lost tooth.

Implants provide the same stimulation to the jawbone that a natural toot root does, helping to maintain the shape and density of a healthy jawbone.

Dental implant procedure at Aura Dental

At our practice in St John’s Wood, dental implants are fitted during a minor surgical procedure. A small hole is created in your jawbone to allow the implant to be fixed firmly in place.

The implant is made from titanium, which is a miraculous metal. The body registers it as natural tissue and grows bone and blood vessels around it. This process is known as osseointegration and can take from a few weeks to up to six months to complete. This integration creates a stable and durable implant, that can support a range of different tooth replacement options.

What tooth replacement options are available with dental implants?

Dental implants can replace one, multiple, a whole arch or a full set of teeth. A single implant can support up to three replacement teeth on a bridge, for example. The number of teeth that can be replaced with a single implant depends on the density of the jawbone at the point of insertion. Dentures can also be adapted to fix onto dental implants. Call into our surgery today to find out if dental implants could help you to a happier and healthier smile.

If you are starting to lose your teeth then you need to know what options are available for replacing them. Times have moved on and now you can get dental implants in St John’s Wood, as well as the more traditional replacement teeth options such as bridges and dentures.

You may never have heard of dental implants in St John’s Wood before, but they have in fact been around for over 30 years now. They have moved from an exciting, experimental treatment to a tried and trusted one that offers effective, long-lasting and versatile ways to replace lost teeth.

Don’t delay

Having dental implants in St John’s Wood relies on having a good jawbone. This is because your implants will be inserted into your jawbone, where the titanium implant needs to integrate with the bone tissue. New tissue grows all over the implant, over a period of about two months, holding it in place as securely as a natural tooth.

However, as soon as you lose a tooth, the area of bone around where the root used to be is no longer stimulated by vibrations coming down through the tooth root. The bone cells think they are no longer needed and the bone starts to resorb pretty quickly. You can lose as much as 25% of your bone tissue there within the first year of tooth loss. Dentists do have ways to restore the bone, with bone grafting, but treatment is much simpler if you come along soon after losing a tooth.

This loss of bone tissue is also why dentures, however well they fit at the start, tend to end up sliding around in your mouth. The bone and gum they grip onto recede.

Clever ways with dental implants in St John’s Wood

Dental implants can be used to replace one, a few or all of your teeth. One implant will hold up to three crowns, and there are techniques using longer implants, inserted at angles at the back of the jawbone, that allow dentists to install an entire arch of crowns on only four to six implants.

The best way to find out if dental implants are right for you is to book a consultation.