Although considered a modern idea, cosmetic dentistry is a far from new practice.
2,000 year old remains found across America, the Mediterranean and even Asia highlight that centuries ago, people were aware of how troublesome losing teeth could be and used carved stone, slotted into the jaw, as a replacement tooth. In modern day dentistry, this is what is now called an implant.
Of course, today, techniques have advanced somewhat (hopefully!) but the principle is the same. Losing teeth can be a real nuisance and can severely impact on the ability to chew food, along with putting a real dent in confidence.
Today, many dentists who fit dental implants in Windsor and across the UK use a mixture of more aesthetically pleasing prostheses, fitted to a more secure fixture, to provide patients with longer lasting replacements for missing teeth which are both functional and visually flawless.
But there are many other benefits to choosing oral implants to fill those pesky gaps, which many dental patients have not even considered.
Better pronunciation
When teeth are lost, the tongue is free to move in between gaps in the teeth, which can cause problems with pronunciation.
When fitted with dental implants near Windsor, patients reported an overall improvement in speech patterns; less slurring, a reduction of any lisp and even reduction in stammering. Now that’s a bonus!
Better oral health
As they are fairly straightforward to look after, implants often improve oral health.
People who have had implants fitted are less likely to experience mouth ulcers, due to rubbing of dentures or food against the gum line, alongside a reduction in both abscesses or periodontal diseases.
While there are many benefits to using a fitted bridge or even a complete set of dentures to replace missing teeth, often wearers of the restorative devices report issues with chewing or biting into foods effectively.
As they are secured to the jawbone, the prosthetic teeth are more secure and allow for a more natural bite sensation, allowing patients to consume a wider range of foods – no more saying no to corn on the cob!
Better longevity
Although individual lifestyle choices often impact on the success of oral implants, a set of well-maintained implants can last up to 40 years!
Unhelpful lifestyle choices that reduce the effectiveness of implants include smoking, alcohol consumption, diets full of sugar and poor oral hygiene.
Better look
It would be unwise to overlook the obvious cosmetic benefits of oral implants.
When a dentist specialising in implant fitting is designing prostheses to replace missing teeth, individual factors such as natural tooth colour, shape and size are all taken into account.
In other words, any professionally designed implant will match any remaining teeth and will look completely natural.
Some implant specialists will even be able to sculpt an entire set of new teeth to perfectly match the natural ones, using only photographs, which will literally provide a new lease of life to those who have lost their natural teeth. Perfect!