Implants
What exactly are implants?
This may be one of the most asked question any dentist gets. Simply put, they are fake teeth used to replace gaps or missing teeth that stay in your mouth using a screw-like system, no need to keep a glass of water by the bed for falsers when you have implants! They last a lifetime and look just like real teeth.
As with all treatments an examination is required in advance, this will require several X-rays and scans, all of which can be performed at Snowdrop Clinic. We assess the condition of the bone and the teeth surrounding the potential implant site.
The implant itself is made from 3 main parts which differ slightly depending on which option is picked.
The Implant
This is a titanium screw that is inserted into the jaws. It takes a few months to settle in. Once it has, it’s rock solid. This may sound a bit daunting, but actually the gums are frozen, and you don’t feel a thing. Once in, we don’t usually take implants out.
The Abutment
This is a tiny connector and allows the implant to connect to the crown or denture or what ever you like. They usually aren’t often seem, but are an important part of the implant process.
The Crown
Implants are usually connected to a crown. This is the white bit of the implant and the part that can be seen. Implants are usually connected to a single crown or in some cases to a small bridge (more on that next)
In addition to the crown, implants can also connect to other devices, which gives implants a wide range of uses depending on the issue.