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Dental implants in Tunbridge Wells are now one of the leading forms of tooth replacement and with success rates hitting high levels it’s not difficult to see why they’re proving more popular than ever with our patients at Woodbury Park Dental. It’s worth noting though that dental implants are capable of failing and in most cases of failure it’s the same cause: peri-implantitis. Today we’re going to take a closer look at what this is and how we can protect ourselves from it.
Dental implants In Tunbridge Wells – an overview
Dental implants are designed to replace a missing tooth, the dental implant itself comes in several parts most of which is made from titanium. Part one is the anchor or root which acts as the base of the false tooth and which is surgically placed into the jawbone. Then there’s the crown or the false tooth, which is fitted on top at a later date by our dentist.
The benefits of dental implants in Tunbridge Wells
The reason dental implants have become so popular in the last fifteen years or so is because people are understanding the benefits which are totally unique to them.
Firstly, they are the only replacement that has the capability of lasting the patient their entire lifetime. If taken care of correctly then there’s no end to how long these are capable of holding up for.
Secondly, they are really and truly designed to look, feel and function as your natural teeth did. For our patients really wanting to find a solution that’s going to enable them to put their tooth loss anxieties behind them then dental implants can really do this.
Thirdly, they stimulate the jawbone to start naturally replenishing it’s bone dentistry again, dental implants are the only tooth replacement system to do this.
Understanding peri-implantitis
It’s really important to understand from the outset that just because your dental implants are technically false teeth doesn’t mean they are immune to a build-up of plaque and tartar. Just as when you had your natural teeth, when bacteria is left to build up and harden the body causes a reaction triggering inflammation, redness and even bleeding of the gums. When we talk about peri-implantitis we’re talking about exactly this, but just regarding the gum surrounding the dental implant site. Essentially simply put, this is gum disease for implants.
How to avoid peri-implantitis
To put it very simply, do exactly what you would do in order to prevent gum disease with natural teeth. We at the dental practice can tell you it doesn’t need to be complicated, just a good thorough daily cleaning routine which is paying extra care and attention to the gum line.
You should be brushing your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day with good technique. If you are unsure on what good technique is then feel free to speak to a member of the team at Woodbury Park Dental when you next visit us.
Flossing is also non-negotiable. Flossing is the only way to get deep down in the gum line and get all the bugs out. Don’t skip this step or you could find yourself in trouble.
If left peri-implantitis can cause rejection of the implants which is totally unsavable.