We forgot to post our case of the month for December! With the excitement of Christmas, this completely slipped our mind. Well here it is. A dental implant case which involves replacing missing back teeth. Although not a cosmetic issue as such, replacing missing back teeth can have a major impact on ones lifestyle. Being able to eat properly should not be underestimated. After all, eating is one of life's great joys. Dental implants are the next best thing to natural teeth. If you have lost one, several or all of your teeth, implants are the gold standard replacement. Here are before and after photographs:
 

Eating your favourite foods is one of life's great joys. Perhaps a medium rare steak, crusty bread, raw vegetables or a crunchy apple? Most of us take eating for granted. However, for those with missing teeth, eating may be limited to certain foods only and this certainly is not much fun. There is an answer and they are called dental implants. 

In simple terms, dental implants are titanium cylinders that are inserted into the jaw bone. A phenomenon called 'osseointegration' where bone grows and fuses around the implant means that there is a biological connection that is incredibly robust. Teeth can then be supported onto the implants replacing the ones that were lost. Our case below highlights the difference that dental implants can make. Our patient has lost all of his back teeth meaning that all of the bite and chewing is at the front of the mouth. Our front teeth are designed for incising down onto food (hence called the incisor teeth) rather than chewing. By using dental implants, we are able to replace the missing back teeth and restore the bite. Just take a look:
 

We are often asked "how much is an implant?" or " I am missing a few teeth, how much will it cost?" Our answer to this is it all depends on the planning. To provide the very best treatment, care and thought must go into the planning. After all, we are all different with varying needs and circumstances. One size does not fit all. Here are the steps to implant planning and treatment:
 

1. Full clinical examination including x rays and study models
2. CT scan(s)
3. Digital virtual planning on software including the anticipated end result
4. Fabrication of a surgical stent to ensure correct placement of implant(s)
5. Placement of implant(s)
6. Healing phase
7. Temporary phase with crowns, bridges or dentures as required
8. Definitive phase with final crown(s), bridge or denture

As can be seen, each stage takes time and, yes, money. Cheap dental implants simply do not exist; be very wary of cut price treatment! If you would like a FREE consultation and discussion on dental implants with our expert, Dr Nissit Patel, please call us.

If you are missing teeth, then you have probably already done some research into dental implants. However, unless you have already undergone treatment you may be unaware of what the process involves. Well, we can simply it for you in 10 simple steps:
 

1. Full diagnostic planning - a full clinical examination, x rays, photographs and study models.
2. CT scan of the area.
3. Digital planning on specialist software.
4. Fabrication of surgical stent if required.
5. Place dental implant(s).
6. Allow healing of 12 weeks.
7. Take impressions.
8. Place temporary teeth ( for multiple implants) or final tooth (single implant).
9. Review.
10. Monitor and maintain.

Of course, there are variations to this plan and we can place immediate temporary teeth on the day of implant placement if conditions allow. Dr Nissit Patel has over 12 years experience in placing and restoring dental implants using multiple systems. These include Nobel Biocare, Astra, Southern, Implant Direct, Blue Sky Bio, Straumann to name a few. If you are considering dental implants, we are offering a FREE no obligation consultation with Dr Patel. Restore your smile and confidence today, contact us!

Our case of the month for September involves a full mouth reconstruction using dental implants and a technique called All on 4. All on 4, as the name suggests, involves replacing all of the teeth using 4 upper and 4 lower dental implants. The great advantage of this technique is that by using only 8 dental implants in total, the overall surgery is reduced thus reducing trauma to the oral cavity and there is an associated lower cost compared to traditional techniques where 6-8 implants were required for each arch. The typical case is where gum disease has severely affected the teeth health over many years thus resulting in a full mouth clearance, which was the case for our patient. Please view the before and after photographs: