Fixtures in the community

Here at SW9 Dental, we are proud to serve the citizens of Stockwell of all ages with their dental needs, and pride ourselves on putting their individual needs and requirements at the forefront of every service we offer. Rather than simply adopting the one-size-fits-all approach to dentistry, which is favoured by all too many practices up and down the country, here at SW9, we listen to each of our patients and view them as individual cases. By connecting with our clientele on a personal level, we’ve established ourselves as a fixture in the local community, and hope to continue our service for many years to come. For those of you who are seeking a quality and reliable dentist to provide you with dental implants in Stockwell, you can rest assured that you need look no further than our friendly, approachable and highly revered dentists here at SW9.

Treatment through the ages

Implants, in some fashion or other, have existed for centuries. Some of the earliest records of rudimentary false teeth or implants come from China around 2000 BC, when bamboo rods were used to replace teeth which had been lost. Other notable ancient attempts to address the issue of replacing missing teeth came from the ancient Egyptians, who crudely bashed sea-shells into their mouths within the spaces where teeth had been lost. Whilst this may sound grisly by modern standards, it is interesting to note that the desire to have a full and healthy smile is by no means a contemporary one. As time went on, treatments and methodologies used to address the issues of missing teeth advanced greatly, however it wasn’t until 1965 when Titanium was first used as a means of creating an implant which could fuse within human bone tissue. This resulted in a replacement, replica tooth being inserted into the gap in a patient’s mouth, which proved far sturdier than dentures or dental bridges.

Why seek treatment

At SW9, we understand the inherent social pressures and stresses that can arise from having large gaps within your teeth, and having to seek dental implants in Stockwell. Whether lost teeth have come about through accident, or neglect, we empathise with those who have to suffer each day with having large or unsightly gaps within their mouths. This can result in those who are missing teeth having a deteriorated sense of self confidence or esteem, which can often lead to increased social anxiety and pressure. Additionally to this, those who are suffering from missing teeth often appear far older than they are. This is due to the fact that teeth are essential to the entire structure of your face, and when lost, the face readjusts, which often results in a person appearing older than they are. However, thanks to the advancements in recent years, within the fields of cosmetics and reconstructive treatments, patients who seek dental implants in Stockwell from us here, at SW9 Dental, can now enjoy a fully restored smile which is virtually as good-as-new, and undetectable. Thus, by seeking treatment of this nature, patients cannot only restore their smile, but also their outward appearance.

Losing one or two of your teeth may not seem a big deal but what our patients at SW9 Dental are often surprised to learn is that even a single tooth falling out is cause for concern. Not replacing lost teeth can have major adverse implications for your overall oral health.

Adult teeth are meant to serve you for life. Unfortunately, due to a number of various reasons from avoiding dental treatment to treat tooth decay to advanced gum disease to facial injuries, teeth do fall out. Despite being one of the hardest substances found on your body, the tooth’s enamel is vulnerable to the damaging effects of enamel-eating bacteria.

The oral implications when teeth fall out

The two most common dental problems experienced by patients when they lose a tooth or more than one is functional in nature – they have a problem chewing or biting and cosmetic reasons. However, beneath what may appear as a simple issue on the surface, hides more potentially serious dental problems. Read on to find out more.

1. Greater risk of developing a mouth infection

Missing teeth in Stockwell can increase the risk of a patient developing an infection in the mouth. The problem with infections is that they can easily spread to other areas in the body if left untreated.

2. Jawbone density is compromised

Teeth secure the integrity of jawbone quality. A gap left by one tooth falling out can cause bone density to shrink. Without good jawbone density, there is more likelihood of the patient’s gum receding with the disastrous consequence of more teeth falling out.

3. Neighbouring teeth shift out of alignment

Another problem created by gaps from teeth falling out is that open spaces encourage neighbouring teeth to move in undesirable positions.

4. Creates an ideal environment in which bacteria can multiply

A third concern about gaps left open in the mouth is that receding gums create pockets between teeth and gums where bacteria can flourish.

Fortunately all is not lost for patients with missing teeth in Stockwell. Dental practitioners offer patients a number of options to choose from. The more common treatment methods include:

• Dentures

These dental devices that are attached to the mouth with specially made fittings. Materials used may be metal or acrylic. Patients can choose partial or full dentures depending on their need.

• Bridges

Bridges act as ‘filler’ teeth. The device is mounted to neighbouring teeth to offer a replacement alternative.

• Dental implant

This option is the only available option that offers a permanent naturally pleasing result. Implants are more expensive than other methods but they are most popular due to aesthetic factors and function.

The more teeth are lost, the more serious the concerns are for a patient’s dental health. The serious nature is compounded the longer the patient takes to seek appropriate treatment at a dental clinic. Looking for viable options to replace Missing teeth in Stockwell? Avoid the above oral health concerns mentioned above. Contact us at SW9 Dental to find out how we can help. Our dental practice is experienced in treating a wide range of dental issues.

The availability of Dental Implants in Stockwell has resulted in our dental clinic receiving a plethora of requests for more information on the procedure. We thought to have the top questions asked answered for the convenience of interested patients.

Questions most asked by patients wanting to know about tooth replacement implants

1. What does a tooth replacement implant look like?

The unique design and structure of this type of artificial tooth replacement option is one of the contributing reasons for its popularity in the dental sphere. Once treatment is successfully completed, patients will have teeth that look exactly like natural teeth. The list of benefits grows larger with artificial implants offering a permanent teeth restorative solution. No more struggling with ill-fitting dentures.

2. There are three main parts that form a solid stable structure of the artificial tooth system:

• Metal (often titanium) rod or fixture

The role this metal fixture plays in the implant structure is critical.as it functions as the root of the tooth. The fixture is surgically installed into the jawbone itself where it will eventually fuse with the jawbone and tissue to become firmly implanted. The viability of the implant largely depends on how well the metal rod fuses into the jaw structure. Should the rod become loose, the greater the likelihood of the artificial implants falling out. This metal rod is also used to support partial or full dentures in addition to a fixed bridge.

• The abutment

The abutment is the part that connects the metal rod to the visible part of the artificial tooth – the tooth cap.

• The tooth cap or crown

After a period of time to allow for optimal healing post-surgery, the dental practitioner will place a tooth cap onto the abutment. The cap functions as a normal tooth would and eliminates challenges presented by missing or damaged teeth (discomfort and difficulties in eating and chewing).

3. For whom are Dental Implants in Stockwell most suitable?

Artificial teeth implanted into the mouth remains one of the best treatment options for patients who have one or multiple teeth missing.

4. How long do tooth implants last?

The single most important determinant on the lifespan of artificial implants is the gum health of the patient. Provided gums are maintained in good condition, artificial implants can last a lifetime. To ensure gum health, we require our patients to clean their mouth religiously (flossing and brushing as directed) and keeping to regular in-chair check-ups and professional cleanings.

5. How long do treatments including surgical procedure take?

Each patient’s case varies according to individual factors. A comprehensive diagnostic process is needed for all Dental Implants in Stockwell. Once this is carried out we provide our patients with a plan of action and an approximate length of time treatment will take. For a patient with minimal issues, the duration can take a few months. More time will be needed in complex cases.

Do you have further questions about dental implants? Contact us at SW9 Dental and schedule an appointment to find out if this is a suitable treatment option to replace missing teeth.

Losing a few teeth, let alone all your teeth is difficult to face, but if you do lose them all are you relegated to only wearing dentures? Although modern day dentures are pretty good, there are life style changes you’ll need to make, including changing eating habits and removing your dentures for cleaning. If you don’t want to compromise on lifestyle, what choices are open to you?

You’ll be glad to hear then that should you lose all your teeth, there is a solution that will replace the look, feel and functionality of your natural teeth.

What’s the solution?

In Stockwell, dental implants have the ability to totally replace all your teeth using a new system called denture stabilisation. This uses mini dental implants that are inserted into your jawbone without having to open up the gum first. The jawbone will then grow around it as if it were a natural root. This creates a very stable base for fixed dentures to be attached to.

It only takes 2-4 implants to hold an denture in place. The implants can be fitted into healthy bone at several locations within your mouth. This is great news if you have damage to your jawbone as it will not prevent you from receiving implants. There are some circumstances however, where implants are not appropriate, in that case, your dentist will offer you an alternative.

So what happens now?

Once you’ve been assessed and a treatment plan has been put in place, our implantologist at SW9 Dental, Yusaf Alshafi, will carry out the procedure. You can normally receive dental implants under local anaesthetic. Small holes will then be created in your jawbone and the dental implants put in place. Temporary dentures will be attached after surgery and you will then need to allow your jawbone to heal before permanent dentures are attached. You can still take them out to clean and rest your gums at night.

Your new implants

After healing and with your new implants, you will then be able to eat and drink as you would have done with your natural teeth. With good oral hygiene, your implants may last a lifetime.

When you lose your teeth, you enter into a strange new world of different ways to replace teeth. You have to weigh up the pros and cons of each method and ask yourself various questions, like:

• How much do I value being able to eat what I like?
• Do I want to spend lots of time cleaning and maintaining my replacement teeth?
• How many times do I want to have to replace my replacements?
• Do I care if my teeth let me down in public by wobbling around?
• How much do I want to spend on replacement teeth?

If you find that you don’t want the hassle and inconvenience that can come with some replacement devices, or you want to be able to continue to eat a wide and interesting diet, and that you want your replacements to last for a long time, then you are going to want to investigate dental implants further.

Here at SW9 Dental in Stockwell, we think that dental implants are a great way to go if you need to replace your teeth. They aren’t the cheapest option, it’s true, but they are the option that gives you teeth that behave like natural teeth.

Roots

Dental implants have one clear attribute that the alternatives do not have: they anchor into the jawbone, giving you replacement roots as well as crowns. Teeth are like trees, they need their roots to keep them stable. Having dental implants means that your teeth will be as stable as your natural teeth once were. You will be able to eat whatever takes your fancy, including chewy food, gloopy foods and bitty foods, most of which are off the menu with other tooth restoration methods.

Maintenance

To keep your implant-supported crowns clean, you just need to brush and floss carefully twice a day to get rid of plaque, and go for regular hygienist appointments. There’s no need to soak overnight.

Longevity

Dental implants last for at least 15 years, and they can last a lot longer if you take good care of them. You may need to replace the crowns at some point.

It’s hard to say goodbye when your trusty eating tools are on the way out, but, when teeth are failing, it’s best to get them extracted and get ready for replacements for your missing teeth. Here at SW9 Dental in Stockwell, we have various ways to replace your beloved pearly whites. Which method of tooth replacement you go for depends on the state of your jawbone, and the second one is price.

The gold standard

These days the most effective way to replace teeth is with crowns mounted on dental implants. These are replacement tooth roots that are made of titanium. Titanium is used in all sorts of implants because it is highly biocompatible, which means that the body welcomes it rather than rejects it. When we put an implant into your jawbone, new bone cells and blood vessels will grow all over it, but only if your jawbone is in good nick to start with. If it has deteriorated because you have had your gaps for a while or have had gum disease, we may need to do some bone augmentation work before implant surgery. Dental implants don’t come cheap but they do last for at least 15 years, usually a lot longer, which means they can work out the same or even cheaper than the alternatives.

Bridges

Fixed bridgework is only used for one or a few missing teeth as it needs 2 good teeth, one either side of the gap to hold it in place and provide chewing stability. The crowns are suspended on a metal ‘bridge’ between the buttress teeth, which have crowns put over them. Bridges last for up to 10 years.

Dentures

Dentures are crowns on a plate that sit either on or behind the gums, depending on whether they are replacing all or just some of the teeth. Dentures can last for up to 10 years.

Whatever method you choose, it’s best to get something and not leave empty gaps between your teeth. The neighbouring teeth can tip and fall into the gaps, so it’s best to put something in the gap. Also, the longer you leave your jawbone with nothing in it, the more size and density it will lose.

The prospect of losing a tooth – whether it is the result of an accident or due to tooth decay or gum disease – can be quite scary. And the closer a missing tooth is to the front of the mouth, the more visible that gap will be, causing problems with your appearance. Luckily, you can now replace your missing teeth with dental implants for a natural and permanent result.

At SW9 Dental, dental implants are our treatment of choice for patients who have one, several or all of their teeth missing. Our experienced dentists will examine your teeth and gums and help you determine whether you are a good candidate for dental implants in Stockwell. Generally, most patients can have dental implants as long as they are in good oral and general health and have enough bone tissue left in their jawbone.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically fixed into the jawbone. They are made of three elements: the implant post, the abutment and the replacement. The procedure typically starts by inserting the post into the jaw bone and letting it heal. Healing time can take several weeks or months and depends on the number of dental implants required. Once the area has fully healed, the abutment is then inserted into the implant post. Finally, the replacement toot is inserted, which the implant post holds in place for years to come. Replacement teeth can be either single crowns, dentures or bridges.

What makes dental implants unique is that they are made titanium. This is because unlike other materials, titanium not only is durable, but is also very rarely rejected by the human body. During the healing period, the implant post fuses with the jawbone creating a strong and sturdy foundation for the replacement teeth.

Benefits of dental implants

Dental implants have many benefits. Not only are they made to feel and look like natural teeth, they are also fixed into the jawbone. This way patients don’t need to worry about dental implants coming loose, like dentures. Nor do they have to be anchored to other teeth, like bridges. More importantly, dental implants protect the jawbone from deterioration and encourage the growth of new bone tissue.

Dental implants have been around for quite a while, and over the 30 or so years since they first came on the market for dental patients, dental researchers have been coming up with great ways to make the most of the only tooth restoration method that replaces the root of the tooth as well as the crown.

The importance of your roots

Replacing the root of a tooth might not sound like a big deal, until, that is, you lose enough teeth to have to have dentures or a bridge. Then you realise just what an important part of the tooth the root actually is. It holds the tooth in place so that it can withstand the multidirectional forces created by biting and chewing. For the average male, these forces are about 97kg or 200lbs. That’s a lot of force. Dentures which rely on suction to the gums for support, can only deliver about a quarter of that force.

The other thing dental implants do that dentures and bridges can’t do, is maintain a strong, healthy jawbone. You need roots for that because the tremors created in the roots when the crowns meet in biting and chewing tell the bone cells that the jawbone is still in use and they need to renew themselves. Without that signalling, it’s not long before the jawbone actually starts to dissolve itself, thinking it’s no longer in use. Your jawbone shrinks and becomes less dense, your chin gets closer to your nose, and your cheeks cave in. It’s not a good look.

So, if you want to avoid that prematurely aged look, carry on being able to eat a wide, nutritious, and interesting diet, and avoid the embarrassment of false teeth wobbling around in, and possibly exiting your mouth, you need to get dental implants.

At SW9 Dental in Stockwell, we appreciate that replacing each individual tooth with an implant would cost a fortune. And the good news is that you don’t have to. One implant can hold up to three teeth. And there are ways to replace a whole jaw of teeth on between four and six implants. Another option is to get your dentures stabilised with mini implants.

Losing a tooth can be quite a loss. It is, after all, a body part that is no longer with us, and although we have more of them, suddenly we have a gap where part of us used to be. The more teeth we lose, the harder it becomes to bite and chew our food properly. Speaking clearly can also become a problem. And, without our teeth to hold our cheeks out, our faces can start to cave in. It is a grim prospect, especially if you are losing teeth at a fairly early age.

The good news is that there are now more ways to replace missing teeth when you come to SW9 Dental in Stockwell. As well as the latest versions of the traditional favourites, bridges and dentures, you can now also have dental implants inserted.

Whatever you choose, it’s a good idea to have something done because without some kind of replacement tooth in the gap, your other teeth can start to drift around in your jawbone. They can tip into the gap and even fall out, and then you’re in double trouble.

It’s all about jaws

Talking of jawbones, have you ever noticed those people who age suddenly after losing their teeth? They get all pointy-chinned and sunken-cheeked? That’s because their jawbone no longer has the stimulation it needs to keep renewing itself. The stimulation comes from the movements of the teeth roots in the jawbone. Without tooth roots trembling minutely in their sockets, the bone thinks it’s no longer needed and starts to deteriorate, getting smaller and less dense, and your chin starts getting nearer to your nose. In other words, if you have missing teeth, sooner or later some of your jawbone will be missing too.

The way to avoid this is to put something else into your jawbone. Dentures sit on the gum and don’t replace the tooth roots. Bridges are fixed to neighbouring teeth for support. The only tooth replacement method that replaces the roots as well as the crown are dental implants. They are more expensive but they never need to be replaced, and they give you back the full functionality of your teeth and preserve your jaw.

If you’ve lost one or more of your natural teeth, for whatever reason, you may be wondering what the best tooth replacement option is. It is always advisable to replace missing teeth because otherwise additional strain is put on remaining teeth. These teeth may also become crooked and harder to clean as they move into any gaps, which can lead to further dental health problems. There is only one permanent solution for missing teeth, and that is dental implants.

Dental implants are small titanium screws that are placed directly into the jaw bone with a minor surgical procedure. Here they integrate with the bone, helping to preserve it and surrounding structures, and provide a stable anchor for false teeth to be attached in the form of crowns, secured dentures or bridges.

At SW9 Dental in Stockwell, our implant work is carried out by experienced implantologist Yusuf Alshafi. He will discuss the best implant options for your individual needs at your initial consultation.

Patients who have lost all of their teeth

For patients who have lost all of the natural teeth in one jaw (or both jaws) dental implants are a great solution, because unlike unsecured dentures they prevent bone loss and gum shrinkage, and there is no danger of implant-retained dentures falling out at an inopportune moment.

While each case is different, most of the time you won’t need as many implants as new teeth. Using the All-on-4 or All-on-6 implant systems, it is possible to support a full arch of new teeth with the minimal number of implants.

The All-on-4 dental implant system was developed by Nobel Biocare to provide patients with a full, secure set of new teeth that enable you to bite and chew all your favourite foods, keep your sense of taste, and have a smile you’ll want to show off.

All-on-4 implants work like this: Two implants are placed at the front of the jawbone and two are placed at the back. The front pair are positioned parallel to where your natural teeth were, whilst the back pair are placed at an angle, helping to spread the force created by chewing and providing strong overall support.