Dental implants

Why it is worth resorting to implantation?

• Dental implants restore normal chewing function. This is important for the general health, because if teeth are damaged the eating habits change as well, and this can lead to stomach diseases, etc. 
• Implants look very natural; as a result of this treatment you will have a healthy and beautiful smile.
• Unlike a tooth-supported bridge, dental implants do not require reducing other teeth to support the implant.
• With dental implants, only the space of the missing tooth or teeth is treated, leaving all adjacent healthy teeth completely intact.
• Dental implants maintain healthy jawbone tissue. When you are missing a tooth, your jawbone is shrinking. Since dental implants are placed directly into the jawbone, they imitate your tooth’s natural roots, and prevent bone deterioration.
• Often implants are the only way to avoid prostheses. There is no need to replace every missing tooth with an implant. Even if most of the teeth are missing, 4–8 implants will allow wearing non-removable prostheses.
• With proper care, implants last 30 years or more.
• The procedure is performed under local anaesthetics, therefore it is completely painless.

• During the consultation, the dentist evaluates the patient’s situation and offers treatment options.
• Some additional procedures that are necessary for successful dental implant procedure may be performed – oral hygiene, bone tissue regeneration procedure, X-ray examination.
• Implantation. The procedure is performed under local anaesthetics, so it is painless. Several small cuts are made and a piece of gum is lifted. The tooth root implant, which is a small post made of titanium, is placed into the bone socket of the missing tooth. As the jawbone heals, it grows around the implanted metal post, anchoring it securely in the jaw. The healing process can take from 3 to 6 months. Titanium does not cause any allergic reactions.
• The implantation procedure takes up to an hour, it is not complicated, so the next day you will feel good and able to work. You can have several implants done in one visit, so if you need to restore several teeth, you will not need many visits.
• Once the implant has bonded to the jawbone, a small connector post – called an abutment – is attached to the post to securely hold the new tooth. A crown is then attached to the abutment.
• Depending on the individual situation of the patient, metal-ceramic or zirconium crowns or bridge structures are made, they are attached to the implants, and then you can chew normally and smile again.

Our dentist at the Limerick First Medical & Dental Centre will answer all the questions you might have.