Dental Implants in Shrewsbury

Argo Dental is a major provider of dental implant treatment in Shrewsbury

Argo Dental Practice is a family run practice with family values. We are one of the longest established dental practices in the area providing dental implants in Shrewsbury. Our Shrewsbury practice is housed in a purpose built practice with up to date facilities that are modern and of a very high standard.

If, like many of our local patients, you are considering a dental implant, the questions and answers below may be of help.

What is a dental implant?

Dental Implants Telford

A dental implant is a means of securely attaching replacements for missing teeth into the mouth. Usually in the form of a titanium screw, a material chosen because it is very well tolerated by the body, implants have been around for a long time and are a well-established form of treatment.

There are various forms of attachment, depending on what is required in a specific circumstance, and it is not necessarily the case that the teeth are permanently attached – They could be removable for cleaning, for example. It does not always require one implant per replacement tooth as sometimes it is possible to bridge multiple teeth between implants. Generally, but particularly for back teeth, it is not a good idea to take two teeth off one implant for reliability reasons

Implants are a highly successful and predictable form of treatment with reported ten year survival rates in excess of 95%. One of the key factors in success is the initial integration into the bone.

What is osseointegration?

Osseointegration is the name given to the biological process of bone attaching to the surface of an implant. Implant surfaces are made in such a way that, given time, bone can grow onto the surface of the implant, thus rigidly securing it. This is much the same process by which bone heals itself when it is broken.

Bone is constantly being repaired with some bone being broken down at the same time as new bone grows. This is how the bone can respond to changes on function and damage. Growth of new bone is a delicate process which is easily disrupted. For example, if a bone in the arm is broken, the arm is put in plaster to keep the bone stable to allow the delicate process of repair to work. Much the same thing happens with an implant. If the implant were to move in the bone, then new bone would not be able to attach thus the implant would not be fixed in the bone. It is for this reason that there is typically a delay of about 2 months (it varies with circumstance) before using the implant to support teeth. In some specific cases, it may be possible to use the increased stability of newer implant designs to put a temporary tooth back immediately following implant placement.

What goes onto the implant to hold the teeth in?

This can vary depending on requirements, but usually a component known as an abutment is used. The first kind of abutment is called a healing abutment and is often put in straight after the implant is inserted, which permits the gum to form around it. Once the implant is integrated the healing abutment is removed and impressions are taken to fabricate the replacement teeth. These can be in the form of crowns, bridges or dentures. They are custom made and secured onto permanent abutments with either screws, cement or other attachments.

Dental Implants Shrewsbury

How long do implants last?

This is not an easy question to answer, as one of the main factors determining long-term success is how well they are looked after. Implants need brushing and keeping clean much as normal teeth do, and whilst there may be special techniques for some implants, the process is much the same as looking after natural teeth. Implants rarely break and there are many cases of implants lasting decades. The teeth supported on the implants may need replacing over time, particularly in the case of dentures, but this again depends on usage.

Am I too old or not suitable?

Age is not normally a barrier for treatment, but as bone may become less dense over time it might take longer for it to attach to the implant, as there needs to be enough volume of bone to place the implant into. Bone can waste away if teeth have been missing for some time, and some medical conditions make implants riskier or less likely to be successful. Smoking has an adverse effect on oral health generally and this applies to implants too. A history of gum disease around teeth makes it more likely there could be a future problem of gum disease around implants.

What if I do not have enough bone?

If over time the bone has wasted away or has been damaged during tooth removal, then it may be necessary to regenerate the bone. This could be to either have enough bone volume to place an implant, or to put the shape of the gum back to the correct contour to allow the appearance to be satisfactory.

Patient care is of the upmost priority and providing a first class service has been our ethos from the very beginning. We have a very long established patient list at both locations, with some of our current patients remaining with us for over 20 years, and now also brining their children along as patients – in some instances, we even have three generations of the same family. The majority of our patients join our practice through word of mouth or personal recommendation.