Gaps in your smile or loose, ill-fitting dentures can do a lot of damage to your confidence, so much so that low self-esteem can even lead to depression, all because you are afraid to smile and laugh in public. For those with a normal and complete set of teeth this may seem silly, but at Clapham South Dental Care we understand how those of you with missing teeth must be feeling. However, this doesn’t have to be a life sentence, especially for those of you who have endured dentures for a long time. With dental implants in Clapham, we can restore your smile in order for you to lead a healthy and happy life to its fullest potential, never having to hide your laughter behind your hand but rather join in with all the joys your family and friends bring.

What are dental implants?

A dental implant is a small titanium screw that is implanted into the bone of the jaw. An abutment is connected to the implant and a false tooth or row of false teeth are connected to the abutment. Dental implants in Clapham serve two functions:

1 – Support false teeth.

2 – Support the bone structure of the jaw. Once a tooth or multiple teeth come out, the bone that they are anchored to no longer serves a purpose so the body begins to dissolve it. By securing a titanium implant in the tooth’s place we are able to ensure that the bone not only remains in place but is encouraged to grow back due to the nature of titanium, combined with the human bone matter.

What types of implants are there?

All dental implants in Clapham are more or less exactly the same, the difference is that they can serve a multitude of functions:

Single – A single dental implant can be used to support and replace a single missing tooth.

Multiple – Two dental implants can be used to support a bridge of teeth should a few teeth in a row be missing.

All on 4 – This is a procedure that is used to support an entire set of dentures on only 4 implants (2 at the top and 2 at the bottom) by fixing dentures into place. Those wearing them can be more confident about their life without having to worry about their teeth falling out at an embarrassing moment.

What is involved during surgery?

Once you have been cleared for dental implant surgery we will numb the areas of the face that need to be worked on. It is important to note for nervous patients that this surgery can be performed under sedation, so that you can get through it without any anxiety. Once the area is numb we will cut open the gum so that we can drill a hole into the bone big enough for the implant to be screwed in. Once the implant is in, we will close it up again and send you home for 6 months in order for the healing and fusing process to be complete, but don’t worry, you will be provided with a temporary crown or denture for that time.

After 6 months an abutment will be fitted to the dental implants in Clapham upon which a false tooth or set of false teeth can be fixed and then your treatment is complete.