When you have lost a single tooth in your mouth, either due to extraction, accident or illness, it can really impact poorly on your self-esteem.

And if you are like the majority of people, you will want to have it replaced promptly but may feel that having a fitted bridge for a single tooth is a bit excessive. We don’t blame you!

Luckily, there are ways to replace a single missing tooth with something more stable and long-lasting than a fitted bridge; oral implants.

At Clapham South Dental, we are proud to be able to offer our suitable patients dental implants in Clapham. We have extensive experience with helping people regain their smiles and their confidence with the use of oral implants; should you have any queries or questions throughout the course of your treatment, just ask us!

Want to know more about dental implants in Clapham before deciding if they are for you? Here, we provide a brief guide to this restorative procedure Enjoy!

Implant types

There are typically 4 types of oral implant; endosteal (regular), subperiosteal, zygomatic (upper jaw only) and mini implants.

At our surgery, if you have enough jaw bone and are in good health, we will aim to fit you with endosteal dental implants in Clapham as they have a high success rate and are easier to fit than some of the others, such as zygomatic.

Fitting procedure

When it comes to fitting your oral implant, our team will first numb the area where it is to be placed. Then, a small incision will be made in your gum line and the jaw bone will be exposed, A small hole is then drilled (assuming that the socket has closed) and we will place the implant.

You will then need to wait for a period of 3-6 months (on average) for the implant to fuse with the bone, after which, we will fit your prosthetic tooth.

Prosthetics

The prosthetic tooth is usually made from a porcelain composite mix and we can assure you, it is hardy!

Once placed, it will seamlessly blend in with your surrounding teeth, as we will ensure to colour match it and shape match it to look as natural as possible. The prosthetic tooth can only be attached once the implant has fused to your bone but, once placed, it will be ready to use!

Aftercare

Once you have had an oral implant and the prosthetic tooth fitted, there are some general bits of aftercare advice to ensure that they last a long time.

Try to refrain from smoking, as this can cause the gum line to recede and can loosen oral implants; for similar reasons, you should also limit the amount of alcohol you consume. Visit our team every 6 months for check-ups, practice good oral hygiene at home with brushing and keep an eye out for gum disease.

Longevity

If you take all of the aforementioned steps, your newly fitted oral implants should last 15 years or more.

Great to know!