| 19 Alpers Avenue Newmarket Auckland NEW ZEALAND 1001 phone [+64] 09 524 5056 fax [+64] 09 524 5057 contact us |
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home : orthodontics : implantsDental implants are very much "state of the art" and are being actively promoted by dentists around the world. However, implants are only one of a number of options for replacing missing teeth.The alternatives include: 1. the partial denture. Either with a metal frame or a plastic base, or a combination of the two. The partial denture has been available for a hundred years. It is now a sophisticated and visually acceptable alternative for many people - especially people who don't show their gums when they talk or smile. It is also the cheapest option for replacing missing teeth. The down side is that, being removable, it may be removed by sticky food or by a sneeze. And, like tyres on your car, dentures will wear. It will need to be replaced every ten years or so on an average. 2. the dental bridge. Dentists have been making bridges for several generations. The teeth adjoining the missing tooth are trimmed down and an impression of the prepared teeth is sent to a laboratory which makes a series of joined porcelain crowns with either a metal or ceramic base. They should be aesthetically excellent and unable to be detected as artificial teeth. The other thing some people will consider is that now bridges can be made 100% ceramic - no metal. Again, like dentures, bridges will wear out and need to be replaced every 20 years or so. The main problem here is that as you get older, the gum slowly shrinks back [that's where the expression 'getting long in the tooth' came from!]and the join between the porcelain crown and the root of the tooth may show as a dark line [the same problem happens with porcelain crowns]. 3. the dental implant. The implant can be used in several different ways to help dental problems. Commonly they are used to replace missing teeth. They can also support bridges where there are a lot of teeth missing. And implants are very good at stabilising loose dentures that may be inclined to slop around the mouth. Conventional implants [they look like sort of small ceramic coated metal carrots] require a minor surgical procedure to insert them into the gums. This is often easier than the original tooth extraction, and usually requires no more than asprin or a similar mild pain killer afterwards. After a healing period of 3 to 5 months, the final crown or bridge can be placed on the implant. It is possible to wear a denture during this healing time, or a temporary bridge can be made to 'fill the gap'. 'Mini implants' can be placed in 90 minutes to give 'snap in' dentures, providing instant relief for those who suffer the misery of loose dentures. Bernard does the implants at Alpers Dental. He started taking implant courses in 1987 and has used a number of different implant systems in UK hospitals and in private practice in Germany. Come and talk with Bernard if you think an implant may be an option for you |
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