Dental Implants at Newbury Smile Makers



If you have one or more missing teeth this section will be of great interest!

I first published this item in the practice e-zine in 2005 but felt it could be of interest again especially to newer patients of the practice. We have been offering dental implants in Newbury since 1998/9. Dental Implants are now an established part of dentistry, offering more acceptable solutions to the problems of tooth loss for many people.

 

 About Dental Implants

Dental implants have now been used for over 40 years and have a vast library of research from centres all over the world.

They can generally be used for most people from the age of about 18 to 80 if you are in good general health. They are not always suitable and are not always the right solution.


One of the important factors is the amount and quality of the jaw-bone structure available to hold the implant(s) and we frequently use dedicated dental CT scans to give a detailed and very precise 3D x-ray image of the bone structure. This also allows us to plan and model the number, position, length, diameter, alignment and even style (there are many) of any proposed implant.


Dental Implant Planning

Considerable time and effort is required in the planning of a dental implant, just as it is in building a house. A full survey of the land is needed before even thinking of laying foundations. So it is with dental implants. The planning stages often require multiple visits, construction of planning models of the teeth and jaws, several x-ray images and/or a CT scan as well as photographs.


 

Placing the implants

This usually involves minor but precision surgery. This is often straightforward (but never simple) or may involve some amount of augmenting the bone structure to correctly support the implant(s). This may be done in-house here if of a minor nature. If a more advanced bone graft is needed, I may choose to refer you to a specialist.

Your new teeth

Making the crown, bridge or denture on the implant(s) may be done in many different ways and over a very variable time scale from as little as a few months to a year or more.

 



This patient had an implant placed to replace a missing tooth, can you see which tooth? Implants often provide a totally natural looking replacement for missing teeth.


 

 

Type of Dental Implant

There are many implant systems for dentists to choose from. The ones I use at present are designed and manufactured by NobelBiocare one of the world's leading design and manufacturer's of dental implant systems. They are made of Medical grade Titanium Alloy as used by orthopaedic surgeons and shaped something like a "Rawl" plug with a hollow centre ready to receive the "Abutment" post onto which the crown or bridge is fitted.

The abutment may be made of Titanium Alloy too or as in this case of a high strengh ceramic - Zirconia.




Final All Ceramic Lava crown fitted over the abutment


All the implant work above was carried out by Richard Charon at Newurysmilemakers


Dental Implant Study

As member of the Association of Dental Implantology (ADI) I have access to the most up to date impartial information and teaching on dental implants. I regularly attend Study Clubs, symposia, seminars and conferences specifically focused on implant dentistry.


You will find comprehensive information about what dental implants are and how they can be used and all the other whys and wherefores at the ADI website.


Association of Dental Implantologists

The ADI produce helpful information leaflets which you can pick up from the practice or download in pdf form here:

For a general overview about implants from the ADI

For a more detailed explanation from the ADI


Please feel free to contact us on 01635 47757 for more information or a consultation or email Chris for helpful and knowledgeable advice