Dental implants in Richmond and indeed anywhere else in the country have sky-rocketed in popularity over the last decade or so because of the high level of tooth restoration they can actually provide. Add to this the fact that people are becoming more knowledgeable about them and are indeed probably far less apprehensive and it’s easy to see why more and more people are turning to them in times of dental need. With this in mind, we thought that it would be a good idea to take some time to explain why dental implants work and what sets them apart from their adversaries.
Osseointegration
The main reason that dental implants work is because of a clever biological process known as osseointegration. The word itself was coined by the person who discovered the process, a Swedish Orthopaedic Surgeon by the name of Dr Per Ingvar Branemark. It was found by accident when Branemark was working on bone healing and regeneration. Using titanium optical chambers he fixed them into the leg bones of rabbits to aid the healing process. After making observations it was time to remove the chambers, but when it came to doing so he found that he couldn’t. What had happened was that over a period of time the bone had been attracted to the titanium base and as a result had reformed and hardened around it.
Over a period of years Branemark branched out his findings to include the exciting possibility for implant dentistry and now the bone fusion process is an imperative part of dental implantation. When a screw-like titanium implant is placed into the jaw bone, the bone tissue that surrounds it starts to regrow and merges with it to create a stable and strong platform upon which a prosthetic crown is then attached. Without this process a dental implant in Richmond or indeed anywhere else in the world simply wouldn’t work and this is why it’s a process that’s totally unique in tooth replacement dentistry.
So what does this mean?
When you compare it to dentures or bridges that either rely on support from other teeth, or from dental fixatives, the osseointegration process allows dental implants to ‘stand alone’. This in turn gives the feeling and look of life-like, hassle-free, replacement teeth. In addition to this, because they’re placed directly into the jaw, bone shrinkage is halted and as a result implants (if properly cared for) have been known to last forty years or more.
If you want to find out more about how dental implants in Richmond can help you bring back your smile once and for all then contact Sheen Dental today and talk to our friendly and experienced staff. Alternatively why not visit our website at www.sheendental.co.uk where you can find a wealth of further information.