Sometimes patients come to us with a problem bigger than a lack of teeth. They have lost their smile and this is affecting their confidence and social abilities. It is a very big step to visit the dentist for the first time after years of problems or not seeing a dentist. The good news is that we are here to help you find a solution and to guide you during the process of recovering your smile. Some patients come to us thinking that it is impossible for them to have fixed teeth again. But, thanks to our team and to a careful and personal assessment, most of the times there is still an option. We share a case that we treated at Brighton Implant Clinic where the patient had multiple missing teeth and wanted to restore the missing teeth with fixed comfortable teeth.

Where possible we try to restore the aesthetic appearance and restore the function as close to the natural teeth as possible. In this case we replaced the upper teeth and maintained the lower natural teeth. As we did in this case, we generally recommend our patients to have problem teeth extracted first and then allowing the bone and gums to heal before placing dental implants. During this healing period patients will opt to use a removable denture. Removable dentures are generally difficult to cope with as they are removable appliances. Implants are more popular since they are fixed to the jaw bone.

After four months, a 3D X-Ray is taken to evaluate the quantity and quality of the bone. This special X-Ray is called a CT Scan and it allows us to measure the bone in width, length and height as well as its density. This is fundamental in order to decide whether it is possible to place dental implants or not. In this case the bone healed satisfactorily and the amount of bone available allowed us to go ahead with the treatment.

The day of the surgery four implants were placed in the upper jaw. It is a long procedure so the patient was sedated for more comfort. Provided that the implants are stable and secure enough then we will be able to fit fixed provisional teeth on the same day. A provisional bridge is made in our dental laboratory and after a few hours we will fit your new fixed teeth. This provisional bridge needs to stay in the mouth another four months so the bone can continue to heal around the implants. During this period of time a soft diet and very good hygiene is necessary to decrease as much as possible the risk of implant failure.

It is extremely important that the patient carries out a regular maintenance of this new set of teeth. This includes daily oral hygiene and annual check ups at the dentist. At Brighton Implant Clinic we offer a FREE implant consultation. During this one hour appointment a detailed assessment will be completed which may include photos, radiographs and or CT scans. For more information please contact one of our clinics.