At Viva, a dental practice based in Lancaster, you can trust our expert dentists to create a smile that works as well as it looks. Nowhere is this truer than in the case of dental implants – clever replacement teeth for gaps in your smile. In this post, we’ll talk through some common questions our patients ask us, helping determine whether dental implants are the right decision for you.

What are dental implants made of?

Tooth implants come in two parts, essentially a metal root and a porcelain crown. The metal part, which is formed like a post, provides a strong anchor point for the crown and is designed to be ‘bio-compatible’, which means that it’s safe to use with your body.

Why have tooth implants?

Even a single missing tooth can have an impact on your smile, namely the aesthetics of it, which can cause a huge blow to your confidence – particularly if the tooth is missing from a prominent place. With multiple missing teeth, there’s the potential for further dental problems down the line, such as gum and bone loss.

Are dental implants expensive?

We find this a hard question to answer, as everyone has a different opinion on what’s expensive and what has value! In our opinion, tooth implants are worth the cost because they provide a permanent solution to missing teeth – so they shouldn’t need replacing in the future. They’re also incredibly realistic, possibly more so than other options such as dentures, so you could ‘get your smile back without anyone realising you have false teeth at all.

Do tooth implants hurt?

The surgery involved to place a dental implant is extremely minor, involving creating a small ‘hole’ in the gap before screwing the post in place. An anaesthetic is used to keep things comfortable, and painkillers can be used afterwards while everything heals over.

Am I suitable for tooth implants?

We offer a consultation here at our Lancaster dental practice to help determine whether dental implants are suitable for you, or whether a different option (such as dentures) could be considered. We do often warn against smoking during the treatment process, however, as this can inhibit healing and contribute to gum recession, which can increase the chances of the tooth implant failing.

What else do I need to know?

Our dentists are trained in dental implants and have carried out countless successful treatments. Dental implants themselves are known to be highly successful too, with 90-95% taking well. We’d love to guide you further on this, so why not get in touch with our team to arrange a consultation at our Lancaster dental practice?