Dental Implants for Replacing Multiple Teeth

A look at this popular alternative to dentures available at our Burton practice.

The loss of a tooth is something that many of us will experience in our adult life. Unfortunately, unlike our first teeth, once a tooth is lost, there are no new ones simply waiting to replace them and we are then left with the option of living with the gap, or looking for an alternative to replace it. Where the missing tooth is visible, most patients will choose to replace it using either a partial denture, a bridge or an individual dental implant.

Multiple missing teeth

When more than one tooth is lost, then few patients will accept living without some form of replacement for them. Whilst dentures and bridges can be used for this, dental implants also offer another option which several of our Burton dental patients have found to be particularly effective.

Rather than using a dental implant to replace each individual missing tooth; a procedure that would be quite invasive and, for many people, cost prohibitive;  just a few dental implants can be placed and then used to support a fixed bridge. This offers a very strong and long lasting alternative to dentures that requires little more maintenance than natural teeth.

Full arch

This procedure can be extended even further and works well for those who have lost a full arch of teeth. Depending on the patient, as few as four dental implants can be placed at strategic positions in the jawbone and a fixed bridge comprising of a full set of replacement teeth then attached. The use of specialist implants in the rear of the mouth enable this to happen by offering additional stability.

Our Burton dental implant team are also able to use this procedure for patients who already have a full arch of dentures but find them to be unstable. Whilst these can be replaced using a fixed bridge, implants can, instead, be used to stabilise a patient’s dentures if preferred.

Single day treatment

The procedure of using dental implants to attach a fixed bridge also has a hidden benefit in that the procedure can sometimes be performed in a single visit. Unlike individual implants which have to be allowed to fuse with the bone before a crown can be attached, the special implants used at the rear of the mouth mean that the bridge can be fitted and used very quickly. We do recommend that patients still observe a little caution when eating for a while, as there may be some soreness and unfamiliarity with the bridge, but by building up to a ‘harder’ diet gradually, you will soon benefit from the extra convenience and confidence that this procedure offers.

To arrange a consultation to discuss dental implants with one of our Burton dentists, please call us on 01283 845345.