Are there Drawbacks to Dental Implants?

Dental implants are an excellent long-term solution for tooth replacement, but drawbacks exist. A missing tooth is a severe problem affecting millions worldwide. Each adult in the UK has lost an average of six teeth. In England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, 6 percent of the population has no teeth. In other words, 2.7 million adults have no teeth. Nothing can substitute a natural smile except dental implants.

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While you can restore your permanent teeth with dental implants Croydon, they also have problems associated with them. Read on to learn the drawbacks of dental implants.

It’s Expensive

A single implant procedure costs £2,000 to £2500, depending on the materials used. It’s a one-time expense for a permanent solution.

Dental implants are highly durable and long-lasting, but they’re made from titanium and other materials that aren’t cheap. It’s more expensive than traditional treatments like bridges or dentures, which require less frequent dentist visits and get replaced without having to replace an entire structure as an implant needs.

It’s Invasive

A small hole gets drilled into your jawbone, and the dentist places a screw into the hole. The screw will then be attached to a post installed in the jawbone. The post acts as an anchor for the replacement tooth.

Dental implants are invasive procedures that require surgery on your jawbone. It requires a significant amount of time under sedation and recovery time afterwards, so if you don’t want surgery on your jawbone, then dental is not the procedure for you. Surgery has risks and side effects, such as bleeding and infection.

No Medical Insurance

Dental implants are not covered by medical insurance, unlike other forms of tooth replacement like dental bridges or crowns. You’ll have to pay upfront for your treatment, which is costly. You may also need to pay for some follow-up care after your implant surgery is complete.

Bone Loss

The dentist puts the implant in the jawbone, and if it isn’t taken care of properly, the bone will start to dissolve. If you’re not careful about oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist, you may end up with cavities around the implant. It could lead to gum disease and tooth loss. You can also lose bone around the implant site if these things happen.

Bone Integration Takes Long

Dental implants are not a quick fix. It takes time for the bone to integrate with the implant, and during this period, you’ll need to be careful with what you eat and drink. You’ll want to avoid hard or sticky foods like chewing gum, hard candy, apples, and carrots until your teeth heal. These foods can damage the soft tissue around your dental implant and cause pain or discomfort in your mouth.

Not for Everyone

They are for people who miss one or more teeth and want to replace their natural teeth with artificial ones. The implants get placed underneath the gum line, so you need to have enough bone in the area. If your gums are too thin, or there is not enough bone, it may not work for you.

If you have any infection in your mouth that could spread to an implant site—like a periodontal disease—it may also be best to wait until that infection clears up before getting an implant.

Multiple Doctors

It’s confusing and frustrating for patients who have never had one before. The dentist who performs the surgery is a periodontist or oral surgeon. They do not work with patients after their surgery to help them learn how to care for their implants and what kind of damage would require a visit back to the office.

Instead, you will need to find another doctor specializing in prosthodontics, prosthetic dentistry, or oral medicine if you want assistance with questions related to your implant’s health.

Multiple Appointments

It takes a minimum of three visits to complete the procedure.

The first visit involves the dentist placing a small titanium screw into your jawbone during an operation so it can heal and integrate with your body. You’ll also get a temporary crown to protect the implant while it heals at this appointment.
The second appointment happens about three months later—when your dentist removes the temporary crown and replaces it with a permanent one.
In the third appointment—about six months after that—you’ll have another operation where they put the final dental implant(s) into place.

The decision whether or not to undergo dental implant surgery must be made individually. You’ll want to research your best options and consult a trusted dentist before deciding. That said, you need to know that dental implants are worth considering, especially if you’re looking for a relatively simple way to improve comfort and your smile.