Athletes such as rugby players often loose teeth due to trauma. Missing teeth can also result from a poor diet, poor oral hygiene, or age.

The loss of teeth can significantly influence self-esteem due to the influence on appearance, as well as causing bite problems and difficulties in eating.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants replace the root part of your tooth: a threaded titanium screw or post is surgically placed into the jaw bone.

When may dental implants be needed?

Implants may be required when too many teeth are missing and there are no teeth left to support bridges. In this case loose dentures or more solid dental implants are the only possible choices. Generally implants are used to support either a single crown or bridges.

Dental Implants to secure dentures.

Dentures do not allow for normal eating habits because they are unstable. Using implants to secure them into place gives patients the confidence and comfort of being able to eat what they want.

Lifespan and success rate?

Dental implants can replace missing teeth very successfully. Their lifespan is determined by the skill of the dentist who placed them and how well you look after your teeth and gums.

When placed into the jaw, new bone takes about 3 to 6 months to grow around the implant and onto the surface of the implant (osseointegration). Poor placement and infections can interfere with this process. Infection of the tissue around the implant is much higher for people with poor oral hygiene and for smokers. Giving up smoking before the placement of implant would therefore be a wise decision. Generally, implants have a 90-95% 5 year success rate. For patients who look after their oral health and hygiene these can last up to 25 years.

An excellent solution for worn down and damaged teeth!

Pre-Treatment                                        Post-Treatment

Enamel is the thin, tough outer surface that coats your teeth and gives them a brilliant white appearance. With age and over time, this enamel can wear – with dull, stained and discoloured teeth as a result. Age and medications can contribute to this, but often poor habits like smoking, drinking carbonated drinks, or poor oral hygiene are the reason teeth are permanently stained.

The initial consultation.

Before your treatment it is important to tell your dentist exactly what you would like to achieve. You can talk about what shape or colour you would like your teeth to be, and exactly what the treatment will entail for you. Ask your dentist to provide you with examples (before and after shots) of previous work that they have done that are similar to the treatment you would like to undergo.

It is very important that your teeth and gums are healthy before beginning cosmetic dental treatment. Once your dentist has made sure this is the case, your new smile can be designed and your teeth are prepared to accommodate the veneers.

Endodontic treatment is the treatment of the inside of a tooth which is indicated when the pulp – the soft tissue inside the root canal – becomes inflamed or infected. This procedure is also referred to as root canal treatment. Untreated, pulp inflammation or infection can cause severe pain and lead to an abscess.

When is endodontic treatment necessary?

When there is pain, prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold, tenderness to touch and chewing, discoloration of the tooth, and swelling and tenderness in the lymph nodes, jaw or gums – or it can be asymptomatic and picked up by your dentist during a check-up.

What does it involve?

The dentist removes the inflamed or infected pulp, carefully cleans and shapes the inside of the canal, a channel inside the root, then fills and seals the space. Afterwards, a crown is placed on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function. For the first few days after treatment, your tooth may feel sensitive, especially if there was pain or infection before the procedure.

What about cost?

Root canal treatment is a specialised treatment that can save your natural teeth. Endodontic treatment and restoration of the natural tooth are less expensive than having the tooth extracted, because extracted teeth must be replaced with a bridge or implant to restore chewing function and prevent adjacent teeth from shifting.

Will the tooth need any special care after endodontic treatment?

You should take care not to chew or bite on the treated tooth until it is restored by your dentist, because it is susceptible to fracture, so you should return to your dentist for a full restoration as soon as possible. Thereafter, you need only practice good oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing, and regular checkups and cleanings.

Crowns restore and protect damaged teeth. It is placed over an existing tooth to strengthen and preserve it. When the damage done to your tooth leaves it so weakened that it cannot hold a filling or threatens to break, crowns provide a solution.

Pre-Treatment                           Post-Treatment

The most aesthetically pleasing crowns are ceramic or porcelain, because they give the most natural looking result. The other options are gold crowns, which because of their durability work well for patients with a strong bite when placed at the back of the mouth. Then there are porcelain fused to metal crowns, which is less aesthetically pleasing but more cost-efficient. The cost of crowns depends on the quality of the material used.

Are crowns right for you?

Perhaps crowns are not the best option – perhaps dental bonding or veneers can be used instead to protect the tooth, if the tooth is strong enough to support these. Discuss the matter with your dentist and find out all the available options.

Oral hygiene extends the lifespan of your crown.

Like any natural tooth, your dental crown needs looking after. It is important to prevent bacteria seeping in between the crown and your original tooth underneath. With good oral hygiene, a quality crown can last upwards of 10 years.

Digital radiography image of a dental bridge

Using a dental bridge.

The false tooth (also called “pontic”) is usually made from porcelain, gold, alloys or a mixture of materials, as well as two crowns. Bridges are commonly recommended when there’s one or more missing teeth which would impact your smile and your speech. When a tooth is missing the nearby teeth move into the empty space, which affects your bite.

Types of dental bridges.

The most commonly used type of bridge is made up of a false tooth implanted between two porcelain crowns. These can be secured onto the surrounding teeth or by using implants. This type of bridge cannot be taken out and is permanently fixed.

For gaps between the front teeth, or when surrounding teeth are strong and healthy, a resin-bonded bridge can be used. In this case the false tooth is made from plastic, fused to metal bands and bonded to the surrounding teeth with resin. This is invisible from the front.

Cantilever bridges are fixed bridges attached to only one side when teeth are only present on one side of the gap.

Fitting.

After having applied a mild anaesthetic your dentist will shape the adjacent tooth or teeth so that your new crown will fit neatly. Impressions with dental putty are taken and sent to the laboratory where your new bridge will be designed and made. In the meantime a temporary bridge is fitted to protect your teeth. The right shade will be chosen for your new bridge, so that it may blend in exactly with your natural teeth.  At your next appointment the temporary bridge will be taken out and the new bridge put in. Your dentist will assess whether it fits properly before it is permanently fixed into place.

Caring for your bridge.

Good eating habits and dental hygiene can ensure your bridge can last for anything between 10 to 15 years. It’s important to take care of your bridge as you would for your natural teeth, cleaning it every day as this will help protect you from tooth decay, gum disease and halitosis (bad breath).