Our teeth do a lot of hard work for us, chewing our food, helping us speak, and best of all, giving the world our smile. Unfortunately, nature isn’t always perfect, and even for people who diligently care for their teeth with the dentist-recommended regimen of brushing, flossing, and regular dental check ups, things go wrong and you find your smile is missing a few teeth or worse! We are fortunate, however, that thanks to modern advances in dental science we can do a lot more to repair the problems that nature leaves us with!

One of the most exciting developments in dental care is the advent of dental implants. You can receive these amazing dental implants in Sunshine Coast from your trusted dentist. If you have lost teeth from disease or by accident, implants can do wonders, and return the smile to your face! Let’s learn a bit more about how dental implants can help you!

The purpose of most dental implants is to restore teeth you have lost, and this can be accomplished in several different ways. The implant’s positioning is determined by the health of your jawbone and your personal preference. Depending on your problem and the condition of your jawbone, the dentist, who will be a specialist with rigorous training in the procedure, will install one of the following implant types:

Subperiosteal implants –  This type of implant is placed beneath the gums. A key difference between subperiosteal and endosteal implants, which we will examine next, is that subperiosteal devices don’t require being embedded in the jawbone, they are instead placed on it, or above it. These implants are the best choice for patients who lack enough healthy jawbone material to support an endosteal implant but do not want to go so far as to undergo a bone graft procedure to rebuild the entire jawbone or the damaged parts of it.

Endosteal implants – This type of implant is placed directly into the jawbone. Endosteal implants are mostly fashioned from titanium and are shaped like screws. This is the most common type of dental implant because it helps to protect the patient’s jawbone from further deterioration. In order to perform an endosteal implant the dentist must determine that there is a sufficient level of bone density for the insertion to fit into. Patients who suffer from low bone density will most likely require a bone graft procedure first in order to strengthen the jaw before the endosteal implant procedure can safely take place.

Your dentist will assess your jawbone’s density to determine which implant position will be best to protect your mouth, while also taking your aesthetic preferences into consideration, after all, it’s your smile, and you want it to be your best!

Dental implants are made from several different materials. Each material has different advantages. The two most common are titanium and zirconia.

Titanium –  A successful and long-lasting option for dental implants that is strong and durable, yet lightweight. They are generally in three pieces.

Zirconia – A metal-free crystal material, the one-piece construction of zirconia makes for a shorter surgery. 

The Australian Government’s Health Direct website has further information on dental implant procedures. We hope this helps keep you smiling!