Many people have false teeth and are concerned about them being loose, wobbly or unstable. Dentures need plenty of loving care and attention in order to keep them in the best condition and serving you well… This article takes a look at all of your denture care needs, how to fix loose dentures and answer some of the top questions people ask when they have false teeth.

False teeth and mouth sores

Dentures can unfortunately sometimes cause mouth sores, this is particularly true on fall lower dentures where there is a tendency for the denture to slide around over your gums. The real secret to preventing mouth sores is to ensure your dentures fit exceptionally well.

How to Ensure Your Dentures Fit

there are 2 secrets to getting dentures to fit really well:

1. Accuracy at the beginning
2. Maintenance

How well a denture fits when you have originally fitted is dependent upon multiple factors including the skills of the dentist, the accuracy of the impression that was sent to the laboratory and the skills of the technician. As with many things in life, you get what you pay for and cheap dentures can often be more trouble than they are worth in the long run.

In order for dentures to be really accurate at the beginning the communication between the dentist and the technician needs to be excellent, this is why many dentists work closely with a clinical dental technician.

A clinical dental technician has undertaken an extensive amount of additional training to enable them to work directly with the patient, this means a clinical technician can have a discussion with you, take impressions, try in the denture at an early stage and then manufacture the denture themselves.

This means any chance of miscommunication is eradicated and you deal directly with the person making your dentures, in our opinion this is one of the best ways to have the best fitting and longest lasting dentures.

Meet our clinical dental technician

Kevin Thomas – Clinical Technician
Dip Clin Dent Tech RCS Eng 2011, Certification in Dental Technology City & Guilds 1979

GDC No. 145573

Maintenance is also incredibly important.

Your dentures will not change shape overtime but the gums on which they sit will. As we age, jaw bone changes shape and the gum changes with it. This is particularly true if you have had teeth extracted.

This means that whilst your denture may fit perfectly at the beginning your dentures can become loose overtime. This is not because the denture has changed, it is because you’re gums have.

This is why your dentist or clinical dental technician may recommend a periodic reline, a reline is exactly as the name suggests… It is creating a new fitting surface for your denture. The part of your denture that you see remains exactly the same but a new fitting surface is created which takes up any space that has developed due to the changing shape of your gum.

Are you missing all of your teeth?

Do you have dentures that currently move around when you eat?

Then full mouth dental implants could be an option for you. Full mouth dental implants can be used to either replace a full set of missing teeth with a fixed bridge or stabilise an existing loose or wobbly denture.

Why do people get dental implants?

We’ve written before about the consequences of not replacing missing teeth . With full mouth dental implants many people consider dentures first, however there are a few advantages of having traditional implants rather than just a simple denture.

1. Dental implants can support the bone in the area where teeth have been lost thereby reducing the amount of bone resorption.
2. Implants provide a rigid basis on which to create a brand-new set of teeth, whether this be a denture or dental bridge.
3. Because they have a more rigid base it makes eating far easier.
4. Because implant restorations are more stable than basic dentures it means there is less chance of embarrassment that is sometimes caused when a regular dentures move about during smiling or talking.

What are full mouth implants?

Dental implants themselves don’t actually restore any teeth at all, the implants provide a substructure or frame on which to support the teeth that you see. Depending on the number of implants (substructures) used governs the way that you’re missing teeth are replaced.

Here’s a simple list of what full mouth implants are and how they might be used:

• 2-4 Dental implants – 2 would usually be the minimum required in order to replace all of your teeth. Usually the implants would be placed where your eye teeth were (canines), these implants would support little pop studs which would stick up on your gums (the dental implants would be completely concealed within your gums). A full denture would then click onto these pop studs.

• 4-6 Implants – if you had more dental implants fitted then you may be able to have a fixed bridge. This is where the dentist screws a fixed bridge made of either metal and porcelain or zirconia onto the dental implant heads. You won’t be up to remove the bridge yourself but it can be removed by the dentist for regular maintenance.

What we describe here is a very basic summary of full mouth dental implants, there are other slight modifications to the techniques above depending upon your exact clinical situation.

What are the pros and cons of dental implants?

Full mouth dental implant pros:

1. They support the surrounding bone and can prevent bone resorption.
2. They support the final restoration to ensure it stays in rigidly during eating, smiling and in everyday life.

Full mouth dental implant cons:

1. Can need more maintenance than regular denture.
2. Will almost certainly be more expensive in the short term than a regular denture.

The process for having full mouth dental implants

The process for having a full mouth dental implant treatment will vary significantly depending on your exact situation. The dental implant procedure will often be undertaken by a range of healthcare professionals including, but not limited to:

• Your referring dentist (sometimes this dentist may place the implants themselves).
• The dental implant dentist.
• A periodontics specialist who may perform more specialised bone grafting procedures.
• A dental laboratory who will be making the implant retained which or denture.
• The dental implant manufacturer who may get involved in the design and planning stage to work out which implant from their range is best.
• A dental hygienist that will help you with post operative care to help you clean and maintain a dental implant.

All of these people work together, sometimes in different dental clinics to ensure you have the best dental care. The procedure will, however usually be along the following lines:

1. An initial consultation with your dental implant dentist. Some practices offer a free dental implant consultation.
2. Initial impressions of the top and bottom to work out the relationship between the jaws and begin diagnostic stages.
3. Possible CT scan in order to work out position, density and quality of the bone.
4. Possible computer aided design stages to work out where the implants are going to be.
5. Bite registration in order to work out the relationship and distance between the top and bottom jaw.
6. Mock up of how you may look once the implants are placed.
7. Creation of a surgical spent from the mockup in order to guide the dental implant surgeon to place the implants in the right place.
8. Dental implant surgery to put the dental implants into your mouth.
9. Healing phase, anywhere between three and six months.
10. Checking of the mockup to ensure that everything is okay.
11. Construction of the final dental bridge or denture. This process may take a month or so depending upon the complexity.
12. Various tryings of the final bridge or denture throughout the manufacturing process to ensure that each stage is accurate prior to proceeding to the next. Then maybe three or four different stages and visits to the surgery during this process.
13. Final fitting of the final bridge or denture (false teeth).
14. Follow-up to ensure everything is okay.

How long does it take for dental implants?

It can often take a year from initial discussion to final restoration to have a full mouth dental implant bridge or denture so it’s worth beginning the process as early as you can.

What are the alternative options?

The first option in any situation within dentistry is to do nothing, this is sometimes the best option depending upon your situation. However, if you know that you want to restore a full mouth of missing teeth then the options are usually:

• A dental bridge fixed and fully supported on the implants.
• A denture which clicks into the mouth on the implants.
• A hybrid. This can often be a bar which sits in your mouth and is permanently fitted to the implants. Over the top of this bar clips a removable bridge.

The cost of full mouth dental implants

And so, we come on to the thrust of this blog post which is about the cost of dental implants. As you can see there are a wide range of alternatives and possibilities. You may need to have extensive bone grafting or treatments such as a sinus lift in order to create enough bone in which to place the dental implant. These are additional surgical treatments which is difficult to give prices for at the beginning as it depends upon the complexity.

As a general guide, the cost of full mouth dental implants in the UK will be along the following lines:

• Initial dental implant consultation £100
• initial diagnostic stages for study models and x-rays £100
• bone grafting from £500
• Full denture retained by two implants from £3500
• Fixed full arch bridge from £9000

As you can see the treatment is not especially cheap however, consider it against the cost of a car.

• the average cost of a small car in the UK is up to £12,715.
• the average car lasts for 8 years
• The average car is used for only 4% of the time!

Compare this to the cost of full mouth dental implants:

• The average cost in the UK is from £9000
• The average lifespan of a dental bridge is 15 years
• Your teeth are used 100% of the time. These are not only used whilst you are eating, they are used to keep your face supported to keep you looking good. Many people also use their teeth at night as they grind.

Most people would consider finance to purchase a car and indeed finances usually available for dental implants also, making them and affordable option for many people.

We do hope you have found this in-depth blog post about the cost of full mouth dental implants both informative and educational, please do let us know your comments below.

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, there are many options to choose from. Your dentist will probably present you with two main options to choose from; bridges or dental implant-supported prostheses. Deciding the right type of tooth replacement option which fulfills your aesthetic and functional requirements, while considering your budgetary constraints is a difficult task for many patients. This article tells everything you need to know about the difference between dental bridges and implants.

What are Dental Bridges?

Bridges are fixed appliances which are used for replacing one or more adjacent missing teeth. Dental bridges consist of abutment crowns which are attached to the natural teeth or dental implants which support the bridge. The missing tooth gap is restored by using porcelain crowns or pontics, one for each missing tooth which are attached to the abutment crowns on both sides. Since the bridges remain fixed to the teeth, they provide superior dental function and esthetics in comparison to the conventional removable dentures.

There are also other types of dental bridges known as Maryland bridges. These have a small wing rather than a full apartment tooth, the wings sticks on the inside of the teeth either side of the gap.

Maryland bridges can be made from metal or could also be made from zirconia using modern CADCAM techniques.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a metallic fixture which is surgically inserted within the jaw bone and they serve as replacement roots, these then hold the replacement tooth. After implant surgery and once an implant has become fully anchored within the bone (Osseo-integrated), missing teeth are replaced by attaching a suitable false tooth such as an overdenture, a fixed bridge or a complete denture.

Understanding the Difference Between Dental Bridges and Implants

To understand the difference between both these tooth replacement options, it’s best to make a comparison of their properties:

• Aesthetics – in terms of aesthetics, dental implant-supported prostheses offer superior, rather lifelike esthetics as higher quality
• Durability – dental implants are made from high-quality titanium alloys which are strong and durable. In fact, with proper care, dental implant supported prostheses can remain functional for a lifetime. On the other hand, dental bridges have a shorter lifespan as they are made from less durable alloys, and due to the fact that they depend on the adjacent teeth for support.
• Function – being fixed prostheses, both traditional bridges, and dental implants sufficiently restore dental function in terms of speech and chewing efficiency. However, dental implants provide superior functionality since they are directly anchored in the bone, and they firmly support the false teeth.
• Cost – naturally, replacing teeth with dental implants cost more than with bridges. Dental implants may also require additional surgical techniques such as bone grafting in order to ensure there is enough bone for the implant to be stable.
• Conservation – for replacing teeth with bridges, supporting natural teeth on both sides need to be trimmed slightly to create room for the prosthesis. As a consequence, healthy tooth structure has to be sacrificed. This is not the problem with implants, as they are directly placed inside the bone. Therefore, they preserve the adjacent teeth and underlying jaw bone.

Both dental implants and dental bridges can be made from a range of materials including metal or porcelain.

Choosing the right tooth replacement option is not easy. Many factors such as aesthetics, function, durability, and cost need to be considered. However, your dentist is the best person to guide you about the option which is right for you.

Lots of patients are asking about dental implants and trying to discover whether implants are right for them or not. With so many questions we thought we would attempt to answer a few with our dedicated teeth implant blog post.

Many people talk about teeth or tooth implants, in this post we will refer interchangeably between the term tooth implants and dental implants, these are different terms describing the same thing.

Why do dentists prefer dental implants?

1. Dental implants can help to stabilise surrounding teeth either side of the gap. They prevent adjacent teeth tipping into the gap and opposing teeth over erupting. Both of these issues can cause problems with your bite which can lead to eating problems and/or headaches.
2. Implants can stabilise the bone around the socket where the tooth has been removed. When a tooth is lost the bone around the hole collapses, this can lead to problems in later life.
3. Dental implants don’t require reduction of the adjacent teeth similar to dental bridges, they are therefore less invasive on the surrounding dentition.
4. When the cost is calculated over your lifetime dental implants often work out at the cheapest option as they involve fewer teeth to replace the missing tooth, unlike dental bridges.

How much does a full set of teeth implants cost?

It really depends on exactly how many implants you have placed and whether you need/want a removable denture or a fixed bridge. If you have lost lots of bone you may find that you need to have a removable denture with replacement gum to bulk out your lips, this can give a more youthful appearance and replace lost bone/gum.

• A full denture held in by 2 dental implants will typically cost from £3500.
• A fixed full arch bridge retained on dentures typically costs from £9000.

Further information about the cost of dentistry in the UK can be found on our blog.

Are dental implants painful to have done?

On the whole, no. The treatment is usually carried out under local anaesthetic only, immediately after the tooth implant placement you may need to take prescription painkillers to keep yourself more comfortable. For the first couple of weeks after implants you may find there is some discomfort as the soft tissue heals.

How long do dental implants last for?

The dental implant itself (the part which is under your gum and in the bone) can easily last a lifetime. The only part of a dental implant which may need to be replaced is the part that you see, this will either be a dental crown, bridge or denture. The typical life of a dental crown or bridge is around 10 to 15 years, although many people have dental crowns which last a lifetime.

The key to ensuring a dental implant lasts for the longest amount of time is a good dental hygiene and regular maintenance. This includes good oral hygiene at home as well is regular visits to the dentist.

Can a dental implant fall out?

A dental implant is made of several different components, primarily this consists of the dental implants itself (the part which is under your gum and in the bone), the dental crowns/bridge/denture  (The part which you see) and the abutment (The part which connects the underlying dental implant to the restoration that you see).

Generally speaking the dental implant itself will be so securely retained within your mouth that it won’t fall out, there is however a rare condition called peri-implantitis which can occur if the bone around the implant becomes infected. If this happens it is possible for the implant itself to fall out.

The most common reason you may think a dental implant has fallen out is that the dental crowns/bridge/denture becomes loose or falls out. This is not the same as the implant falling out itself. If the crown/bridge/denture falls out it is usually a simple process to replace it by visiting the dentist.

Do you have to have an anaesthetic for dental implants?

You will always be given a local anaesthetic for dental implants. You can also opt for sedation with dental implants in some cases. Rarely with the dental implants be placed under full general anaesthetic. The process is relatively quick, simple and these benefits outweigh the risk of a general anaesthetic.

What are the downsides of dental implants?

Dental implants have very few downsides, they need to be looked after the same as your natural teeth do and if you do this they will serve you well for many years. Many people believe that the cost of dental implants is a big downside, the cost of implants can be quite high initially but when taken into consideration that implants can last a lifetime it makes the upfront cost very high value.

This blog post has been written by Solihull Dental Centre and Implant Clinic, download a voucher now for a low-cost dental implant initial consultation saving you 70% off the usual treatment rate.

The cost of dental implants is something  about which we are very frequently asked at our dental practice in Solihull. Dental implants often run into the thousands of pounds but why is this? In this blog post we will look at how dental implants can be made more affordable and what the components are which make up the cost of dental implants.

What makes up the cost of dental implants?

If you had to replace a missing tooth a dental implant is often considered the most viable solution, but what makes up the cost of the entire dental implant?

The cost of dental implant is made up of the following:

• The planning stages.
• The dental implant surgery to place the implant itself.
• The restoration of the crown (the part of the tooth which you see) on top of the dental implant.
• The dental implant components themselves.
• The time of the dentist, implant surgeon and dental technician.

Let’s look at each of these in turn

The planning stages.

When you first coming to the dental practice with missing teeth you will have an initial consultation with the dentist who will discuss your options, (We offer a free dental implant consultation) typically your options would be to:

1. Do nothing.
2. Have a denture.
3. Have a bridge.
4. Replace the tooth with a dental implant.

At this initial consultation you should be provided with a full treatment plan including all of your options which also lays out the cost of dental implants.

For the purposes of this blog post, we are going to assume that the best clinical option for you is to have a tooth replaced with a dental implant. Once this decision has been made the dentist will begin the planning stages. This could include CT scans, x-rays and impressions of your jaw which can then be replicated in plaster.

Working with the scans and plaster models the dentist, surgeon and technician  can work out the best type of implant (length, width, style, brand) and plan the surgical stage.

As part of this planning they will also work out the best type/style of restoration to have on top of the dental implant. The planning stages can often take a few weeks to collate all of the information. Your dentist, technician and dental implant surgeon may then spend a few hours discussing your case and working out the best solution.

Once the planning stages have been undertaken you can progress with the surgery itself.

Free guide available for immediate download…

“What Everyone Should Know about Replacing Missing Teeth
BEFORE Starting Treatment”

A special report by Dr Zubair Sacranie revealing what everyone should know about replacing missing teeth.

• Are you a candidate for dental implants?
• What happens if you don’t replace missing teeth?
• Will you really need to wear dentures?
• How much will treatment cost?
• How long will it take?
• What are the downsides?
• Will it hurt?

Take your first step to replacing missing teeth and download my free guide today.

The dental implant surgery to place the implant itself.

With all of the planning complete you can progress to having your dental implant procedure. Sometimes the dentist themselves will place a dental implant or they may refer to another dentist who is a specialist or has a special interest in dental implant placement.

The surgery is usually performed under local anaesthetic but if you are particularly anxious it is often possible to arrange some form of dental sedation so that you are less aware of the procedure. It’s worth bearing in mind, however that dental sedation will often add to the price, particularly if intravenous sedation is used as an anaesthetist will often be present.

After the implant has been placed you move onto a healing phase, during this time you will often be provided with a temporary restoration, this may be in the form of a removable bridge.

The restoration of the Crown (the part of the tooth which you see) on top of the dental implant.

Once the healing phase is complete and the dental implant has fully integrated into your jaw then you can move on to having a dental crown fitted on top.  You may have a visit by the dental technician to take a detailed analysis of the colour of the surrounding teeth in order to match the new tooth in perfectly. If you are having multiple teeth replaced then you have a slightly freer rein  as to the colour that you would like your new teeth to be.

The dental technician will then proceed to manufacture  the dental crown, this may be out of a zirconia material (zirconium oxide) this is one of the most abundant minerals known to man but needs to be highly processed in order to make it suitable for use within the human body.

The dental implant components themselves.

a cross-section through a dental implant

When you have a dental implant placed there is the cost of the titanium implant which is placed into your jaw. This is a precision made piece of engineering which is manufactured  down to Micron accuracy (thousandths of a millimetre).

There will also be an abutment which joins the dental implant onto the crown on top. This abutment will probably have a precision made gold screw, the screws are usually made out of gold as they are a slightly softer metal. When the screw is tightened the softer gold screw has some give, this allows the screw to be tightened more tightly but also means that in the event of excessive force being applied the dental implant itself will not break.

The screw becomes a failsafe in the system, it is far better for the screw to break (a relatively low cost component) than it is for the dental implant to file  all the crown on top to break.

The time of the dentist, implant surgeon and dental technician.

Whilst it is extremely difficult to say exactly how long or how many hours each professional will spend on your case it is estimated to be in the many tens of hours.

By the time your dentist, technician and surgeon have been through the diagnostic, treatment, healing, restoration and post-treatment follow-up stages  they will have spent many hours working exclusively  on your case..

How much do dental implants cost?

In order to make this more understandable most dental practices do not quote for each individual stage, they simply place all of the stages and associated fees into one cost. At our dental practice in Solihull, dental implants start at £1995.

We also offer 15% discount to any patients on our Denplan practice scheme,  further details of the Denplan scheme can be found here.

If one considers the lifetime value of this then dental implants are often the most cost-effective option. Implants should last many years providing high-quality dentistry, allowing you to smile eat and chew again with confidence. Who can put a price on that?

Fortunately, a growing number of people in the UK are keeping their teeth longer however, there are times when we lose teeth and need to find the options to replace them. This blog post seeks to help the local people of Solihull, Birmingham and the Midlands to understand more about these options and to then make an informed decision about which one works best for them.

Your options to replace missing teeth.

You basically have four options if you have missing teeth:

1. Do nothing and leave the gap.
2. Dental bridges.
3. Dentures.
4. Dental implants.

Let’s look at each of these in turn…

1. Do nothing and leave the gap

When a tooth is lost most people just see the gap, at worst thinking it looks a little unsightly. The problem is it can be far more than this. All of your teeth are in a fine balance with one another, the teeth either side maintain the position of the tooth in the middle and the teeth on the top maintain the teeth position on the bottom, and vice versa. This is called the dental neutral zone and has been written about extensively in academic articles.

>> Read more about the dental neutral zone in an academic article.

Everything works in a fine balance and unison with one another to keep the teeth in exactly the right place, without the pressure of the adjacent teeth or opposing teeth your natural teeth will have a tendency to move!

The teeth either side of the gap will tend to drift into it and teeth/tooth opposing it will have a tendency to drift up/down. This can have an impact on your dentist’s ability to replace the missing tooth with a new one, due to the change in size of the gap, and more importantly it can have implications on the way your teeth bite together.

If your teeth bite together the wrong way ( known as a malocclusion), which could happen if you had teeth missing, it puts pressure on your jaw and muscles of your head, face and neck. This can lead to headaches and jaw joint pain.

>> Read more about the effects of malocclusion

The recommendation is, wherever possible, replace your missing teeth with one of the following options.

2. Dental Bridges

A dental bridge essentially bridges the gap between missing teeth. Your dentist will prepare the teeth either side of the gap by gently removing the outer surface of the tooth, reducing it to a stump. Over the top of this new teeth will be made which support the new tooth in between.

The teeth either side of the gap are known as abutment teeth and the new tooth in the middle is known as the pontic. Depending on the clinical situation two or three teeth can be replaced with new pontics in these areas, supported by an abutment tooth (One trimmed down to support the new bridge) on either side.

Dental bridges have been around for many years and are an exceptionally cosmetic and reliable way to replace your missing teeth. The biggest downside is that the abutment teeth either side of the missing teeth have to be trimmed down. Sometimes these teeth may be diseased or decayed and require reduction anyway, but if these teeth are otherwise healthy it can be unnecessarily destructive to trim away otherwise healthy tooth tissue.

3. Dentures

Dentures are low cost way and cheaper alternative for replacing missing teeth. Dental bridges can be more expensive because in order to replace one tooth you effectively need to pay for three, two abutment teeth (one either side of the gap) and the new pontic (replacement tooth) in the middle.

On the whole, dentures are a cheaper alternative as the materials and time involved making them is much less.

Partial dentures, those involving only a few teeth, can be held in place using clips known as clasps. These classes are typically made of  stainless steel and engage in the undercut on the surrounding teeth. When you slide the denture in the clasps will click over the undercut and hold the denture firmly in place.

One of the biggest disadvantages with a denture is that they are removable, many people don’t like the idea of taking dentures out at night.

4. Dental Implants

Dental implants can be one of the most successful ways to replace missing teeth, and here’s why.

Dental implants are often the most conservative option for restoring missing teeth. They don’t involve reduction of otherwise healthy teeth either side of them like dental bridges. They also don’t put pressure on other teeth like dentures do with their class or clips.

Dental implants act independently in your mouth to support the bone around the extraction site, the adjacent teeth and the opposing teeth.

Because the dental implant is placed into the bone itself it helps to stop the inevitable bone loss which always happens after a tooth has been removed, as previously discussed. Preventing this loss of bone also means that the soft tissue (gum) is also protected, thereby preserving your more natural and cosmetic smile over a longer period of time.

As with the other forms of replacing missing teeth a dental implant also supports the adjacent teeth and stops them drifting in towards the gap whilst at the same time supporting the opposing tooth preventing it from over erupting.

As previously mentioned, the biggest advantage to a dental implant is the fact that it can prevent or at least significantly reduce, further bone loss on the extraction site.

The cost of dental implants.

Whilst the initial cost of dental implant may seem high, if you take into account the overall and long-term cost it can actually be the best value option. If you have a dental bridge to replace missing teeth then you need to pay for three elements of that bridge, the two teeth either side of the gap and the new tooth in the middle of the gap. A dental bridge may also need replacing in the future if the bone where the tooth has been extracted continues to resorb.

When you take into account the cost of dental implants, the number of years it will last, the number of hours per day you’ll actually be using it then it can work out as the best value option. Remember, you don’t only use your teeth when you eat, you use them when you smile and often at night whilst you are asleep you may gently grind your teeth together, this means a dental implant is in use for a considerable number of hours per day.

Here’s an interesting article we found in the Daily Mail about dental implants…

£30,000, 5 hours in surgery, weeks of mashed vegetables… but my implants really are worth it

• Holly Merrick had constant infections due to an overcrowded mouth
• She spent £30,000 on a full set of implants in 2012 after her divorce
• She says new teeth gave her the confidence to smile – and travel

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2746133/30-000-5-hours-surgery-weeks-mashed-vegetables-implants-really-worth-it.html

If you would like a free consultation to discuss now you might replace missing teeth with dental implants then please book your free cosmetic dentistry consultation today.

The Solihull Dental Centre and Implant Clinic has been providing dental implant treatments for 10 years. The practice is located on the High Street of Solihull town centre, a short drive from the centre of Birmingham and easily accessible from anywhere in the Midlands and Sutton Coldfield area.