Now you can Securely Replace Your Missing Teeth

Mr Martyn Hayward can offer you the security of implant technology which may help you change the way you feel about your appearance. He has placed over a 1,000 implants for all cases. He can provide treatment for all cases, from a single tooth, implant retained dentures to a complex reconstruction with bone grafting, including the "All on Four" procedure. He is also one of only a few dentists who can offer computer guided surgery via Nobelguide.

Missing some or all your teeth can have a devastating impact on your quality of life. The loss of a tooth or numerous teeth can severely impact your self confidence, and your ability to chew your favourite foods. Missing teeth cause a reduction in the amount of bone in the area, which can cause sagging of the cheeks and around the mouth making you look years older! Gaps in your mouth can also make you feel conscious to smile widely, and to cover your mouth when laughing.

The loss of even a single tooth can have serious consequences on the rest of your mouth, causing overloading of the remaining teeth to compensate for the loss of function of the missing tooth, which can lead to broken teeth elsewhere in the mouth, tilting of the adjacent teeth into the space, and not being able to chew food as well as with your natural teeth.

Implants are a fixed solution to missing teeth, or can help to anchor dentures more securely in the mouth. Other options for missing teeth are bridges or dentures. Implants can be used to replace a single tooth, several missing teeth, or to replace a full set of teeth.

An implant is a titanium rod which is placed in your jawbone to replace the lost root portion of your natural tooth. A false tooth/teeth, such as a crown, bridge or denture is then securely fixed over the implant(s). This creates a stable and secure permanent base for the artificial teeth. The aim during implant placement is for the implant to fuse with your own natural bone, and this is generally very successful. The implant, in most cases, stays in place for a lifetime, so is one of the most successful treatments carried out in the mouth.

What is involved?

Initially, you would arrange to see the Mr M Hayward, who would assess your teeth, the spaces in your mouth, and the general health of the rest of your mouth. It is important that your mouth is healthy first, so that the implants are more likely to be successful.

Radiographs (X-rays) would also be taken to look at the amount of available bone, and assess whether we need to use artificial substitutes to provide more of a stable base for your implants. A small window is created in your gum, the area of bone prepared, and the implant is securely placed. Any artificial bone substitutes, if needed are also packed in the area, and the gum is replaced with a few stitches. The implant is then left for three to six months to fuse with the bone. Beautiful temporary false teeth can be constructed whilst this healing phase is taking place, so that you can still smile and chew confidently. In some cases, where there is enough good quality bone, temporary crowns over the implants may be placed on the day of implant placement.

Once the healing has taken place, we may need to place temporary crowns over the implants so that the gum contours well around the temporary restorations prior to placement of the permanent false tooth/teeth.

Heckington Dental Practice and Townley House Dental Practice, Oundle are both established practices with an enviable reputation for quality treatment. Both now also act as implant referral practices providing implant treatments for all cases.

Patients can be referred by their own practitioner or self refer by contacting either practice.

www.heckingtondentists.co.uk, tel 01529 461555
www.townleyhousedentalpractice.co.uk, tel 01832 272515