Children can lose their permanent teeth just as adults for many reasons. Whether the result of poor oral hygiene or an accident, missing teeth in children and young adults are more common than you may think. However, dental implants are off limits and you may be wondering why.

While dental implants in Bromley are the go-to teeth replacement option for adults at Bromley Dental Practice, they are not the standard way to replace missing teeth for children.

Qualifications for dental implants in Bromley

Children cannot have dental implants because they may impede the proper growth of their jawbone. Children’s teeth are not all permanent and their jaws are still developing. This means that dental implants will not function as effectively as they do in adults. Dental implants can stop a tooth from coming in naturally and this can lead to further dental problems such as implant failure and further tooth loss.

The minimum age for dental implants is 15 years old, provided that teenagers have had all their adult teeth and are healthy enough to undergo an implant operation. Our experienced dentist will examine your child’s teeth carefully and determine if dental implants in Bromley is the right treatment for your child.

You should also take into consideration that girls may be able to have dental implants earlier than boys, because bone growth in them usually occurs faster. Before agreeing to dental implants, our dentist will ensure that the jawbone has finished growing, or at least has reached the point where dental implants won’t prevent the natural growth of the rest of the teeth.

Alternatives to dental implants in Bromley

Not many children and teenagers want to have a missing tooth. However, instead of being left with gaps in their smile, they can investigate alternatives to dental implants. Crowns, bridges, braces and space maintainers are safe and effective options that will hide gaps in their smile and help the new teeth grow properly.

Dental implants are not the only solution

To learn more about your child’s eligibility for dental implants in Bromley and the alternatives, please book your consultation appointment today.

In your head, picture the perfect smile. Talk to a friend and ask them to do the same. You could compare your ideas and there are bound to be differences. It’s the same if you ask anyone else. Even if we have similar benchmarks such as cleanliness and brightness, the overall vision is usually personal to each person you ask. One thing you will notice, however, is that no one’s vision of a perfect smile includes missing teeth. We all know that large gaps between the teeth do not look or feel great.

At Bromley Dental Practice, we can work with you to remodel your smile using treatments like dental implants in Bromley.

What do dental implants do?

Dental implants in Bromley are designed to fill gaps in your smile with natural looking teeth. Even if you have multiple teeth missing, you can still consider dental implants. If they are adjacent to one another, you may be able to have more than one tooth mounted on a single implant. How many implants you need is one of the things that we will investigate during your initial consultation. Once this is complete, you will have a clear picture about the desired course of your treatment as well as plenty of knowledge about the beneficial impact that dental implants can have on your life.

Treatments that work together

Dental implants in Bromley can work well with other treatments if you have a combination of missing teeth and teeth that can be left in place, but which need some work. For example, you can have one or several teeth replaced after whitening your remaining teeth. The dental implants can be matched to the new shade of your natural teeth, so it looks like you have a whiter smile as well as a complete set of teeth.

If you are going to address issues with your smile, you might as well go all the way and request a treatment plan that brings all of your teeth – old and new – up to the same high standards of health and appearance. A smile makeover is an investment in your appearance, your confidence and in the future health of your smile.

Dental implants are a viable option for patients struggling with tooth loss. However, they are not for everyone. Many patients cannot heal properly from implant surgery due to underlying health conditions. Knowing this in advance can help your dentist customise your treatment or suggest an alternative tooth replacement option.

At Bromley Dental Practice, most of our patients recover from implant surgery very soon and healing can take up to a few months – we also place and restore dental implants in Bromley and replacement teeth in a single day. Some health problems can compromise healing, however, and for this reason, we urge our patients to tell us everything about their oral and general health during their consultation appointment. Some of these problems may prevent the successful implementation of dental implants in Bromley, yet this does not mean that implants are unachievable even when these conditions are present.

Smoking

Although not really a health condition but rather a lifestyle choice, smoking can compromise the successful healing of dental implants in Bromley. While there is no guarantee that smoking alone will cause the failure of dental implants, studies have shown that nicotine interferes with the flow of the blood to the soft tissues of the mouth. Smoking will also change the bacterial balance in your mouth potentially causing infection and gum disease – hardly a friendly environment for implants.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Studies have also shown that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (or other rheumatoid diseases) have a higher risk of implant failure compared to regular patients. This is because this condition prevents the dental implants from bonding properly to the bone, leading to increased healing times. This can lead to serious risks but it doesn’t mean that if you suffer from this condition, you are not eligible for dental implants in Bromley. We simply need to ensure that you are closely monitored throughout the healing period.

Diabetes

Last but not least, uncontrolled diabetes is another disease that may hinder the successful outcome of dental implants. Uncontrolled sugar levels can impair proper healing, so it’s important to control your condition before implant therapy.

If you are suffering from any of the above conditions and you would like to explore your implant options, contact us today.

Dental implants are a bit of a mystery for many people. This relatively recent technology is starting to become better known in recent years, but many people are still in the dark when it comes to the details.

At Bromley Dental Practice, our team of highly trained dentists and staff is well experienced in fitting dental implants in Bromley, and will answer any questions you may have.

Does it hurt?

One of the most-asked questions when it comes to dental implants in Bromley is how much pain is involved. The very act of drilling into the jawbone and fixing a piece of metal into it seems like it should be very painful. However, this is not the case. There are actually fewer nerves in the jawbone then there are in a tooth, so the surgery can hurt less than getting a regular filling. Of course, anaesthetic is always used, and many patients state that they felt no pain at all. Dental drilling techniques have advanced a lot, meaning that they are now minimally invasive and use special planning technology to determine the angle and depth required.

Is it worth the cost?

Dental implants in Bromley can involve a not inconsiderate outlay. However, it is worth considering that they last for at least 15 years, often decades, and can have positive effects on the health and look of the mouth and jaw. If a single tooth is missing, leaving a gap may seem feasible, especially if it is at the back. But that gap can have an adverse effect on the teeth around it. Teeth stay strong by supporting each other – if there is a missing tooth, the neighbouring teeth can start to tilt or twist over time.

Where several teeth are missing, a denture or bridge offer reasonable replacements, but over the years the jawbone will start to recede without the support of the roots of the missing teeth. This can lead to a somewhat sunken look to the face.

There are also the considerations of comfort and confidence. Dental implants in Bromley can make eating considerably easier, and do wonders for your self-confidence. Visit us for a consultation if you are considering implants and have more questions.

Dental implants in Bromley are one of the biggest advances in dental technology in recent times, but how recent are they? If you are thinking of investing in dental implants in Bromley, you may be interested in the history of this technology.

Dental implants in ancient history

It may surprise you to know that dental implants date back to around 2000BC – in ancient China missing teeth appear to have been replaced with carved bamboo pegs. There is also evidence of the ancient Egyptians using their own version of dental implants.

Archaeological evidence from around 600AD has been found indicating that the Mayan civilisation in Central America used a crude version of dental implants. Skulls have been found that have teeth made from materials including jade and shell. Though they may be crude, they must have been successful in their own way, as the implants appeared to have fused with the jawbone in the same way a modern implant would. There must have been a great deal of pain involved for the patient though, as there were no anaesthetics or fine tools for drilling around at that time. Don’t worry, if you are thinking of having dental implants in Bromley, you won’t be subjected to any ancient practices.

Historically, missing teeth were often replaced with teeth from either another human, or an animal. While this probably seemed like the height of technology at the time, we now know that there is a higher risk of infection and implant failure with natural tooth implants.

The advent of modern dental implants

The most amazing thing about dental implants in Bromley is the way the titanium screw actually fuses with the jawbone, encouraging bone growth and forming a very stable support. This property of titanium was discovered by accident in the 1950s.

The first human dental implant, as we know them in modern times, was performed in 1965. It lasted 40 years, until the patient died.

Modern technology wins

While these historic versions of implants are very interesting, they are best left in the past. At Bromley Dental Practice, we pride ourselves on using the latest technology and methods when it comes to dental implants in Bromley.

In these times of austerity and uncertainty of what Brexit will deliver, we are all having to tighten our belts and think very carefully when it comes to having to spend extra. Maybe not buy that extra pair of shoes even though they are bang on trend and extra comfy. Maybe settle for a partial denture even though what you really want is dental implants in Bromley.

Want versus need

Hang on though, here we have a clear case of want versus need. It’s for sure you need to replace that lost tooth. It got knocked out when you were exercising, and you’ve ordered a mouth guard for the next time you go mountain biking, but in the meantime, you need to get that gap filled. Partial dentures are cheaper, but do you really want decades of a plate that clicks in your mouth when you want it to be silent, that lifts up when you want it to lie still?

Disappearing bone and gum

Do you really want the bone and gums where your tooth used to be to start melting away, almost before your eyes each time you look in the mirror? Yes, that really does happen. Without a tooth root in it, your jawbone thinks it’s no longer in use in that area and the bone starts to dissolve itself. Leave it a while and you will be able to feel with your tongue that an arch is developing between your teeth and that the jawbone is thinner from front to back too.

The only way to stop this depressing development is to have dental implants in Bromley fitted, and we will happily do that for you here at Bromley Dental Practice.

Roots and all

Dental implants in Bromley are the only method of tooth restoration that replaces the root of lost teeth. Having implants means you maintain your bone structure and you also get your full chewing power back, which means you can continue to eat whatever you like.

Also, dental implants in Bromley can last for decades and decades if you look after them well, so in the long run, they could work out the same price or even cheaper than the alternatives.