Older people contemplating getting dentures could consider dental implants as an alternative.

With an increase in the number of people opting to get dental implants in recent years, the benefits of the procedure have been highlighted.

The process allows people to have the look and feel of natural teeth, without damaging the surrounding area.

Colgate Oral and Dental Health Resource Center revealed the two types of dental implant procedure most commonly used with patients.

Endosteal implants are fitted through the jawbone in two surgical procedures. A second operation is needed to connect a post to the original implant.

Subperiosteal implants consist of a metal frame fitted onto the jawbone.

Dental implants can replace a single tooth that has been knocked or fallen out or an entire set of teeth which has become damaged over time.

If the replacement teeth are treated with the appropriate care and regular professional check-ups, they are likely to last a lifetime.

Colgate advises people to ensure their gums are healthy before choosing to get implants fitted.

People who have lost teeth should consider dental implants to maintain a dazzling smile, an expert has claimed.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr Weiguang Ma has recommended the procedure to people who have missing teeth due to the natural look and feel of the implant.

Speaking in the Wausau Daily Herald, Dr Ma stated that dental implants "offer excellent function, beauty and durability".

The procedure sees dental professionals surgically fit a titanium implant into the jawbone, which will hold a replacement tooth to give the teeth a natural appearance.

Dental implants can replace a single tooth that has been knocked out during an accident or an entire set that could have been damaged by gum disease or tooth decay.

Dr Ma told the newspaper that the procedure can be performed on anyone wanting to replace missing teeth. However, children in their teens are usually unable to get the treatment due to fact that the jaw has not finished developing.

Meanwhile, dentalimplant.co.uk claims that the procedure can make patients more confident and look younger.

Dental implants are an effective method of replacing missing teeth but dentists in Canada are uncertain about performing the procedure on young people.

In an article for Canada's Oral Health Journal, Dr Todd Welch has conveyed uncertainty in performing dental implants on teenagers due to the fact that facial and jaw development may not be complete.

However, Dr Welch acknowledged the loss of confidence a young person would feel after losing a tooth and suggested dentists across the world are faced with a dilemma.

Dental implant surgery has proven to be a hugely successful method of tooth repair in adults, he stated. The procedure includes the use of a fake root which is placed within the bone to give the appearance of a real tooth.

Dr Welch added: "This issue has been studied in giant literature and also proven in clinical practice."

"Sometimes, placing implants too early can be remedied by changing the crowns which attach to them."

Having dental implants fitted is sure to be better than wearing dentures, according to one oral healthcare specialist.

Dr Robbie Taylor, writing for the Daily News Journal, said they offer a much better fit and will also function better than traditional false teeth.

He pointed out that not only will they prevent slipping and jaw bone erosion, but they will also be able to provide 80 per cent of the biting force of real teeth, up from just 20 per cent with dentures.

"Most patients find it's a worthy investment. Talk to your dentist to see if you're a good candidate," Dr Taylor recommended.

Earlier this month, periodontics and implantology specialist Dr Robert Pearson told the Savannah Morning News that dental implants can now even be put in place around the delicate sinus areas.

He explained that technology has improved to such an extent that this is now an easy procedure.
 

Fitting dental implants for a patient can help them to achieve a better quality of life, it has been claimed.

Dental Health magazine stated that the prosthetics are suitable in a variety of circumstance, whether a person has all of their teeth missing or just one.

For instance, the article pointed out, dental implants will be particularly useful when there is no back tooth present. Previously, this would have presented a problem because dentures and similar false teeth needed to anchor in two places.

However, implants are able to stand alone and have their roots in the jaw bone, so will not need the stability of a neighbouring tooth.

They could also be an option for elderly people who cannot remember to take out dentures at night.

"Modern medicine can make a small miracle – restore the tooth row and give the patient the joy of healthy living with a beautiful smile," Dental Health concluded.

Newswise recently recommended that anyone thinking of having dental implants should seek the advice of a professional healthcare provider.
 

Dental implants are good because they function in the same way as the teeth that patients had before.

This is according to periodontics and implantology specialist Dr Robert Pearson, who told the Savannah Morning News that technology has now advanced to such an extent that dentists are able to put the devices in place, graft in bone to anchor them and even work around the delicate sinus area.

"In the past, this procedure was elaborate and invasive. The sinus lift now may be performed with minimal manipulation of surrounding tissue resulting in simple quick healing," he explained.

Dental implants are a two-step process that involves screwing a titanium rod into the jaw bone and then adding a custom-made crown.

It was speculated earlier this week that Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi might have had dental implants to fix his jaw and teeth, which were damaged during an attack on him in 2009.

A writer has said that he has been delighted by how his dental implant treatment has turned out.

Tim Jepson of the Telegraph said he opted to have one fitted after losing a molar when he bit into a prune.

He explained that he went for this kind of treatment over a bridge because dental implants are strong, reliable and durable and do not compromise any surrounding teeth.

The fitting of the titanium equipment and the mock tooth took around 40 minutes and Mr Jepson insisted that he didn't feel a thing.

"I am delighted with my implant. I can't feel it, it's rock solid and the crown is better-looking than the tooth that was there before," he concluded, urging anyone who has been wondering about whether or not to have implants to "bite the bullet".

WorlDental.org – the website of Dental Health magazine – recently said that people who are struggling as a result of age-related tooth loss could benefit from having dental implants.
 

Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi may have had dental implants to repair his jaw and teeth following an attack, it has been suggested.

The 74-year-old underwent four hours of surgery today (March 7th 2011) in Milan after his face was damaged by the incident in 2009.

A mentally ill man had approached the premier before smashing him in the mouth with a statuette during a political rally, causing him to suffer suffered a broken nose and two broken teeth.

In a brief statement, a spokesperson said it had become "necessary to restore the anatomy and jaw function that had been gravely compromised" due to problems more than a year later.

There has been speculation from various sources that Berlusconi has now had dental implants fitted.

Last month, Shaun Harrad from Northampton Football Club said he had to have dental implants after falling during his honeymoon in 2010 and losing two of his teeth.
 

Many of the reasons people put off having dental implants fitted may well be unfounded, according to one oral health magazine.

World Dental claimed there is no reason to distrust the procedure, as the surgery has a history stretching back more than 50 years.

With many people believing undergoing dental implant surgery could be painful, time-consuming and expensive, the publication explained that those who opt for the procedure will always be put under a local anaesthetic to ease the pain.

The surgery will only take up to 30 minutes and although not cheap, the implants can last up to ten years if properly looked after.

In addition, the publication said a mere two per cent of patients reject dental implants and this usually occurs only when they have a pre-existing metal allergy.

It added: "Modern skilled professionals can provide almost 100 per cent guarantee on the result."

Dr Amarik Singh, a dental implant doctor, recently told Health News that sophisticated tools and state-of-the-art computer imaging techniques mean the procedure can now be undertaken without the gums having to be cut open.

Dental implants and other forms of innovative medical technologies are set to become even more popular over the coming years as people become more aware of their benefits.

Becker's ASC Review cites a study from the Millennium Research Group which shows that treatments such as facial injectables, percutaneous heart valves and dental implants are set to dominate the healthcare market by 2016.

Dr Mitesh Badiani told Okehampton Today that dental implants are good because they are a "clever long-term solution" rather than a quick fix like dentures or bridges.

He explained that they are a screw-shaped replacement for the original tooth – which may have been knocked out in an accident – that are anchored into the jaw bone.

"Made from titanium, they tend to be well tolerated by bone tissue, which should 'fuse' with the implant making the new tooth extremely stable," the expert added.

Anyone thinking of having dental implants should seek the advice of a professional to discuss their options.