Are you unhappy with your dentures and seek alternative treatments? Bulky and uncomfortable dentures can be challenging for many patients. And although nowadays every effort is made to produce lightweight and comfortable dentures, bone loss can cause previously well-fitting dentures to become wobbly over time.

Denture stabilisation is mainly used to improve the stability, wear and effectiveness of dentures. There are different methods to stabilise dentures, yet the most effective is using dental implants to securely fix the denture in the patient’s mouth. Implant-retained dentures are full dentures that clip onto dental implants, which are anchored firmly in your gums much like natural teeth.

If you have dentures that make eating challenging or move around when you talk or smile, we can probably help. At Hertford Dental Implants, we use a small number of implants (usually two or four) to stabilise your denture. We can either stabilise your existing dentures or create custom-made ones to suit your individual needs.

Why choose implant-supported dentures?

Implant-retained dentures are fixed in your mouth securely and act like your natural teeth. The attachment clasps allow minimum movement in the same way it is expected with real teeth. At the same time, implant-supported dentures are comfortable to wear because they do not put pressure on your gums – they gain support and retention from the dental implants. For this reason, they are less likely to hurt your gums and cause irritation or inflammation.

Dentures fixed with dental implants are very stable because they are supported on a mechanism that resembles the way natural teeth are kept in place. As such, they do not become loose during talking or eating and can only be removed by yourself. Because of this, your will be able to enjoy your favourite foods and regain confidence in your social skills.

Finally, implant-retained dentures prevent bone degeneration and encourage the growth of healthy jawbone. As bone quality is maintained, the odds of needing denture adjustments is reduced which results in long-lasting, comfortable dentures.

Book your appointment today

If you are unhappy with your dentures and considering denture stabilisation with dental implants, give us a call at Hertford Dental Implants to book a consultation appointment.

As a child, tooth loss is an exciting adventure and a chance to meet the tooth fairy. But as an adult, losing a tooth may feel like the end of the world.Fortunately, modern dentistry offers several options for the replacement of single missing teeth. The two most common treatment options are partial dentures and single tooth implants.

However, most patients are not satisfied with dentures, due to the bulk of metal and acrylic, as well as the clasps necessary to stabilise it in your mouth. While fixed dentures are a viable option, clinical experience has shown that they do not perform as effectively as dental implants in the long-term.

If you are missing a single tooth, dental implants are a reliable option for replacing your natural tooth. The dental implant and its crown restoration replace both the missing tooth and its root and keep the jawbone strong and healthy.

At Hertford Dental Implants, Dr Gordon Black is well-trained in all the different aspects of dentistry, but is particularly interested in replacing missing teeth with dental implants to improve the smiles of his patients. At Hertford Dental Implants we offer dental implant solutions for single missing teeth, whatever the reasons for tooth loss.

How do dental implants work?

An implant is a small titanium post, surgically placed into the jawbone beneath the gum line by your dentist. Dental implants act as solid anchors for the crowns attached to them, fuse with the bone and act as new roots for the replacement tooth.

For dental implants to work, there must be enough bone left to the jaw. The bone has to be sturdy and dense enough to hold and support the implant. If there is not enough bone, it may need to be added with a procedure called bone augmentation or bone grafting. In addition, natural teeth and supporting tissues near where the implant will be fixed must be in good health. Dr Black will perform a full mouth examination before replacing your missing tooth with dental implants in Hertford.

Contact us

If you are interested in replacing your missing tooth with dental implants in Hertford ask our staff to arrange a consultation appointment today.

If you have ever had to have teeth removed due to infection, you will be aware of the amount of pain it can cause. Bad habits such as smoking, eating sugary foods or drinking sugary drinks all add to the likelihood of oral health problems. Not brushing twice daily or flossing can lead to gum disease or infection, which may in turn lead to having to have one or more teeth removed.

If this has happened to you, you will know of the problems the remaining gaps can cause. Hertford Dental Implants can help you will all the problems you may encounter:

• Aesthetically – missing teeth can cause the face to have an unflattering sunken look, where the jaw bone tissue has started to degrade due to lack of stimulation from tooth roots;
• Speech – missing teeth can cause a lisp, whistles, clicks or other problems that can affect the ability to speak clearly and be understood;
• Eating or drinking – the ability to bite and chew with confidence can be significantly affected by having missing teeth. You may have to even avoid certain foods, which have become too difficult to eat.

How do they work?

Hertford dental implants are small discreet screws that are attached directly to the jaw, providing a secure base for artificial teeth, with a failure rate of less than 2%. These screws then become part of your jaw over time, creating a seamless join between the screw and your jaw. At this point, Hertford Dental Implants can connect additions onto your implant such as dentures, crowns and bridges, which then behave just like natural teeth.

Why Hertford Dental Implants?

Our resident principal dentist is Gordon Black. He has worked with us for over eight years. Dr Black has completed a two year dental implants course at the Royal College of Surgeons and has been awarded his diploma in dental implants. Dr Black is particularly interested in more advanced aesthetic dentistry to change people’s smiles using dental implants.

In 2008, Dr Black was a finalist at the National Smile Awards for the smile makeover category using porcelain veneers for one of his patients, as well as in 2015, when Dr Black was a finalist in the National Dentistry Awards for a full mouth rehabilitation case with dental implants.

Dental implants are a big investment of time and money, there’s no denying it. So, you may be wondering if you can be bothered to spend so much of both resources just to replace a missing tooth or two. Maybe those teeth are at the back of your mouth where no one can see them, or you think dental implants are just vanity and dentures will do just as well.

And maybe dentures will, but before you go making a decision based on money and fear of vanity, you need to know why in Hertford, dental implants are also an important health consideration.

Dental implants and the health of your jawbone

Losing a tooth does not just affect your looks and ability to bite and chew, it also leads to damaging changes in your jawbone and other teeth.

When one or more of your teeth have been missing for a short while, the bone in your jaw is no longer stimulated by teeth moving against each other and it stops regenerating. This means that over time, it starts to lose density. Also without the stimulation of teeth in your gums, they don’t get the blood supply they need and start to recede. On top of all that, the teeth surrounding the gap can start to tip into it.

Dental implants in Hertford can put a stop to these effects on your jaw and other teeth, and their presence stimulates the bone and blood vessels to regenerate, giving you back a strong, healthy jaw and gums.

The reasons dentures cannot regenerate bone is because they sit over the gap in the jawbone, rather than filling it as dental implants do. Gums and bone continue to recede and reduce in density and this is what leads to dentures becoming looser over time.

In Hertford dental implants work by replacing the root of the missing tooth with carefully positioned, tiny posts, made of titanium, which the dentist screws into the jaw bone.

At Hertford Dental Care, we can replace one, a few or all of your teeth, with single teeth, a bridge for several teeth, or a dental implant-retained denture for replacing all the teeth.

At Hertford Dental Implants, we know that replacing missing teeth is not just a matter of crowns, bridges and removable dentures. What goes on below the gum-line is just as important for a lot of people who have lost one or more teeth.

The reason dental implants in Hertford can have such a huge and beneficial impact on patients is that they replace the missing root as well as the tooth.

Implants are tiny screws made of titanium, a metal that has the amazing ability to become one with our bone tissue. In Hertford, dental implants are fitted into the jawbone during oral surgery performed under local anaesthetic. Patients who are especially anxious about oral surgery can opt for sedation as well so that they can fully relax during the surgery.

Once the implants are in place, the jawbone is given several weeks in which to heal. This gives time for new bone tissue and blood vessels to grow around the implants and to mesh with the metal and so hold it securely in place, creating a stable base which will be able to cope with the multi-directional forces producing by biting and chewing.

In Hertford, dental implants are fitted by our dentists to resolve the top six problem areas that patients report. They are can be used when all the upper teeth are missing; to replace missing back teeth; to replace one missing lower tooth or side tooth; and even to replace every single tooth at once.

That solves the root of the problem. What about the crowns? Well, we know that no one really wants to look like their teeth are not their own, which is why the crown (white) part of the teeth is hand-made in a specialist laboratory to match the patient’s surrounding natural teeth. Or, if you are having all your teeth replaced and have a photograph of your smile, or impressions of your lost teeth, then they can be matched from these.

Dental implants, if you look after them as carefully, can last for the rest of your life, so they are well worth the investment.

Information is one of the keys to a good relationship between dentist and patient and this is especially true if you are considering a detailed procedure like dental implants.

At Hertford Dental Implants, you can get the answers to all of your questions, and in-depth information on every step of the procedure to help you make the decision to go ahead and to be prepared for treatment.

What are dental implants?

Essentially, dental implants are screw or cylinder shaped fixtures that are placed into the jaw bone where the root of your tooth would normally sit. They act as sites where prosthetic teeth like crowns, bridges or dentures can be applied.

Are they secure?

There is a process within the body that will happen when you have dental implants called osseointegration. This is where the jaw bones knits around the implant to hold it securely in place and make sure that it works effectively alongside the movement of your jaw. Once you have had the implants fitted, this process will begin to happen and you will pay regular visits to Hertford Dental Implants to ensure that everything is going as planned.

Can I eat, smile and speak normally with dental implants?

Dental implants are a high functionality solution largely because of the process described above. They are a great example of dentistry working with your body to give you back abilities that are close to the experience of having natural teeth.

How many implants will I need?

The number of implants you need depends on where your missing teeth are and how many you need. At Hertford Dental Implants, your dentist will plan the work with you and this will include things like arranging the angle of the implant and the position in the jaw bone. One dental implant can hold more than one tooth if the missing teeth are adjoining and so this often cuts down on the amount of work required.

Can anyone have dental implants?

A lot of people are good candidates for dental implants. If you are in a good general health and have the required jaw bone density then you are likely to be able to be considered.

Having a missing tooth, especially if it’s one of our front teeth, can be very noticeable and have a negative effect on our confidence and self esteem, not to mention on the way we look. Hertford Dental Implants are designed specifically to replace our missing teeth, in turn restoring our self esteem and enabling us to smile again with confidence. Hertford Dental Implants can be used to replace most other teeth also, such as: side teeth, back teeth and numerous or all missing teeth. Not only do they improve our facial aesthetics after we have lost a tooth, they also support the bones in or skull which help to stabilize our face.

How do dental implants work?

Dental implants are made from small pieces of titanium. They’re bonded to the jaw which usually takes a number of months to complete. Once the implant is fixed securely in place, a bridge, crown or denture is attached to the implant and together they look and work, just like a natural tooth. Hertford Dental Implants say that implants help to solve other problems such as: eating difficulties, speech problems, dentures causing sore gums and dentures that can slip around or fall out of the mouth causing embarrassing situations.

Dental implants used to replace a full set of teeth

Hertford Dental Implants are an excellent way to replace a full set of teeth. This works differently to normal implants and is known as denture stabilisation. Denture stabilisation involves fixing a set of dentures onto the implants instead of individual crowns or bridges. The dentures are removable and can be removed to be cleaned. Because the dentures are fixed in place, they will not slip around in the mouth, or fall, out causing unnecessary discomfort or embarrassment.

Am I suitable to receive dental implants?

The majority of people are able to receive dental implants straight away. The dentist will carry out an assessment and determine if there is enough bone available to hold the implant firmly in position. If there isn’t enough bone available, usually a simple bone graft is done and the problem is resolved, allowing the implant surgery to go ahead.

If you are looking for dental implants in Hertford, we can help. Our Hertford dental practice offers a number of implant-based treatments, which can be used to replace anything from one to all of your natural teeth, no matter why you have lost them.

Tooth loss isn’t the life-changing event it once was. True, it is still frightening, and if caused by dental decay or gum disease, it’s an indicator that it’s time to make some lifestyle changes to preserve any remaining natural teeth, or to keep replacements in top condition. However, by choosing dental implants in Hertford, you are choosing a positive investment in your smile.

Dental implants in Hertford: how it works

When you come into our practice for a consultation about dental implants in Hertford, you will be seen by a highly experienced implant dentist. Your dentist will carry out a complete clinical examination, and may take x-rays or CT scans as required, to assess your jaw bone density and to aid with diagnosis and treatment planning.

Choosing dental implants in Hertford means choosing to have a second chance at a healthy set of natural teeth. Dental implants should only be placed in a healthy mouth, so if gum disease or dental decay has been a contributory factor to your tooth loss, this will have to be treated first.

Once you have had your dental implants in Hertford fitted, you should book an appointment with the practice hygienist, to learn how to clean your new teeth and implants effectively. It’s not complicated, but it is always worth brushing up on your techniques to ensure that your new teeth have the maximum chance of success.

With proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime. You will need to come back to our Hertford practice on a regular basis for check-ups and hygiene appointments, and should always report anything of concern – such as bleeding gums – immediately, even if you are not due a regular check-up for a few months.

To find out more about dental implants in Hertford, including the various finance options available, get in touch today.

Many people think that losing a tooth is no big deal. Maybe a tooth gets knocked out during a game of rugby or other contact sport. Maybe the dentist has to extract a tooth that has become infected or so badly decayed that it cannot be saved.

Particularly if that tooth was a molar at the back or side of the mouth, the gap it has left is not so visible during every day communications, so people decide not to replace it. They mistakenly believe that because the gap is not on show, it is not going to affect their appearance.

But the truth is that over time, the bone where that tooth used to be will lose it density. This means that the jawbone will shrink, and start to look thinner in the face. As well as that, the gums in the gap start to recede, possibly causing other teeth nearby to become looser.

The other thing that people do not realise is that teeth are not fixed permanently into place in the jaw. They can, and do, move around. So, if there is a gap in the jawbone from a lost tooth, the neighbouring teeth will start to tip into the gap.

All of these consequences from one missing tooth affect how the face looks. They make it look older than it actually is.The loss of the tooth root and the resultant bone loss are the main reason why removable dentures become loose over time.

At Hertford Dental Implants, we have a team of skilled implant dentists to solve these problems. It is the missing tooth root that causes the problems, and dental implants in Hertford are the only permanent way to replace missing natural teeth and the all-important tooth roots.

You can avoid these problems by choosing to have dental implants in Hertford. Our Hertford dental implant dentist recommends replacing lost teeth as soon as possible, preferably as soon as they come out. Doing so stops the onset of bone loss and the health and position of any remaining teeth is also maintained.

Our dentists can insert dental implants in Hertford to replace one, a few, several or even all of your teeth.

Yes, we are more than happy to explain to you all about dental implants. Hertford Dental Implants is the name of our surgery, which offers dental implants alongside other dental treatments.

A dental implant is actually a metal screw, usually made from titanium, and is placed deep into the gum of your missing tooth. The titanium is rooted in to the bone; it is then left for your body to accept it. This unique metal, is chosen for such a procedure because it works so well. The bone soon accepts it, as it would a real root and the tissue around it starts to regenerate. At this point, you are then invited back so that we can attach the crown to the screw, finishing off your dental implant.

What is the benefit of a dental implant?

Dental implants in Hereford, are a perfect solution to a missing tooth or two. Instead of feeling like you can’t smile like you are meant to, a dental implant can offer you a solution. Our experienced dentists are here to talk you through how, a dental implant could be the solution that you are searching for. With payment plans to make it affordable, a dental implant is now a suitable option for anyone. Whether it is just one tooth you are missing, or many, why not retain your youthful face and have this treatment?

If you would like to find out if you are eligible, then book an appointment for a consultation and we can have a look at your teeth as well as at your medical records. For those few, that a dental implant is not possible for, we do have alternative options. So do not sit at home wondering, book an appointment today.

I have denture and want to know how dental implants can help me?

We are always here to help anyone who comes into our surgery in Hertford. Dental implants can also be a great solution if you already have dentures in place. Dentures can, on occasion, slip out; if this has happened to you then we can offer you a solution. By fixing the dentures to your gums with a few implants, it could offer a suitable option to make your false teeth, safer.