Dental Implants can be an excellent method for replacing missing teeth in an individual who has lost teeth and is struggling with loss of function or altered appearance or both.

In appropriate cases it can often be the best possible option for a patient, but this is not always true, and patients must be assessed very carefully by experienced individuals and be given a full explanation for their possible options.

One of the considerations for deciding which option to choose to replace a missing tooth (be that dentures, dental bridge work, dental implants or leaving a gap) is how long the possible restoration or type of restoration might last.

Many factors influence the possible longevity of a dental implant restoration and some of these are listed below:

• The experience of the surgeon and how well the procedure is carried out.
• The dental implant system that is used.
• How well a patient looks after their mouth following implant treatment.
• How regularly a patient attends for prescribed maintenance of dental implants (Hygiene etc.) following the procedure.
• The material that the dental teeth are constructed from and many other factors beside.

Careful planning of an implant restoration, careful positioning of the implant and a construction of the restoration on top of the implant or implants is essential for longevity and providing safe and secure implant treatment and the ability for the patient to clean.

Maintenance, though, is one of the most important indicators in the long-term success of well-placed dental implants.

Maintenance of dental implants begins before treatment in ensuring that a patient’s mouth is as clean and as healthy as possible to accept the dental implant treatment overall. Once this is achieved and dental implant treatment has been carried out, routine maintenance must be attended with experienced individuals to make sure that you’ve had a full ‘MOT and service’ at regular intervals.

This protects the level of investment in the dental implant and gives peace of mind as to how safe and secure things are. It can also benefit the existing surrounding teeth massively.

Maintenance of dental implants can be overlooked but dental implants are not a ‘fit and forget’ restoration and regular maintenance is essential. This involves regular X-Rays of the implant together with professional cleaning and advice on home cleaning.

For different individuals, different schedules for maintenance are required.

Some patients have higher risk of complications than others including smokers and people with previous gum disease and these individuals often need to be seen more regularly.

In simple cases for low numbers of implants once a year can be enough but this can be explained and prescribed by your implant provider and you should ask this carefully and the implications of this before you begin your treatment.

To find out more about dental implant treatment in Nottingham, you can download our Patient Guide to Dental Implant eBook here. Some questions you might want to ask your implant provider before starting out in implant treatment are as follows:

• How long is my implant guaranteed for?
• How do you begin the process of maintenance prior to my implant treatment being undertaken?
• What is the maintenance regime that you recommend for MY mouth following implant treatment?
• What does the maintenance involve including the time spent, number of appointments and cost?
• Who will provide the maintenance and why are they qualified?
• What is your experience of maintenance and how long have you been carrying it out?

Sadly, some people believe that to have the treatment carried out is all they need to do to secure a tooth for life. This is simply not the case and long-term maintenance of both dental implants and teeth is essential.