Why loose dentures are a thing of the past
Wellington resident David Morgan (pictured above) only got false teeth later in life – and he could never really get comfortable with them.
“It was frustration with the full plate… I missed not being put my tongue on my palate and it was just uncomfortable and they didn’t fit,” he says.
David admits he would use any excuse to leave his dentures out and in fact, found it more pleasant to eat without them in.
“I just didn’t enjoy wearing false teeth,” he says, adding, “I used them purely for show.”
“[The dentures] make you self-conscious. I remember once I had a curry lunch, the glue holding my teeth melted and they fell out. It was embarrassing. Those were the sorts of frustrations I felt.”
It’s been the case for a long time that dentures are the go-to option if you’ve got missing or damaged teeth. They’ve served many people well for many years, but that’s not your only (or best) option anymore. The next frontier is dental implants – and these days you can get them in a day. That’s right, a new set of pearly whites in a day.
What are dental implants?
Unlike dentures, which are removable false teeth, dental implants are like replacement tooth roots. Small titanium screws are implanted into the jawbone to provide strong support for your permanent replacement tooth or teeth.
Dental implants are the most durable and least-damaging method of replacing teeth. As the bone heals directly against the implant, it is the closest thing to mimicking a natural tooth. The dental implant integrates to become part of your mouth, stands on its own and it does not affect nearby teeth.
It sounds futuristic but dental implants have actually been around for 50 years. Since then, science and technology have advanced leaps and bounds – from replacing a single tooth, you’re now able to get a whole set in both upper and lower jaws, all in a day! You don’t even need to get dentures anymore.
Should I get implants?
If you’re like David, and feel self-conscious about missing teeth or wearing dentures, dental implants will help you regain your confidence and life back.
“There’s a whole group of people out there who have struggled all their lives with dentures. They hate dentures, they can’t eat with them, they don’t feel confident with them in social situations,” says Dr Andrew Cautley, a Prosthodontist who has overseen the planning and construction of thousands of implant treatments with his partner and Oral Surgeon, Dr Gerry Thyne, at Wellington Dental Implants.
Here are just some of the benefits of dental implants:
- Look like real teeth – Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth. They are the most natural-looking restoration option and will give you the confidence to smile again.
- Eat with ease – Chewing can be difficult with dentures and eating certain foods can be painful. With dental implants, however, you’ll be able to eat all your favourite foods again without any discomfort.
- Convenient caring – Having permanent dental implants means no longer fussing around with and caring for your removable dentures. Dental implants simply require the same care as real teeth: brushing, flossing, rinsing and dental check-ups
- Lasts you a lifetime – Dental implants are durable and with proper care, can last you your lifetime.
- Improve quality of life – There’s no doubt that having teeth you’re embarrassed about means you’re less like to show them off. Having a set of permanent and real-looking teeth will not only give you the confidence to smile again and eat your favourite foods, it’s also a gateway to a more confident way of living. You’ll be socialising, laughing and living your best life in no time.
Dr Cautley and Dr Thyne have found their patients to be extremely happy with their results. Many have commented about how their new smile has changed their lives.
“When [people] find out about implants, that the teeth are fixed in place permanently, they don’t have to take them out, they can eat anything they like, they don’t have any more problems with something rattling around their mouth when they’re trying to eat or sneeze or all those things we do every day, it’s just such a life changing thing for them,” says Dr Cautley.
What am I getting myself in for?
First let’s clear up the most common assumption, it’s not as painful as you think. While dentists may have equalled pain in the past, advances in pain management have improved exponentially. Most people need some type of pain relief on the day of surgery but find they don’t need anything the following days.
To ensure you get the result you want, make sure you do your research and choose an experienced team like Dr Cautley and Dr Thyne, whose combined expertise as a Prosthodontist and Oral Surgeon at Wellington Dental Implants has seen them establish themselves as a pre-eminent specialist service.
The actual procedure follows a three-step procedure and takes several months to complete.
1. Consultation – An assessment will be done of the current state of your teeth and jaw, including X-rays and moulds. A personalised plan will be formed for your case.
2. One-day procedure – It will take around two to three hours in the morning to place your implants in. A few hours later, you’ll be fitted with a set of temporary teeth that are custom-made for you. These teeth are the starting point and look as-good-as-new but don’t have the durability to take on long-term wear-and-tear. During this period, you’ll have to be careful with what you eat and avoid hard or tough food.
3. Follow up – Like any medical procedure, your mouth needs times to heal, usually around three months. Then you’ll start the process of getting the permanent teeth fitted in. This involves four to five appointments over a couple of months, but don’t worry, you’re never without teeth during all stages of treatment.
After that, your new life begins! Just take David, who couldn’t be happier with his new teeth. He loves the fact he can eat normally again and recently ate his first apple in 20 years.
“It’s given me a confidence in terms of speaking and being around people. It’s been a good value,” he says, continuing, “I think anyone who feels frustrated with false teeth and can afford the procedure, go for it, it’s well worth it. It’s in many ways life changing.”
THIS IS SPONSORED CONTENT BROUGHT TO YOU IN CONJUCTION WITH WELLINGTON DENTAL IMPLANTS.