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Dental implants are often regarded as the gold standard for restoring missing teeth. If you are unsure what they are, how they work or why they are so good, read on to discover ten facts to consider.

1. Dental implants are stronger than teeth, so relatively few are needed to support even a complete arch of teeth.
2. Dental implants are long-lasting; they could last for life with the proper preventive oral care.
3. They are self-supporting, independent restorations, so there is no need to grind down or adjust existing natural teeth.
4. Dental implants protect your existing teeth, preventing them from moving out of place and protecting your bite.
5. Dental implants are made from titanium alloy, a highly biocompatible material that bonds well with your jawbone.
6. A dental implant replicates a real tooth root, so it protects and preserves your jawbone.
7. Implant treatment has a success rate of 95% or higher when properly placed and cared for correctly.
8. Treatment is relatively comfortable and pain-free.
9. You need good gum health for implants, so any signs of gum disease need treating beforehand.
10. Dental implants are easy to look after and can be brushed and flossed like real teeth, following our instructions.

Sleep apnoea is slightly different from snoring, and while people with sleep apnoea will snore loudly, it’s punctuated by frequent pauses in breath lasting for several seconds. Sleep apnoea is caused when the throat muscles relax during sleep, allowing the airway to collapse inwards, preventing the body from receiving oxygen. After a few seconds, the brain registers this fact and prompts the body to stop breathing again, often with a loud snort or gasp.

These pauses in breath aren’t enough to completely awaken the sufferer, but they prevent deep, restful sleep. Consequently, people with sleep apnoea are often exhausted, have trouble concentrating during the day, and are at higher risk of having high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke and other health problems. Treating sleep apnoea helps to reduce these risks.

Our dentists can often detect signs of sleep apnoea because it’s frequently associated with other problems like teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism) and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). This condition causes painful jaw joints. If necessary, we can refer you for a sleep study to confirm if you have sleep apnoea and the degree of severity. Mild sleep apnoea is often treatable with a custom-made oral appliance that moves your lower jaw slightly forwards, helping to keep your airway open.

When you no longer need to wear braces, it is often a cause for celebration, but treatment doesn’t end there. Afterwards, you need to make sure your newly straightened teeth stay firmly put in the correct positions, and this is achieved by using your retainers. There are different types of retainers. Some are removable, but others remain firmly fixed in place. We can discuss all possible options with you.

Why Do I Need Retainers?

Once teeth move, the bone around them needs time to remodel, and your retainers help hold your teeth in the right places as this process occurs. It doesn’t happen immediately, which is why it’s important to wear your retainers for as long as we recommend.

The first six months after finishing treatment are especially important because your teeth will still try to return to their original positions. If you have removable retainers, you will probably need to wear them full-time during this period before gradually decreasing their usage.

We will tell you when it is safe to start leaving out your retainers and for how long, but ideally, you will need to wear them periodically for life to retain your beautifully straight smile.