What are dental implants?

A dental implant is a permanent, discreet, and durable solution for replacing missing teeth. It consists of a small titanium screw that acts as an artificial tooth root, which is surgically placed into your jawbone. Once healed, a custom-made porcelain or ceramic crown is attached to the screw to perfectly mimic the appearance and strength of a natural tooth.

Unlike traditional options like removable dentures, dental implants look, feel, and function just like your natural teeth. In fact, they are considered the gold standard for tooth replacement because they integrate with your bone, providing unmatched stability. Many patients often tell us it feels like they never lost their teeth in the first place!

How do I know if I need dental implants?

You may be a suitable candidate for dental implants if you are dealing with:

• Missing teeth: Whether you are missing a single tooth or multiple teeth.

• Severe tooth damage: Teeth that are fractured, deeply cracked, or severely decaying and cannot be saved by a standard filling or root canal.

• Loose or uncomfortable dentures: If you are tired of dentures shifting, slipping, or requiring messy adhesives.

If you are looking for a long-term investment to boost your confidence, improve your oral health, and restore your mouth's natural ability to chew and speak, dental implants are often the best answer. A quick consultation and an X-ray with your dentist can confirm if your jawbone is healthy enough to support them.

  

Why Are Dental Implants Important?

Dental implants are becoming the leading dental treatment for missing teeth as they retain the aesthetics and function of your mouth. Even if you only lose a molar, a missing tooth can impact your mouth more than you realise. For instance, missing teeth can cause speech and chewing problems, bite complications and a sunken appearance.  Missing teeth can also affect the supporting structures of your mouth. After a year of missing a tooth, you can lose up to 25% of your jaw bone in that area. By getting implants straight away, you can preserve the bone. If you wait, you will likely need a bone graft or sinus lift to be suitable for implants.  

 

Reasons to Consider Dental Implants:

• We can replace missing teeth while maintaining the integrity of your dental structure. 
• Implants function just like your natural teeth. 
• We can support your neighbouring teeth with implants to prevent them from becoming loose or moving.
• Implants reduce bone resorption. 
• They are more comfortable than dentures. 
• We will provide custom-made crowns to match the rest of your smile.
• Dental implants make it more comfortable to eat, speak and laugh. 
• They are more appealing and natural-looking than dentures. 
• Dental implants are easy to look after.
• They are permanent and hard-wearing. 
• Implants improve sunken facial appearance. 
• We can protect your jawbone. 
• Dental implants are more affordable than you think.

Who Can Have Dental Implants?

You may have heard that only some patients are good candidates for dental implants. For instance, those with a history of gum disease or smokers may not be possible. The great news is that the science behind implant technology has evolved extensively in the past ten years. In fact, implants are quickly becoming the industry standard for correcting missing teeth.  Before implant surgery, we will chat with you about your oral and physical health, as patients considering this treatment must be of good health and have excellent oral hygiene. If you suffer from a chronic illness, you unfortunately may not be able to have dental implants. 

At your assessment, we will also check you have enough bone in the jaw to support the implants. We understand that this can sometimes be an issue for those who have suffered from gum disease. Don't worry. There are ways we can solve this. For instance, we can replace the bone loss with an augmentation. 

We use pioneering technology at Shields Dental & Orthodontic Clinic for all treatments and surgery. For a bone graft, we use ENDORET® to increase the blood supply and speed up the healing process, encouraging the formation of new bone. 

 

What We Offer at Shields Dental & Orthodontic Clinic:

  We offer a range of dental implants to suit everyone's needs and budget, including single implants, multiple implants, Click-Tite implants™ and All-On-Four.   

• Single & Multiple Implants: 

We build dental implants in three phases. That's because dental implants are a gradual process requiring healing time to support osseointegration (where the jawbone cells secure the implant). Under local anaesthesia, our dental surgeon will place a titanium screw into your jawbone. Once this has healed, we will add an abutment to the implant. An abutment is a connecting piece that allows us to secure a crown to the implant. At your final visit, our dental surgeon will fit the custom-made crown to match the rest of your smile.  Multiple implants are similar, but we will also fit temporary bridges and crowns to your implants. After this has healed in three to six months, we will replace them with your permanent fixtures.   

• Click-Tite™ Implants:

For Click-Tite™ implants, we secure several implants into your jaw and then attach a denture. The more implants placed, the more secure the denture attachment will be. Hence, Click-Tite™ implants are more stable than traditional dentures. The denture attachments are still removable to clean and maintain them.   

• All-On-Four Implants:

All-On-Four is a full-arch replacement (upper or lower) with only four to six implants. It is a same-day treatment, which means you can leave our practice with a whole set of new teeth in just one visit.  Under local anaesthesia, our dental surgeon will secure four to six implants in your jaw.

During recovery, a technician will prepare a provisional set of upper and lower arches. These will be ready for when you leave the practice that day. After your gums have healed, we will replace your temporary teeth with permanent ones. 

You may wonder how we can deliver a whole set of fresh, new teeth in one visit. This is because of immediate loading, a technique where a dentist will secure a provisional crown to your implants while it is healing.

Unfortunately, there is a higher chance of implant failure for same-day treatments than for traditional implants. But, at Shields Dental Clinic, we've treated over a thousand implant cases, so you know you're in experienced hands. All our patients will receive complimentary teeth whitening after implant treatment.   

 

Considering Dental Implants Near You? Contact Us at Shields Dental & Orthodontic Clinic for Implants in Limerick, Roscrea & Blackrock.

We offer a free, no-obligation consultation worth €150. Contact us to book a consultation with one of our dentists. Find out more about our different dental implant treatments.   

At Shields, our dentists have over 24 years of experience in dentistry and have treated over 1000 implant cases.  Call our friendly reception team on 061 539322 to book a free, no-obligation consultation. You can also book online here.

Learn more about our Dental Implants fees. 

 

Useful additional information on dental implants

Will dental implants last a lifetime?