25 years on with dental implants
Can dental implants stand the test of time and are they the long-term financial investment that dentists say they can be? Some 25 years ago, when implant work in the UK was in its infancy, Peggy Vowles had a procedure to stabilise a lower denture. It was cutting-edge dental science at the time with Peggy among the first to benefit from this pioneering therapy. We take a look at what it has been like for her and how technology has advanced with modern-day implants.
Implant options include:
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Implant-supported single or multiple crowns
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Implant-supported fixed full upper or lower arch of teeth
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Implant-supported bridges
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Implant-retained detachable upper and lower over-dentures
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Complete fixed arches of teeth – upper or lower
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The ‘teeth in a day’ procedure – where an entire arch of fixed teeth can be secured on implants in a single day.
Denture Clinic’s implant dentist Dr Owain Rees BDS DGDP (UK) Dip Imp Dent (UCL)
Peggy’s story
Quietly self-assured, 78-year-old Peggy Vowles recalls how her teeth became loose after getting pregnant.
“There was nothing wrong with them, and I’d never had a history of dental problems, but they just started to become loose, literally within the jawbone,” she says.
Like so many women of her generation, the old wives’ tale of ‘lose a tooth, gain a child’ was right.
Calcium substitutes and diligence in oral care did not command the same priorities as today, and hormonal changes during pregnancy left many women exposed to bacterial infection of the gums.
Inevitably, like so many of her generation, Peggy was prescribed dentures.
“I was 53,” Peggy adds, “and was having problems with the lower denture. It was moving around, but I’d had read somewhere about implants and decided to find out more.”
Implants and dentures under one roof
After scanning Yellow Pages for an implant dentist, Peggy made an appointment with a dental surgeon in Sutton Coldfield. Subsequently, two lower implants were placed to help support her bottom denture.
“It was a new thing then, but the implants have never given me any trouble. I made the right choice,” she adds.
Her over-denture, however, was replaced by the Denture Clinic at North Street Dental, six years ago, but anatomical changes in Peggy’s mouth have seen her back at the surgery in recent times.
Choosing the practice because both implant and denture disciplines are under one roof, Peggy was pleasantly surprised when she learned her implants were still in good order and required only a modern upgrade.
One of our state-of-the-art dental surgery’s
Implant surgeon’s diagnosis
Practice principal Steven Burchell Dip CDT RCS(Eng) adds: “Our dentist Owain diagnosed that the implants were fine and they have served her well. For anyone asking if they are a worthwhile investment, here we have an example of the longevity that can be achieved if they’re looked after correctly.
“The problem Peggy was experiencing was a combination of naturally occurring bone erosion and wear of the fixings on top of the implants.”
She was referred to practice implant dentist Dr Owain Rees BDS DGDP (UK) Dip Imp Dent (UCL).
Implants as a lifestyle investment
Are you considering an implant lifestyle investment? No more denture stability problems, no more denture fixative, no more failing teeth or confidence erosion – call us and make an appointment, First consultations are complimentary.
