When placing dental implants it is very important to carefully plan in advance so that the dental implant of correct size can be selected and so that the dental implant can be placed in the optimal position for success. In the lower jaw there are several anatomical features that need to be carefully considered when planning for dental implants. One of the major features that needs to be considered is the position of a nerve which runs along everyones jaw and supplies sensation to the bottom teeth and also the bottom lip and chin. If this is accidentally damaged it can lead to loss of feeling in part of the bottom and chin and in extreme cases can lead to long term pain in these areas.
In most situations careful study of x-rays of the region and careful assessing the depth and width of bone will be sufficient to plan for the positioning of dental implants. X-rays are flat pictures and so can sometimes not give the full picture regarding the position of the nerve in the bottom jaw if it is not assessed properly. Also many x-rays are slightly stretched and so it can appear as though there is lots of space when in reality there is not much bone above the nerve.
If there is any doubt regarding the amount of bone or the position of the nerve in your bottom jaw then we will arrange to take a 3-dimensional scan of your jaw called a C.T scan (computerised tomography scan). This will enable us to accurately determine how much bone is present and so will allow us to select the perfect dental implant size to place.
Dental implants can transform your smile and change your life but it is vital that you have them placed by a fully trained professional.
If you would like to find out how dental implants can help you then please contact us for a consultation on 0141 641 2107.