Dental Implants

Once teeth are lost, the bone in which they are embedded gradually disappears because it is no longer required to support the teeth. Unlike dentures or a bridge, a dental implant becomes firmly attached, or integrated, with your own bone and acts in a similar manner to the natural root of a tooth.

Once you have an implant assessment we will be able to give a comprehensive timetable before treatment starts. Sometimes implants can be fitted immediately but usually an implant treatment takes between 3-6 months’ dependent upon complexity and number of implants.

Implants are a safe, well established, and predictable way to replace missing teeth, providing you are seeing a qualified and experienced surgeon (implantologist) for your treatment. How well you look after them and whether you go for regular maintenance with a dental hygienist will most definitely impact on how long they last.

If you have gum disease with your natural teeth this will not go away with implants and although uncommon, this is one of the ways implants can fail. However, implants are still successfully used to replace teeth lost through gum disease providing this is brought under control, and meticulous oral hygiene is maintained. It is critical your oral hygiene is of the highest standard, supported by regular visits to the hygienist.

Smoking does have a detrimental effect on both the initial healing of the implant and its long-term stability; the risk is proportional to the number of cigarettes smoked. In addition to the overall health benefits of stopping smoking, your dental treatment would be far more predictable. Although some dentists will not place implants in smokers, my personal approach is to highlight the risks and consequences, then allow the patient to decide their commitment to proceed. We can discuss your particular situation at the consultation.

No. If the missing teeth are next to one another it may be possible to support more than one tooth on each implant. We will be able to discuss the best option for you at your assessment appointment.

You can have any number of teeth replaced by implants and providing the health of your existing teeth is good you will easily be able to have implants fitted alongside these without problems. However, if the remaining teeth are of poor health, then sometimes, a better and more predictable result can be achieved if they are removed.

In many ways having an implant fitted is easier than having a tooth out, and in the same way is done under local anaesthetic. You won’t feel any pain at the time but, just like having any surgical procedure, you may feel a little sore and swollen for a few days afterwards. We provide you with an ‘after-care’ kit to help minimise this. We can also arrange for the treatment to be carried out under sedation if you wish.

This happens very rarely. If complications do develop during the healing process it is possible to remove the implant and your jaw will heal in the normal way. Once everything has healed, another implant can be placed.

Although the initial investment may be a little more, over time implants are a more cost effective solution than dentures and bridge-work. Cost aside, implants are a far more superior solution because of the broader positive impact on bone loss, function, and impact on adjoining teeth.