What are Dental Implants?

Dental Implants London : A dental implant is a replacement for the root(s) of a missing tooth. Similar in shape to a screw, they are surgically placed in your jawbone and form a strong base for supporting one or more artificial teeth called crowns. Most dental implants are made of titanium metal, which is a strong, lightweight and biocompatible metal. After placing the implant in the jawbone, it fuses with the bone in a process known as osseointegration. This fusion is the biological basis of dental implant success. The fusion also helps to preserve the jawbone’s density and shape.

Modern dental implants have been successfully used for more than 30 years and are the strongest form of tooth replacement. The new teeth look, feel and function naturally and usually last a lifetime when well cared for.

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The simple steps to Dental Implant Sucess

Step 1

Schedule your appointment.

Call us today to arrange your consultation with one of our Dental Implant dentists. 

Step 2

Meet our Dental Team.

At your consultation, the dentist will listen to your needs and carry out a thorough examination. A number of investigations such as x-rays and CT scans may be required to determine your suitability for Implants.  

Step 3

Complete treatment.

Multiple visits would be required over several months. Your dentist will outline in detail the roadmap to your dental implant success.

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What are the benefits of Dental Implants?

The implant fuses to the jawbone, in some way becoming part of you. The aesthetic crown is then anchored in place on the implant giving a natural feel to the implant. After a while, you might even forget you have implants

The success rate of dental implants is dependent on several factors. When expertly place by an experienced dentist for the ideal candidate who looks after the implant, the success rate is excellent

Implants are strongly anchored to your bone which allows you to chew and enjoy foods like you have natural teeth. This is a major advantage overdentures, which often move about in your mouth when chewing, taking the joy our of eating

Implants are anchored to the jawbone and do not damage adjacent teeth. Bridges require destructive drilling of adjacent teeth for the anchorage of the bridge. With dentures, unless they are meticulously maintained, they can increase the risk of gum disease and decay in the teeth that the denture rests on.

After tooth removal, there is a gradual loss of jawbone around the area where the tooth used to be. The bone-in jaw will diminish in areas where there is no pressure from biting. Over time, loss of jawbone in areas of missing teeth and also affect the overall facial appearance and contour. Dental implants are an effective solution to preventing such problems.

Whether you are replacing a single tooth, or are toothless with loose dentures that move about when you’re eating, dental implants can be the solution you desperately need. They can be used to anchor long bridges or implant-retained dentures. 

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Dental Implants FAQ

Our highly competitive price starts from £2000 per dental implant. If additional procedures like bone graft are required, the prices will be slightly higher. All our treatments are available on 0% interest finance plans.

There are no special requirements for looking after implants. Treat and look after them like normal teeth. That means brushing twice a day and daily flossing, in addition to regularly seeing your dentist for examinations.

The treatment of placing an implant is always done under local anaesthetic. This is essential as the procedure involves cutting the gums overlying the bone and drilling the implant into the alveolar bone. With a local anaesthetic, this procedure will be relatively pain-free. However, it is normal that for several days afterwards there will be some discomfort in the area as the bones and gums are healing. This can be managed with painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen. The placement of an implant in most cases is carried out under local anaesthetic. After placement, we recommend the patient take over the counter painkillers for minor discomfort which may be experienced.

The best time to place an implant is around 6-10 weeks after the tooth has been extracted. This allows for the maximum amount of bone to be preserved in the area, which reduces the likelihood of needing a bone graft. Implants can be placed in areas where space has been left for some time.

Absolutely. There are several options available depending on whether you have partial or full dentures. Either you get several implants to fill the gaps you currently have or if you’re wearing a full denture, then an implant-retained and stable denture would be the best solution. Book in for a consultation and our implant dentist will be able to discuss this further. 

After having a dental implant, it is recommended to visit your dentist every 6 months for regular examinations.

The skill and experience of the dentist placing an implant play an important role in determining the longevity of a dental implant. When expertly placed and well looked after by the patient, dental implants can easily last a lifetime with a success rate of up to 95%.   

There normally are alternatives, but these vary with each individual. You can accept the gap and not attempt to replace the missing tooth at all. If several teeth are missing or the patient has no teeth, dentures are an alternative. If there is a single tooth missing, it may be possible to have a dental bridge that attaches on to an adjacent tooth.

The implant site can become infected. The placement of the implant can cause temporary or permanent nerve damage, which can result in pain, numbness or tingling sensations in nearby tissues. When an implant is placed in the upper jaw posteriorly, there is increased risk of sinus problems if the implant protrudes into the sinus cavity. Many of these risks are significantly reduced in the hands of an experienced dentist and with the proper pre-op scans such as a CT scan.

Yes, failed dental implants may be replaced. It is important to establish why the first dental implant failed to ensure if a replacement is placed, the same problem will not cause it to fail again.

The material of choice for most implants it titanium. This is because titanium is the most biocompatible metal and is most likely to fuse successfully with alveolar bone.

Bone grafts are in two main categories, synthetic and natural bone graft. Synthetic bone grafts use calcium-rich material that mimics bone such as hydroxyapatite. Natural bone graft uses bone taken from another part of the body.

No, specialised implant retained dentures would need to be made that fix onto implants.

It is important to take a thorough medical and dental history as certain conditions may make implants unsuitable. These include but are not limited to the following:

  • Heavy smokers
  • Uncontrolled diabetes and heart conditions
  • History of radiotherapy in the head and neck area
  • Hereditary bleeding disorder
  • Poor oral hygiene
  • Cancer