What are dental implants?

A dental implant is a titanium metal rod which is placed into the jawbone. It is used to support one or more false teeth.

How are Dental Implants Attached in Your Mouth?

The implant procedure is a surgical placement of the implant or implants into your jaw bone which requires a three to six month healing period before the implant restoration is complete. During this healing time, the bone grows in and around the titanium implant creating a very strong support. Dental implants can be rejected. Usually they are replaced with another implant of a slightly larger size. The rejection or "failure" rate is minimal, only 1 to 2% of all implant procedures. Yo must go without wearing your dentures for one day to two weeks after an implant placement. After the implant has "taken" and you have sufficiently healed, a very natural crown is placed on the implant.

Are implants safe? How long will they last?

Implants are a well-established, tried and tested treatment. The implant will last a lifetime, but the crown on top of it will last ten to fifteen years

I have some of my own teeth. Can I still have implants?

Yes. You can have any number of teeth replaced with implants, from one single tooth to a complete set.

Can implants always be used to replace missing teeth?

It depends on the state of the bone in your jaw. If there is not enough, or if it isn't healthy enough, it may not be possible to place implants without grafting bone into the area first.

Do implants hurt?

Placing the implants requires a small operation. This can be carried out under local anaesthetic with sedation or with a general anaesthetic. You will not feel any pain at the time, but you may feel some discomfort during the week following the surgery. This is usually due to having stitches in place and the normal healing process.

Are the teeth difficult to clean?

Cleaning around the teeth attached to the implants is no more difficult than cleaning natural teeth.

Can I take the teeth out if they are fixed to implants?

Most artificial teeth attached to implants can only be placed and removed by the dentist.

Do I have an implant for each missing tooth?

No, unless you're only having a single tooth replaced.

What happens if the implant does not bond with the bone?

This happens very rarely. If the implant becomes loose during the healing period or just after, then it is easily removed and healing takes place in the normal way. Once the jaw has healed, another implant can be placed there.

How much does it cost?

It generally costs between a third and a half of UK prices. The cost of course depends on how many implants you need and if any other work needs to be done before you have the implants fitted.

Go to Prices and see some example costs