Dental Implants

We offer a free consultation to discuss your concerns and to find out what you like to achieve. At this consultation we can give an idea of the likely costs and get you booked in to see a dentist for a clinical examination. After the clinical examination it will then be possible to provide a full treatment plan including treatment options, timescales and exact fees. To book a free consultation please either call us on 020 8694 9793 or contact us below.

Dental implants are suitable for most patients. In some cases, the bone may take more time to heal around the fixture, for example if you are diabetic, weaker bone or smoking. In all situations, it is best to have these all under control before beginning implant treatment.

Apart from implants, dental bridges are also a fixed option used to replace teeth but these do sometimes involve some preparation of adjacent teeth. Dentures can also be used, but are a removable option that taken out at night time.

Dental implants are the gold standard for tooth replacement. After placement, if cared for and maintained well both above and below the gums they can remain over 15 years or more. Many implants have success rates of above 20 years.

Provided the bone is stable and firm when the implant fixture is placed, teeth can be replaced on the same day. Sometimes implant fixture take between 8-10 weeks to fuse firmly enough for a tooth to be placed. This involves 3-4 visits to the dentist in total.

Yes, dental implants can be used with dentures to stop them rocking, wobbling and moving around whilst you eat, smile and talk. There are 3 different denture implant techniques:

– Replace your existing denture completely making it a fixed bridge. You will not be able to take this out, it will be fixed permanently. (Although your dentist can remove it for maintenance).
– Upgrade your existing denture to attach onto implants. This would involve placing dental implants and then modifying your existing denture to fix to them. This is a good option if you like your existing denture.
– Having a new denture made fixed onto implants. This is a good option if you do not like your existing denture and would like to make changes.

If you would like to replace missing teeth here are three different tooth replacement options with their advantages and disadvantages:

– Dental implants – often the most natural looking way to replace missing teeth. Implants also do not involve adjacent teeth meaning you can keep your surrounding dentition healthy. Dental implants can sometimes be a more expensive option.
– Dental bridges – whilst these can look extremely natural they often involve trimming away of some of the adjacent teeth in order to support the tooth replacement. Usually a medium cost option.
– Dentures – modern cosmetic dentures can be an excellent way to replace missing teeth, however many people dislike the fact that they are removable. Usually the lowest cost option to replace missing teeth.

Dental implants are unfortunately not covered by the NHS so any treatment to replace missing teeth with implant will need to be sought privately. There are a few training facilities around the UK which offer either free or low-cost dental implants, these usually involve being part of dentist training as they learn the implant procedure. However, rest assured all of the dentists are fully qualified dentists and will be doing additional postgraduate training on dental implants.

No. You will always be fully numb before any invasive treatment is undertaken, this means you will be able to feel anything at all. We can even offer a little topical gel which is applied to your gum prior to the anaesthetic injection, this makes the injection comfortable as well. After the dental implant has been placed you may find there is some initial discomfort as the sensitivity comes back, this can extend for a week or so as the surgical site begins to heal. We usually find that any pain can be easily dealt with using over-the-counter painkillers. A good tip is to stay ahead of the pain with painkillers, rather than try to chase it. If you let pain build up then painkillers find it more difficult to work, it’s far better to keep any discomfort and pain manageable by taking painkillers according to the dentist instructions.