Dental implants are increasing in popularity. We all want to preserve a healthy, natural looking smile without the disadvantages and problems that dentures can sometimes bring.
We run regular implant clinics with experienced implant surgeons. They can give you a comprehensive consultation and advice on treatment.
To find out if you would be suitable for dental implants, book a check up with one of our dentists. Once you let them know that you are considering dental implants, they can assess your suitability. Following the check up we can then let you know if you can go ahead with the treatment and book you in for a consultation.
For further information on dental implants, please see the commonly asked questions below.
Whether you are suitable for dental implants depends on the condition of the bone in your jaw. This will initially be assessed by the dentist along with your gums and teeth.
If it looks like you may be suitable, we will arrange for a consultation with our implant surgeon. They may arrange for a number of special tests to find out the amount of bone still there.
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.
A dental implant is used to support one or more false teeth. It is a titanium screw that can replace the root of a tooth when it fails. It is fixed into the jaw bone and then a false tooth goes over it.
Yes. You can have any number of teeth replaced with implants – from one single tooth to a complete set.
Placing an implant is usually done using a local anaesthetic. You will not feel any pain at the time but you may feel some discomfort during the week after the surgery.
You may be given a sedative if you are very nervous or if your case is a complicated one.
Yes. Implants are a safe, well-established treatment.
Implants, like natural teeth, will last for as long as you care for them.
If you look after them and go for your regular maintenance appointments and, if the bone they are fitted to is strong and healthy, you can expect them to last for many years. As with other surgical implants (such as a hip replacement) there is no lifetime guarantee.
If implants are not properly cleaned and cared for you may get gum infection and have other problems. So look after them well!
For any advice, just ask the dentist.
We will be able to give you a rough timetable before your implant treatment starts.
After your implants have been placed, the bone in your jaw needs to grow onto them and fuse to them. This usually takes a few months. Sometimes the implants may be stable enough when they are placed for the false teeth to be fitted sooner than this but sometimes treatment can take longer depending on your body and it's healing time.
We will give you detailed advice on how to look after your implants. Cleaning around the teeth attached to the implants is no more difficult than cleaning natural teeth but some areas may be difficult to reach and we’ll show you how to clean them. You may need to visit the hygienist more often but we can advise you on this.
No. Most implants look exactly like natural teeth.
