We're here to help you make an informed choice about your Dental Implants
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is a small screw which is placed into the bone where a tooth is missing to provide the most stable and long-lasting platform for the replacement of the missing teeth. Titanium dental implants were first used forty years ago. Over that period of time there has been a very large amount of research to show that they work extremely effectively and reliably, and in most situations, are the best possible replacement for missing teeth.
Ceramic implants made of Zirconia are now also available. These are white non-metal dental implants. The Dental Implant Clinic is an accredited centre for the placement of Straumann Zirconia implants.
The main component is the titanium implant itself. This resembles a precisely manufactured screw with a specially roughened surface which makes it very compatible with bone. The implant is about the same size as the root of a natural tooth. It is placed into the bone and left to integrate for 4-6 weeks. By this time it is rock-solid in the bone.
There are no problems with the integration of the implant into the bone, because titanium is one of the few materials that can perform osseointegration, whereby the implant is accepted into the bone which fuses around it. Once the implant is solid in the bone, the second part, a special titanium post, can be screwed into the implant. This is called the abutment.
The two last pictures above show an implant in place, and then the finished result with the abutment and crown added. The abutment allows the fixation of the final part of the implant – the crown (a replacement tooth). The crown is usually screwed into place. The porcelain on the crown is custom made to match the colour of the rest of your teeth, so that the implants are imperceptible from natural teeth. This is shown in the examples of our Work.
Why implants?
The Dental Implant Clinic focuses on dental implants because we believe them to be the best possible solution for missing teeth available today
To have a functioning set of teeth can greatly improve your quality of life. Not only will you be able to eat well, but you can also look great. Having your teeth helps give shape and support to your whole face. When teeth are lost, the gum and jaw bones shrink, which gives rise to a premature ageing effect. Once placed into the space left by a missing tooth the jaw bone will grow and fuse with the implant, but the most important thing is that the shape of your jaw bone will now be preserved, stopping the ageing effect.
Implants are the closest thing to natural teeth that is available today. Implants are incredibly strong which means that you can bite and chew with an implant just as well as with natural teeth, even with hard foods like whole apples and raw carrots! They are very long-lasting and allow you to live as if you had all of your natural teeth. Implants are also very versatile, and a combination of one or more implants can be used to restore anyone’s smile to brilliance.
If you have missing teeth, or are about to lose teeth, then filling the gap can be achieved with a denture, bridge or implants. To some, dentures are a bit old fashioned, perhaps something that their grandparents might have worn, and they involve the hassle of removal and cleaning. All bridges involve the cutting of adjacent teeth to some extent. However, the major problem with dentures and bridges is that they fail to preserve the bone and gum around extracted teeth and this will continue to shrink throughout life, giving an ageing effect. Dental implants, on the other hand, feel just like normal teeth, do not involve the cutting of adjacent teeth, are much more of a permanent solution, and prevent the gum shrinkage and ageing effect.
At The Dental Implant Clinic we have developed the skills to make dental implants look incredibly natural. You can see what can be achieved by looking at some of our before and after pictures.
Use of implants
Retaining or replacing dentures
Implants can be used to retain dentures which will stop your dentures from moving. This can be incredibly useful if your dentist has been unable to make a set of dentures which does not move. Implants can also be used to do away with dentures all together and return you to fixed teeth again. So, if you are fed up with your dentures and have to always watch what you can eat, avoiding tough food, then denture free implants can be a great solution. Just imagine being able to bite into a crisp apple or eat a raw carrot! Many dentures have unsightly clips on existing teeth which can now be eliminated with dental implants. Any denture, big or small, can now be replaced with dental implants. This will allow you to chew all of your favourite foods with no food escaping under the denture.
Replacing Bridges
Implants are so strong that they can be used to permanently replace your bridge, as shown in this picture:
The picture shows a mouth with three missing teeth. A conventional tooth supported bridge would need to use the teeth either side of the gap to support the missing teeth. Implants do not attach to the surrounding teeth. The implants placed into the bone act like artificial tooth roots; they stimulate the bone and help keep its shape and strength.
Replacing unstable or infected crowned teeth
If an existing crowned tooth is becoming a liability and your dentist is unable to reliably fix the problem, many patients are now choosing to have the problem tooth carefully removed and replaced with a much more reliable and stronger dental implant.
An example of this problem and its solution is given in the testimonial of Robert Bates, who had a front crown that kept coming out. Click here to read about his successful treatment at The Dental Implant Clinic.
Replacing missing second teeth
Missing second teeth is quite a common occurrence. Indeed six percent of children have some second teeth that do not ever develop. It is best to seek professional help as soon as missing teeth have been identified. You will need to see an orthodontist and an implantologist so that a plan can be put forward that will minimize the impact of the missing teeth. If a back tooth that is missing then this is less of a problem; often the baby tooth can be left in situ for many years to come. It may well last until around age forty! It is very common for upper lateral incisors (second from the front) to never develop.
The management of these missing teeth requires careful planning with an orthodontic/implant team approach. At The Dental Implant Clinic, the team works to manage the treatment of many young people with missing second teeth. The girl in the picture girl did not develop her upper lateral incisors and chose to have her missing teeth replaced with dental implants as any other option would not have been as durable, nor as natural looking.
Dental implant FAQs
Although modern implantology began in Sweden in the late 60s, popularity really grew throughout the UK in the 1980s. The team at The Dental Implant Clinic has been placing dental implants since 1993.
No. Any person at any age can have dental implants as long as there is enough bone available in which to place the dental implants. If there is not enough bone, extra bone can often be grafted using your own bone or artificial bone.
- Your new dental implant will look and feel like natural
- With dental implants you will have more confidence to smile and even be able to bite an apple!
Dental implants can replace a removable denture with fixed teeth - Dental implants stop your gums and bone from shrinking which reduces the ageing effect caused by losing teeth
We understand it can be embarrassing for patients to be without their teeth. During the treatment we will do all we can to help you smile confidently and that nobody will know you have a gap. If you do need to be without teeth to allow initial healing, this will be clearly explained to you before treatment commences.
We work closely with our patients to ensure that they feel no discomfort during the placement of the dental implant. This is through using an effective local anaesthetic. Post-operatively we supply painkillers to ensure that our patients remain comfortable. We also offer sedation if you are nervous or do not want to be aware of what is happening during treatment.
For routine cases treatment time is usually ten to twelve weeks. More complex cases can take longer. For instance, when there is sufficient bone, treatment time is shortened and when there is insufficient bone, treatment time can be increased. Your specific treatment schedule will be explained to you during your consultation.
Yes, they can, and once dental implants have been placed the bone can even become stronger.
Yes. As part of our consultation we will screen your gums, bone and teeth for any infections. Prior to implant placement your remaining teeth and gums need to be healthy. We will offer any additional treatment to ensure that your mouth is healthy prior having implants. If you have been referred by your dentist then you can return to your normal practice to have any necessary pre-implant treatment.
Some of our patients prefer to have the dental implants placed under sedation. A sedative can be carefully administered to relax you during the treatment and ensure that you remember nothing about it afterwards.
It is essential that you continue to see your own dentist and your hygienist for regular check-ups. Clinical studies* have shown that a yearly review with your implantologist is best for the longevity of your implants. Some patients need more detailed maintenance; this will be explained prior the commencement of your treatment. Implants last longer with fewer complications when they are regularly maintained.
*Costa et al. Peri-implant disease in subjects with and without preventative maintenance: a 5-year follow-up. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 29(2), pp. 173-181, 2012
Placing implants
Step 1
First the extracted tooth is allowed to heal. This is vitally important to allow new bone to form in the hole left by the extracted tooth. During this time a temporary tooth is usually inserted so that no gap will be visible.
Step 2
Next the implant is placed under local anaesthetic (or sedation). This procedure is performed using pioneering key-hole surgery at The Dental Implant Clinic. The implant is left for a few weeks to heal. During this time a temporary tooth is usually re-inserted.
Step 3
Next a titanium post is screwed into the implant. The titanium will fuse with the bone in the mouth, providing a strong, stable and long-lasting platform for the tooth to be fixed upon.
Step 4
The crown is then inserted on top of the post. The crown is custom made by hand to match in with your own teeth, so that your implant will be indistinguishable from a natural tooth. The smile is now complete, and the implant will function just as a normal tooth.
Dental Implant fees
All fees are estimates and all patients will be given a full, personalised written estimate before commencing treatment. Please contact us to discuss finance schemes, as we provide the option for you to pay for your treatment in instalments. You can also save on implants at The Dental Implant Clinic as a patient on one of our teaching courses – click here to find out more.
Consultation
60 minute consultation including initial radiographs (X-Rays) – from £137
Cone Beam CT Scan
three-dimensional radiograph – from £126
Anterior Implants
an implant and crown at the front of the mouth – from £3,795
Posterior Implants
an implant and crown at the back of the mouth – from £3,219
Guided bone regeneration
a minor repair of the bone performed at the same time as the implant is being placed – from £673
Block Bone Grafting
a larger bone graft which needs to be done as a separate procedure before the implant is placed- from £2,100
Connective Tissue Grafting
makes the gum around an implant look more natural and is important for anterior implants – from £545
Summer’s Lift
a small sinus bone graft performed at the same time as the implant is placed – from £288
Sinus Bone Grafting
a larger sinus bone graft which needs to be done as a separate procedure before the implant is placed – from £2,330 per side
Sedation
if you feel apprehensive about any dental treatment, sedation offers a more pleasant way to complete your treatment and is also available for longer procedures – from £367