What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are effectively a replacement root of a tooth. They are placed within the jawbone, and will not be visible (just like a normal root).

A restoration (your new tooth/teeth) are then fitted securely on top of the implant. This gives your new tooth a strong foundation so you can eat with confidence again.

Dental Implant Willenhall
Dental implant crown

What Are Restorations?

Restorations are the visible part of the treatment. Depending on how many missing teeth you have, or the locations of the gaps, will depend which restoration is suitable for your needs. Dental implants are a versatile treatment that can be used to replace:

  • Single missing tooth
  • Multiple missing teeth
  • Full arch replacements (upper/lower/both)

Traditional methods such as crowns, bridges and dentures can be secured in place with implants, making them the securest way to replace missing teeth.

Dental implant crown

Why Would You Want Dental Implants?

If you have lost a tooth or multiple teeth, then dental implants may be a suitable treatment for you. They will not only improve the overall aesthetics of your smile by filling up the spaces, but they will also function just like normal teeth.

When we lose a tooth (or more) it can be difficult to eat food, causing you to favour a particular side to chew. Placing this additional biting pressure on one side can lead to TMJ issues overtime. The more traditional ways to replace missing teeth, such as dentures, are held in place by being made to closely fit the underlying gum and bone tissue. One of the main problems associated with having no natural teeth left is that you start to experience bone resorption which causes the bone to fade away.

What this means in real time, is that the once well fitted denture you had, will now be ill-fitting, which can be uncomfortable and difficult to eat with as your teeth could slip out.

Dental implants are considered the gold standard in tooth replacement, because they offer you the stability (just like natural teeth), which will allow you to enjoy all your favourite foods without having to worry your teeth might fall out. As an additional benefit, implants also help promote healthy bone growth, which further stabilises the jaw. Through the motion of chewing food, the implant will stimulate the bone tissue, which in turn promotes healthy bone growth. This works the same as a natural tooth, and is why dental implants are considered the next best thing.

Book Your Dental Assessment

If you have lost a tooth, multiple teeth, dentures are slipping or your teeth are generally failing. Please do not hesitate to book your dental assessment today to explore all your suitable options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dental implants start from £2,800. The exact cost will be dependent on how many missing teeth you have, where the gaps are and what type of restoration is required to replace the teeth. At the dental assessment we will give you a detailed treatment plan with all the options outlined.

Implants are placed under a local anaesthetic which will numb the mouth to prevent pain. After this wears off you will feel some discomfort and you may notice some bruising and swelling. This is normal and over the counter medication can be used for any discomfort experienced. For nervous patients, we do offer sedation as well.

Dental implants can be used for adults of all ages. It is not recommended for anyone under 18 as their jaws are still developing.

Most people will be suitable for dental implants. However certain conditions can increase the chances of the body rejecting the implant, such as diabetes that isn’t under control. If you are a smoker, and want to have dental implants, you will have to quit first, as this also increases the likelihoods of implants failing.

The main alternatives are bridges and dentures. Both can be used with dental implants or in the more traditional sense. Dental bridges are designed to “bridge a gap” in the mouth and can be used in replacing a single tooth to four missing teeth.

Dentures are a framework that carry one (partial dentures) or many (full dentures) replacement teeth. Unlike an implant or bridge, dentures are removable.

Dental implants on average take between 3 to 8 months (including the healing period before the final restoration is fitted) but will vary depending on your exact needs. Some of the factors can include if you need extractions or a bone graft first.

When the implants are placed with the jawbone, your mouth needs time to heal before the final restorations are fitted. During this time we will do a temporary solution so you are not left without any teeth.

Research shows over 90% of implants lasts longer than 10 years or more. But with proper care and oral hygiene, they can last much longer, if not a lifetime.

Implants have a success rate around 95% but there is a small chance the bone doesn’t integrate with the implant. Other lifestyles factors can also impact the success of implants. Smoking can affect the integration of the bone and this is why we recommend patients quit smoking before going down this route. If you do not maintain the implants and your oral hygiene, you may develop gum disease which will severely effect the success rate of implants.

Before implants are placed a CT scan will be carried out so we can assess the bone density. There needs to be sufficient bone for implants to be placed. If the scan shows insufficient bone, a bone graft will be required before the implants are placed.