Dental Implants

What are implants?

Implants are special posts that replace the roots of teeth and are anchored into the jawbone. They are then used to support a new crown, fixed bridge or a denture. They are made from titanium, the same material that is used in hip joint replacement, it is strong and lightweight, and has been proven safe to use as it is compatible with the body.

Why do we need to replace missing teeth?

Our teeth are an important part of our digestive system we need them to chew our food. They also play a role in speech and of course our appearance.

What are the advantages of implants over conventional replacements?

Bridges usually involve sticking false teeth onto existing teeth. This can sometimes involve filing down healthy teeth to act as retainers which could compromise the health of these teeth. Bridges can only be done when there is sufficient strong tooth remaining. They are a permanent replacement for the missing tooth but they do need replacing every 10 to 15 years. Cleaning is also difficult under bridges and this may lead to decay and further loss of teeth.

Dentures are teeth attached to either a plastic or metal plate. They are often bulky and uncomfortable to wear, and have to be taken out after every meal for cleaning.

They do not always remain in place due to the shape of your gums and bone, so you could end up with them flopping up and down when you talk.

Though both bridges and dentures can serve us satisfactorily, implants provide better support which usually results in more comfort, better chewing and a stable replacement for teeth.

Implants also slow down the shrinkage of our jawbone which is a result of tooth loss.

What are the complications, risks and success rate of implants?

As with all surgical procedures there is always certain risks and complications, with implants it is mainly due to failure of the implant to integrate with the bone or due to damage to the surrounding tissue. These complications are very small and with careful pre-operative planning the risks are kept to a minimum.

Where an implant does not integrate with bone due to pre existing pathology, infection or bone pattern, the site can be left to heal for a while and the implant then reinserted.

Though the dentist can never guarantee success, the procedure has been very well tested and can offer a success rate of 90%-95% in general. Some implants have been monitored for over 30yrs.

From time to time minor re-servicing will need to be done to the implant even in successful implants.

Is there an age restriction on implants?

You can be too young for implants but age itself is not a barrier. Your mental and physical health is an important criteria, and your implant consultant will determine your suitability for surgery.

What is the actual procedure?

To bury the implant into the jaw bone requires minor surgery. This is normally carried out under a local anaesthetic in the dental chair. For patients who are anxious intravenous sedation is also offered. The whole procedure from start to finish takes about 8 months. During the healing period you will be given a temporary denture or bridge to wear.

Depending on the complexity of the case the treatment can take between one/two hours, The dentist will advise you if you need to take any further time off work after the surgery, although we always recommend you take the rest of the day off. After the surgery there will be some discomfort, but with the appropriate medication it is usually not too uncomfortable.

What is Bone augmentation?

A successful placement of an implant depends on the presence of sufficient bone and also its quality. If there is insufficient bone to place the implant we have to replace it. This can be done in numerous ways we can take bone from another part of the body normally the jaw, we can used artificial bone or donor bone from another sources. These grafting techniques are simple and can normally be carried out on the same visit as placing the implant, but this could sometimes prolong the course of treatment.

How much will it cost?

There is a cost attached to having implants due to the complexity of the treatment, the cost of materials and the training that a dentist has to entail to become a qualified implant surgeon.

However, in terms of quality of life, there is definitely a dramatic improvement for the people who have benefited from this type of procedure. The average cost of a dental implant starts from £1800 per tooth. A consultation with our implant surgeon will cost £200 this will include x-rays, study models and a full treatment plan.

Generally, the unit cost will reduce with the more implants that you have placed.

The next step!

Arrange an implant consultation to assess your mouth.

You can also find more information at www.straumann.com