Dental Implants

It is perfectly normal to consider carefully the cost of any serious investment. It is a lot to spend on your mouth and it is down to each individual patient to decide if the improvements to quality of life, function, confidence and appearance are worthwhile. We only ever prescribe treatment that is necessary and would like to reiterate the fact that we are always there for you for the very important after care and maintenance of the implant treatment which is very important.

Will the implant treatment be very painful?

This is one of the most common concerns for people thinking about having an implant.

The majority of implants are placed under a normal dental local anaesthetic. Though the local anaesthetic injections can sting a little, we have systems in place to reduce the pain by using very thin needles and warm anaesthetic. We also have a computerized injection system which is called the wand which can provide pain free injection. Once you are numb, you will not feel anything sharp or painful at all throughout your treatment. You will feel some pressing and pushing during the procedure as well as some vibration during the drilling stage, but this will not be sharp or painful in any way and your dentist will check to make sure you are completely numb before they start the surgery.

For bigger procedures such as multiple implants or complex cases, sedation can be provided. Sedation is not a general anaesthetic, but makes patients feel very comfortable and relaxed and they rarely remember much about the procedure afterwards which is an advantage for many nervous patients.

Once the anaesthetic has worn o you may need to take over-the-counter painkillers but is not unusual to have a very minimal level of pain or even no pain whatsoever. During the first few days after surgery, it’s possible the gum may feel a little sore as it heals and you might wish to stick to soft foods that are easy to eat. With a single dental implant, you should be fine to go back to work the next day.

If my tooth is removed, will I be left with a gap?

There are a few factors which can make it necessary to wait for healing after tooth removal before an implant can be placed; the main factor being if there is any sign of infection. If infection is present, we need to allow a healing phase of 8-12 weeks before we can place the implants.

There are some cases where we can go for Immediate Implants and then cover with immediate crowns or teeth, but that will depend on the suitability assessment done in the planning stage.

Don’t worry because you never need to have a gap if you don’t want one – there are all sorts of temporary solutions, both fixed and removable, to make sure there is no embarrassment at any stage through the implant process.

How long will the treatment take?

Normally the treatment times can be a little as 8-10 weeks from placement of the implant to fit of the final crown. However, sometimes treatment can take longer depending on the level of complexity of your case, with some patients not finishing for up to a year. The exact time frame will be ascertained from your comprehensive assessment including the CT scan done at the practice.

What happens if the implant fails? Is there any guaranty?

Any surgical procedure can have complications and dental implants are no exception. At the assessment stage, we look into all the potential side effects and complications if any and those are explained to the patient. If there are any contraindications present, we may defer or cancel the treatment.

When an implant is placed, your bone then needs to grow onto and fuse to the implant, in a process known as Osseo integration, if it is to become a firm foundation for a crown. In the unlikely event that your bone fails to grow onto an implant, we offer the choice of either a 50% refund, or to replace the implant completely free of charge one more time. We have usually found that patients wish to try again and that a second failure is exceptionally rare.

We do regularly audit our success rates and have seen about a 95% rate in the last year which is a very impressive figure. Trained and experienced surgeons, dentists, co-ordinators and nurses help in providing a quality treatment which should last a long time.

My teeth are missing for a long time, can I still have implants?

Normally yes – We will do a comprehensive implant assessment of the mouth and jaw bone which includes, study models, photographs and most important the 3D CT Scan which is in-house. We work with our experienced dental laboratories to give a long term solution for our patients.

Very rarely we will explain that there is not enough bone to safely work with implants and then we have to consider alternative dental options with you and your dentist.

Can I replace all my teeth with implants?

Yes we can and we are highly experienced at this pinnacle of dental implant treatments. You do not need one implant per tooth and can actually have as few as four implants to replace all of the upper or lower teeth. There are a variety of options for the type of bridgework supplied which can either be removable by you or fixed in place, so please see the relevant section of our website.

Can implants help with dentures?

Absolutely yes! Dentures are most patients’ nightmare due to the difficulty in wearing and the effect on all aspects of life. Small dentures can be replaced with just a few implants, or complete (full) dentures can either be held in position with implants, or of course replaced with implants all together – surely the most amazing dental transformation available. Implant supported dentures provide the much needed stability and confidence that the patient needs to eat and smile with ease.

Can I get my implant put at the time when the tooth is removed?

Yes, in some cases, our skilled surgeons and dentists can place an implant immediately after extraction in the socket, provided there is no infection around the socket and if it meets with all the suitable criteria gone through the assessment. It can then be covered with a temporary tooth till the healing takes place. But most of the times, it is better to wait for the healing to take place before placing dental implants.

Don’t worry because you need never have a gap – there are several temporary replacement solutions available to make sure there is no embarrassment at any stage through the implant process.

How long will the implant last?

If the integration is successful and the area is well cared for and maintained with regular reviews and monitoring, an implant should last a lifetime.

It is possible to chip a crown or bridge on implants in the same way that it is possible to chip a tooth and sometimes the outer screw over the implants may become loose which can be easily corrected. We recommend annual reviews with x-rays to check the bone levels around the implants in addition to your regular check-ups with your dentist. We offer an annual review and you can enter in one of our membership plans with check-ups and hygiene sessions to take care of the treated area.

Can I have dental implants if I am a smoker?

We now know that smoking does affect both natural teeth and implants. For natural teeth, smoking increases the risks of gum disease. For implants, smoking slightly increases the risks of complications at every stage of implant treatment. We would recommend to stop smoking to reduce any chances of implant failure in the long run.

The good news is that this increased risk if very slight and we successfully treat patients who are smokers every day at Dental Concepts.