What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are modern dentistry’s best way of replacing a missing tooth by using a metal rod made of titanium, which is placed into the jawbone to replace a root.

The implant supports a replacement tooth (crown) normally made of tooth-coloured porcelain. Implants can also replace several missing teeth (i.e. you don´t necessarily need one implant per missing tooth); for example, three missing teeth can be replaced with a porcelain bridge supported by two implants. It is also possible to stabilise loose removable dentures by clipping them onto two or more attachments supported by implants.

A thorough assessment and planning process is required to ensure that your case is suitable for dental implants. Occasionally, additional procedures such as grafting are required to ensure there is sufficient jawbone to support an implant.

Our implant surgeon, Mr Jose Antonio Victoria Ortega, has been placing and restoring dental implants successfully for over 10 years and is highly praised by colleagues and patients alike for his caring and thorough approach when treating patients. You can read more about Jose here.

The Patient Journey

Dental implants require thorough and precise planning and we would like you to be familiar with the process.

Your implant journey

1. Your first appointment will be an initial implant consultation. During this appointment, we will examine your mouth, concentrating on the areas where you may need dental implants. We will explain the different alternatives available and their approximate costs. We may also need to take a small x-ray. The appointment is usually 30 minutes long and the cost for this visit is £75.
2. Following our initial consultation, if you wish to further explore the option of having dental implants, we will arrange a full case assessment. This involves taking a series of clinical records, impressions (moulds of your mouth), photographs and x-rays. The approximate length of this appointment is one hour and this will incur a fee of £150. There is a separate cost for the initial laboratory work (from £100). You may also need to be referred for a 3D x-ray (CBCT scan), which usually costs £100-200.
3. We would then establish a treatment plan specific to your individual situation and we would book a follow-up consultation to discuss the treatment plan and give you a quotation. As with any dental treatment, the length of your implant journey can vary depending on the case, so we will explain this to you in detail at your consultations.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about how we can help you to replace missing teeth, please contact us on 01455 842 941 or e-mail us at info@earlshiltondentalpractice.co.uk

You can also find additional general information about dental implants on the Association of Dental Implantology UK website: http://consideringdentalimplants.co.uk/.