Dental Implants

You may have heard about implants from a friend who has one or seen them in the news or press.  A dental implant is the closest substitute we have today to a real tooth. Implants can be used as anchors for crowns, bridges or dentures.  They can be used to replace anything from a single missing tooth up to a full row of teeth.  

A dental implant is a substitute for the root of your natural tooth and is made from titanium which integrates with bone. Titanium is well accepted by the human body and there are very few recorded cases of allergy to titanium. Once the dental implant has integrated with the bone it can be used as a foundation for replacement teeth. Precision-engineered parts are then connected to the implant and these support your dental work, fixing it in place.

Anyone in reasonable health who wants to replace missing teeth could be suitable.  Usually you need good quality bone in the implant site but sometimes a bone graft can be used. This will be assessed before treatment.  Success rates depend on the area of the mouth where they are placed and how good your bone is but rates are generally well over 95%, however smokers have a considerably lower chance of success.

Normally an implant will be left to heal for 3-6 months before building the dentistry on it.  During this time temporary restorations are usually in place so you shouldn’t have to face the world with gaps at the front of your mouth. Sometimes though it may be easier to leave gaps at the back of the mouth, if they don’t show.

At Kendrick View we have a lot of experience with implants. Dr Kash Ubhi, one of our specialists, has been treating patients with implants for many years and joined us in 2002.  Kash is on the Specialist register of the General Dental Council.  Simon Carruthers is also highly qualified; having completed a year’s training from the Eastman Dental Hospital he is now studying for the diploma in implant placement.  Chris Barker and Mark Hargreaves are trained in placing the dentistry on top of implants. They both have considerable experience in this field.  We work closely with Lodge Dental, a top Dental Laboratory, so that we can provide an excellent in-house service for our patients.

Expect treatment to take anything from six to eighteen months from the start of the initial planning to the fitting of the final restorations. The cost depends on lots of factors.  As a rough guide, replacing a single missing tooth with an implant might cost £2800 to £3700.  Of course we will always give you a full written quotation after you have undergone a thorough case assessment.  This includes a detailed examination, x-rays, photographs and models of the teeth.  We may also need special x-rays or scans and occasionally further tests and investigations.

Remember though, implants are not the only way of filling gaps in the mouth. There are lots of alternatives so why not come and discuss your options with us.

For more information try these links: -
http://www.3implant.com/patient_information.html
http://www.nobelbiocare.se/international/patients/index.asp