Do you have missing teeth? Have you had a missing tooth for an extended period?
This might mean you have a low jawbone density, which will need to be looked at and treated to make your implant treatment success.
But don’t worry. Patients with insufficient bone can still receive dental implants by having an additional bone grafting procedure to replenish the bone.
Ideally, patients who have lost a tooth should begin installing an implant immediately. However, patients may also be suitable for placement up to six months to several years after tooth loss, depending on bone loss.
We often see patients who have allowed their missing teeth to go untreated experience problems with insufficient bone density as a consequence.
Typically teeth would have begun to show movement and might have had to be removed in the past.
‘Wobbly teeth’ can be a sign of inadequate bone.
This means that they needed to undergo a further bone graft procedure to reverse and restore, ensuring implant placements are successful and durable.
Patients who have lost a tooth, especially to a severe infection or decay, can often experience further tooth loss and oral health complications due to a portion of the jawbone deteriorating.
Depending on the severity of your condition, times to rectify this problem can vary.
Implant benefits:
Long-lasting
Natural-looking
Improved appearance
Better comfort
Easier eating
Improved oral health
What’s the procedure like?
The treatment will involve the taking of bone from other areas where it is not technically needed.
Then, we graft this bone into your jawbone, where it will build enough volume to hold and support the implant.
In many cases, the extra bone is taken from a different portion of the mouth.
It will generally take around three months then for the implant to fuse with existing bone.
Tried and tested, it is one of the most reliable procedures available to allow patient mouths to be fit enough to hold implants.
Depending on the situation, other procedures may be required, like sinus elevation or augmentation, which could add several months to your healing time and push back your scheduled implant placement.
For the upper jaw, the bone height may be limited by the presence of the sinus.
In this case, it is easily possible to increase the bone height by performing a Sinus Graft procedure or Sinus Lift procedure. More.
Sinus Graft procedure is the treatment of choice when the extra volume and height of bone is more than a few millimetres.
Sinus graft is a minor procedure where a small window, about 1cm diameter, gently lifts the sinus lining and bone placed.
We advocate a healing period of 3 – 6 months before the placement of the implant.
The sinus lift procedure uses osteotomes (special hand use implant instruments with a blunt end), where we lift the sinus floor by a few millimetres allowing for the increased size of the height of the implant.
It is essential to speak to a restorative dentist about the possibility of implants and if you are a viable candidate for the procedure or not.
With x-rays, a dentist will soon be able to diagnose what procedures are required so that you can have a successful implant.
Step 1: We will start the process with a highly detailed and thorough comprehensive examination and assessment. We will then construct a customised treatment plan and design your implant treatment.
Step 2: An implantologist surgically places your new implant(s) in your mouth.
Step 3: We will assess your healing on this review appointment and make sure everything is going as planned.
Step 4: The dentist records and impressions to construct the implant’s top part (post and crown).
Step 5: The dentist will fit the final part of the implant (post and crown).
Step 6: Your final appointment allows you to have any further refining cosmetic enhancements or minor adjustments.
When you lose a tooth, the surrounding bone that holds the tooth in place will diminish in height, width, and volume. This may affect the immediate and final appearance of the gum tissue in this area and possibly the surrounding teeth.
The larger the width of bone or the height of the bone, the wider and longer implant can be. A wider and longer implant increases implant stability and thus success. We assess the bone height and width by taking digital radiographs or by taking a CT Scan. More.
Once the implant has fused with your jawbone and tissues, the artificial titanium implant acts as an ordinary root. The longevity of your implant depends on how you improve and maintain your oral health. Read more.
When we place the implant, we make sure the procedure is pain-free. We offer a range of sedation and techniques suitable for nervous patients. You can find out more here.
There isn’t an age limit for dental implants. However, our dentists recommend that if you have to be over 18 for the dental implant procedure. Read on.
A dental implant offers a wealth of oral health benefits. Not only can an implant improve your smile, but it can also realign neighbouring teeth, protect your mouth from gum disease etc. Read the benefits.
When we implant a titanium implant into the jawbone, it becomes part of your oral foundation.
This offers a number of health benefits that include preventing any bone loss whilst supporting the jawbone structure and reduces the risk of gum disease. More.
The price of a dental implant can depend, for example, if any further treatments are needed to make sure your implant is a success, like bone regeneration.
Our inclusive single dental implant treatment costs £2,995 and includes the abutment and crown. More.
You can expect to feel some pain when having a new implant; however, the discomfort is kept to a minimum with modern anaesthetics. Nevertheless, post-process, there can be some swelling and aching for 5 -10 days.
Many patients have multiple implants in a single day without undue pain or distress. More.
Natural-looking
Will my implants match the colour of my existing teeth?
Implants are colour matched and then shaped to blend in with your existing teeth. To the naked eye, an implant is very hard to spot.
Highly experienced implant team
An unparalleled level of patient trust: Dr Rahul Doshi is the founder of the Perfect Smile and is the current President of the BACD.
With over 25 years of dental implant experience, Dr Rahul Doshi proudly leads a highly skilled team with access to the latest dental technology.