Dental implants represent one of the biggest advances in dentistry, with an overall success rate of about 96%. While every patient and dental implant case is different, many patients report minimal or no pain during the procedure.
You are a suitable candidate for dental implants if you have one or more teeth missing, have satisfactory physical and oral/dental health, and are not suffering from any chronic medical or dental illness.
You may not be eligible if you are suffering from a systemic illness, pathology of the bones, or have problems related to your heart, kidney or liver.
A dental implant is not a one-step process. Between waiting for your jaw bone to heal, scheduling visits to your dentist and creating your crowns, the entire process generally takes 3–6 months to complete.
The cost of dental implants varies based on the complexity of the procedure, how many implants are needed and the type of prosthetic tooth used. Over multiple years, implants can be the most cost-effective solution to missing teeth.
At Green Lane Dental in South East London we offer an affordable dental implant payment plan of up to 5 years. We also provide a dental implant quote that includes all cost factors, including bone grafting and other necessary procedures.
With proper oral care and maintenance you can expect your dental implants to last a lifetime. However, the service life of an implant mainly depends upon your own oral hygiene maintenance — the better your oral health, the longer your implants will last.
The most critical requirement is to look after your oral health. It is strongly advised to see a hygienist regularly, every 6 months. Consider your implants as natural teeth and brush and floss them regularly.
You should also take special care of the gums surrounding the dental implants, as one of the major reasons for implant failure is gum and periodontal infection.
After implant surgery the gums and mouth need to heal before a dental crown or prosthetic tooth is placed. You can still use a denture during the healing period, and we can always make provisions to have temporary teeth made.
In some cases where dentures are worn, we ask patients to wear their dentures part-time, if possible, during the initial healing period (3–14 days).
Although an exam, radiograph or CT scan may be necessary to evaluate the amount of bone present, most patients have enough bone to place implants. The longer a person has been missing teeth, the greater the amount of bone loss or atrophy that will have occurred. Sometimes insufficient bone will require the placement of a bone graft before implants are placed.
Depending on how severe it is and how well it has been controlled, gum disease can be a factor when placing dental implants, since it can lead to infection and implant failure. Where possible it is typically better to address the gum disease (periodontal disease) and establish a good oral hygiene routine first, then proceed with the placement of dental implants.
Still have a question about implants?
Dental Implant Consultation: £100 — taken off your treatment cost if you go ahead.
