FAQs

A dental implant is used to support one or more false teeth. It is a titanium screw that can replace the root of a tooth when it fails. Just like a tooth root, it is placed into the jawbone.

Dental Implants are a safe, well-established, tried-and-tested treatment. It’s probably true to say that dental implants, much like natural teeth, will last for as long as you care for them. How well you look after your dental implants – and whether you go for your regular maintenance appointments – will have the biggest impact on how long they will last. If you don’t look after your dental implants, they will develop a coating like that found on neglected natural teeth. When dental implants left untreated, this can lead to gum infection, bleeding, soreness, and general discomfort. You could get all these problems also with your natural teeth. If your dental implants are well looked after, and if the bone they are fitted to is strong and healthy, you can expect them to last for many years. However, just as with other surgical dental implants (such as a hip replacement) there is no lifetime guarantee.

Yes. You can have any number of teeth replaced with dental implants – from one single tooth to a complete set.

Depends on the condition of the bone in your jaw. Your dentist will arrange for a few special tests to find out the amount of bone still there. If there is not enough, or if it isn’t healthy enough, it may not be possible to place dental implants without grafting bone into the area first.

Placing a dental implant is often easier than taking a tooth out and is usually done using a simple local unaesthetic. You will not feel any pain at the time, but just like after an extraction, you may feel some discomfort during the week after the surgery. Sometimes your dentist might give you a sedative if you are very nervous or if the case is a complicated one. General anesthetics are rarely used for dental implants and are generally only used for very complicated cases.

Your dentist will be able to give you a rough timetable before the treatment starts. Usually, the permanent false teeth are fitted 3 to 4 months after the dental implants are put in. Some teeth can now even be fitted at the same time as the dental implants (these are called ‘immediate implants’) but you should check with your dentist to see whether these are suitable for you. Sometimes treatment takes longer, and your dentist will talk to you about your treatment time.

Your dentist will give you instructions on how to look after your dental implant. They may give you some painkillers after the surgery – or check whether you have them at home – to take over the next few days if you need them.

After your dental implants have been placed, the bone in your jaw needs to grow onto them and fuse to them. This usually takes a few months. Sometimes the dental implants may be stable enough when they are fitted for the false teeth to be attached sooner than this. If you are having one, two or three teeth replaced, you may have a temporary denture in the meantime. If you have full dentures, you can keep wearing these while your dental implants are healing. Your dentures will need altering, to fit properly after the surgery, and a ‘healing cap’ will usually be placed onto the dental implant site to protect it.

No. But aftercare is important if you are going to have a long-lasting, successful dental implant. Your dentist should give you detailed advice on how to look after your dental implants. Cleaning around the teeth attached to the implants is not more difficult than cleaning natural teeth. However, there may be areas that are difficult to reach, and you’ll be shown methods to help you. You may need to visit your dentist more often, but your dentist will be able to talk to you about this.