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What is a dental implant?
Dental implants are essentially bone screws that are used as a substitute for missing tooth roots. Almost all dental implants are made from titanium or titanium alloy, materials that have been shown over many years to be well tolerated by bone.
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What does a dental implant look like?
Dental implants are smaller than you might think. An average length would be 12 to 14mm. Their diameter is usually between 4 and 6mm. They can finish at bone level or just below the gum line.
  
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What is an abutment?
The abutment is screwed into an implant and is used to support crowns, bridges or dentures.
 
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What goes on top of the implant abutment?
With the abutment secured firmly a wide range of artificial teeth can be used to replace natural missing teeth. Ceramic crowns are a popular choice and give a very natural appearance
 
It is important to remember that a well placed implant should be invisible. Its only purpose is to support the replacement teeth. My patients very rarely ask for a dental implant; what they want is a replacement tooth.
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Do implants work?
Yes they do, in fact dental implants have one of the highest survival rates for any artificial body part. I am still reviewing patients for whom I placed implants in the early 1990s.
Implants are not however "Fit and Forget” they need the same care and attention as natural teeth. On completion of treatment it will be necessary for you to attend a number of recall appointments to check the condition of the implants.
After this, regular six monthly dental check-ups are required to monitor the condition of the implants and any remaining natural teeth. Also regular hygiene maintenance appointments are vital, as a build of plaque will cause gum problems and possible bone loss around your implants, resulting in their eventual loss.
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Does it hurt?
Most patients will be familiar with the dental anaesthetics used for routine dentistry. Implants are placed using the same anaesthetic so the placement will be pain free. The degree of post operative pain depends on how extensive the surgical proceed was to place the implant. A single implant placed directly into a fresh extraction socket will result in minimal discomfort.
Multiple placements with associated bone grafting will result in some post operative pain, swelling and bruising. This resolves over a few days and healing is usually uneventful.
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Can I have new teeth today please?
When implants were first introduced they were placed in bone where teeth had been lost for many years and then left to heal for six months. Improvements in implant design and surgical techniques mean that implants can sometimes be placed into extraction sockets or restored immediately. Following my preferred protocol implants are placed six weeks after tooth extraction and restored after a further six weeks of healing.
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Why is bone grafting necessary?
Bone grafts are frequently necessary at the time of implant placement. If bone that once supported teeth has been lost it needs to be replaced to support the gum around an implant supported crown. In the below pictures you can see examples of what happens when there is not enough bone to support the gum.
 
The picture on the left shows an implant supported crown but no gum tissue between the two font teeth. The picture on the right shows an implant supported crown with a significantly higher gum line.
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How much does implant treatment cost?
The cost of implant treatment can vary greatly depending on what type of treatment is necessary. A full case assessment will normally cost in the region of three hundred pounds. The placement of a single implant costs thirteen hundred pounds; this figure reduces to one thousand pounds for multiple placements. Abutments and artificial teeth have a wide variation in cost; typically from six hundred and forty pounds to many thousands of pounds for big bridges.
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Below are listed some common examples. These estimated costs are exclusive of the case assessment. |
Single implant, solid abutment and cemented bonded crown. |
£ 1,940.00 |
| Single implant, screw retained posterior bonded crown |
£ 2,070.00 |
Aesthetic zone single implant, custom abutment and cemented Lava crown. |
£ 2,050.00 |
Screw retained three unit bonded bridge (two implants). |
£ 3,920.00 |
Full denture supported on four implants with locator abutments. |
£ 5,320.00 |
Fixed hybrid prosthesis supported on six implants, screw retained, composite teeth and metal frame work. |
£ 9,600.00 |
| Bone grafting and gum contouring. |
£ 800.00 |
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