Dental Implants

A dental implant is an artificial whole tooth consisting of a root and a natural looking replacement tooth. The root is made of titanium, which is placed within the bone to form a secure foundation. The replacement tooth, made of porcelain or a special plastic, is then fitted on top of the titanium root.

Dental implants are usually the best solution for replacing missing teeth or teeth needing extraction. You can have any number of teeth replaced with dental implants, from a single tooth to a set. With the right care, a dental implant should last for many years.

Placing a dental implant will require a surgical procedure. This can be done using a simple local anaesthetic. For complex cases general anaesthetic under specialist care may be required.

The dental implant will need to bond (integrate) with the bone after they have been put in. This is for around 3 months in the lower jaw and 6 months in the upper jaw.

If you are having one, two or three teeth replaced, you will have a temporary restoration in the meantime. If you have complete dentures, then these can be worn throughout the healing period once they have been modified after the surgery.