Dental implants

A dental implant is a small screw-shaped post, usually titanium, placed into the jawbone to take the role of a missing tooth's root. Over a period of months the surrounding bone integrates with its surface. Once that has happened the implant can support a crown for a single tooth, or a bridge across several. Implants are one of several ways to replace a missing tooth, and they are not automatically the right one — that depends on your bone, your remaining teeth, your general health and what you want long term.

• A single tooth is missing and the teeth either side are healthy
• Several teeth are missing in the same area
• A tooth is beyond restoring and extraction is being considered
• An existing bridge or denture is no longer working well
• You would prefer not to reduce healthy neighbouring teeth to carry a bridge

• A conventional bridge, supported by the teeth either side of the gap
• A resin-bonded bridge, which involves less preparation of neighbouring teeth
• A removable partial denture
• Leaving the gap, which is sometimes a reasonable decision and should be discussed rather than dismissed

• Clear photographs of the area and of your teeth together
• A recent panoramic X-ray, and often a 3D scan before any surgery is planned
• Your medical history, including medication and any conditions affecting healing
• Whether you smoke, since it affects healing and long-term outcomes
• Any history of gum disease and how it was treated
• What has already been tried in that area

1. 1

   Assessment and planning

   Examination, imaging, and a discussion of whether an implant is appropriate for your case and what the alternatives would involve.

   Carried out by: Partner clinic

2. 2

   Any preparatory treatment

   Some cases need an extraction, gum treatment or bone grafting before an implant can be considered. This is not an upsell; it is what makes the implant viable.

   Carried out by: Partner clinic

3. 3

   Implant placement

   The implant is placed into the bone under local anaesthetic. A temporary solution may be provided for the healing period where appropriate.

   Carried out by: Partner clinic

4. 4

   Healing and integration

   The bone integrates with the implant surface. This typically takes several months and cannot be meaningfully rushed.

   Carried out by: You

5. 5

   Restoration

   Once integration is confirmed, impressions or scans are taken and the final crown or bridge is made and fitted.

   Carried out by: Partner clinic

6. 6

   Review and aftercare

   Ongoing checks and cleaning. Implants need maintenance in the same way natural teeth do.

   Carried out by: You

Implant treatment is commonly split across two trips, because the healing period between placement and the final restoration is measured in months rather than days. Some cases can be handled differently, and a few are suitable for immediate restoration — but a plan promising a completed implant in a single short visit deserves a direct question about how, and why that is appropriate for you specifically.

• The volume and quality of bone available at the site
• Gum health, and whether any gum disease is stable
• General health, and medication affecting bone or healing
• Smoking
• Grinding or clenching habits
• Whether you are able to maintain cleaning around an implant

• How many implants are involved
• Whether preparatory treatment such as grafting or extraction is needed
• The implant system used, and whether it is one your dentist at home can service
• The material of the final crown or bridge
• Which laboratory produces the restoration
• How many appointments and how much planning time the case requires

We do not publish price ranges for this treatment. Any figure we could give before a clinic has approved it would be a guess presented as guidance. Your final price comes from the partner clinic in writing, after a dentist has reviewed your case.

• The implant may fail to integrate with the bone and need removal
• Infection around the implant, which can develop years later if cleaning is inadequate
• Altered sensation, particularly in the lower jaw, which is usually temporary but can persist
• The final appearance may differ from what you pictured, particularly at the gum line
• Restorations can chip or wear and may need replacing over time
• Treatment may need to change once surgery is underway and the site is seen directly

• Which implant system will you use, and can a dentist in my country service it?
• What exactly is included in this price, and what is not?
• What happens, and who pays, if the implant fails to integrate?
• How many visits will this take, and how long between them?
• Who will place the implant, and what are their qualifications?
• What is the plan if I need attention after I return home?

These are worth asking of any clinic, including ours. A clinic that answers them clearly and in writing is telling you something useful.

This treatment would be carried out by a licensed dentist at the partner clinic you choose, working in oral surgery and implantology. Dental Anchor does not provide treatment and does not employ dentists.

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