A dental implant is a highly engineered metal post or screw normally made from a biocompatible material such as titanium. When anchored into the jawbone, it bonds with the existing bone tissue to form a super-strong structure that becomes part of the mouth.

Once stability has been achieved, the implant is then ready to be fitted with a restoration crown or bridge. It can also be used as part of a series of implants supporting an entire arch of restoration teeth.

The length of time an implant treatment takes will vary from person to person. This is because the act of bone-to-implant fusion, critical to implant success, differs from one patient to another. On the whole, patients can expect treatment to last somewhere between 3-9 months.

In a word, no! At Smile Success, we use computer-guided technology to assist implant placement, meaning most of the planning and preparation is done digitally without the need for the patient to be there.

Therefore, when it comes to surgery, the oral surgeon already knows the exact depth and trajectory of the implant, so placement is quick. In some cases, an implant is placed in as little as 15-20 minutes. During this time, an anaesthetic ensures patients won’t feel any discomfort, and if they prefer, a light sedative can help them relax.

As with most surgeries, patients may feel some slight discomfort coupled with some bruising or swelling. However, any discomfort should disappear within a few days using over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen.

Furthermore, patients can use a combination of cold and hot compresses to assist with swelling.  Normally, after 7-10 days, patients are back to full health and can continue their daily lives.

You may indeed have to restrict food intake initially to avoid anything overly hard, crunchy or chewy until the implant has stabilised in the jaw, but this is only a temporary measure.

The whole point of dental implants is that they are the nearest thing to replacing teeth on a like-for-like basis. Once the implant has settled in the jaw, it becomes part of the mouth, and you should be able to eat whatever you like without a problem.

The actual implant itself – the titanium post that’s anchored into your jaw – is designed to last indefinitely. In other words, it should never need replacing unless there’s a problem. However, restoration teeth like crowns typically have a shelf life of 10-15 years. Therefore, they may (or may not) need replacing at some point.

Unfortunately, dental implants are not a ‘set and forget’ treatment. In other words, patients must commit to maintaining good oral health. Poor oral care can lead to implant failure.

That said, implants should be treated just like natural teeth with regular brushing, flossing and dental visits. So, while you do have to commit to a lifetime of care, it should be no different from your normal routine. As long as you practice good oral care, it should equate to a healthy and long-lasting implant.

Dental implants have been around since the 1960s and are still considered the gold standard of teeth replacement. Even today, there is no better method of restoring a smile. That said, they aren’t cheap, so you may need to weigh up the initial cost and time needed for placement vs other forms of tooth replacement.

But while you might find the initial fee high, it may work out to be a better option in the long term in terms of quality of life. Don’t forget, you can always ask us about our payment plans that allow you to spread the cost of treatments over several months.

In a word, yes. While you may consider a missing tooth to be inconsequential, particularly if it’s not in your direct smile line, even a single missing tooth can trigger bone erosion.

Moreover, teeth rely on their adjacent neighbours to stay in line, so when a tooth is lost, the remaining teeth can gravitate towards the gap, causing misalignment that may affect the bite. By plugging a gap with a restoration tooth, particularly dental implants, any further bone loss is stopped, and misalignment is halted.

Like with all surgeries, there will always be a tiny element of risk. For this reason, we give every potential implant patient a screening to ascertain whether they are eligible to undergo surgery.

We know, for instance, that heart problems can be impacted by anaesthetics or uncontrolled diabetes, which may prevent the bone tissue from fusing with the implant altogether. To ensure implant surgery is as safe as it can be, we assess every patient and their situation on merit and will make a decision that is in their best and safest interests.