• Improved appearance: When you lose the entire tooth, crown and root, shrinkage of the jawbone may cause your face to look older. Dental implants can help to prevent this from happening. A traditional denture or dental bridge doesn’t provide this benefit.
• Improved function: With implant supported teeth you will be able to eat what you like and enjoy your food again, comfortably and confidently.
• Permanent solution: The dental implant bridge is stable and comfortable. Unlike a denture it will cause no discomfort or embarrassment. No adjustment is needed after placement, normally an implant will serve you for life.

Dental implant-supported teeth look, feel and function like natural teeth. This means that you can eat and drink whatever you choose. It is beyond doubt that implant supported bridges improve quality of life. People who have felt embarrassed and worried because of their tooth problems are often overwhelmed by the improvements in how they look and feel with their new teeth. Many patients describe a new found confidence and increased self-esteem following completion of their treatment.

When dental implants are used in combination with modern restorative dentistry their appearance, comfort and function are very likely to exceed your expectations. Often they are hard to tell apart from your natural teeth.

Following a brief adaptation period, chewing capacity is comparable to that of natural teeth.

Anyone who is missing teeth due to injury, disease or tooth decay may be a candidate for dental implants.

Whatever your age, if you are medically fit to undergo a general oral surgical procedure,for example a tooth extraction, dental implants are a possibility for you.

Your general health is an important factor in achieving a successful outcome for implant treatment; your dentist will discuss this at your first appointment.

Using a dental CBCT scan, your dentist will determine your suitability by assessing the breadth, depth and density of your bone at the positions in your mouth where the implants will be placed.

If you have a condition that may interfere with the healing process of either bone or soft tissue (e.g. connective tissue disorder, steroid therapy, bone infection) you will be particularly carefully assessed for suitability, and fully informed of the implications.

Occasionally, older patients express concern that their age may prevent them from enjoying the benefits of dental implants. However, health is more of a determining factor than age.

Smoking and dental implants are not compatible. If you would like to give up smoking, we can assist with smoking cessation order to increase your suitability for implant treatment.

Dentures can be used as a temporary solution then patients may choose to proceed with an implant retained denture or with smile in a day treatment. The benefits of smile in a day implants) rather than dentures are:

• Improved chewing ability.
• Ability to eat a wide range of foods especially natural harder foods in their raw states or less refined versions; cheese nuts bacon, apples, carrots.

The first step towards your new permanent teeth is a detailed examination by your dentist. Then you and your dentist can determine which solution works best for you. As part of your examination, impressions, X-rays and a CBCT scan of your jaw will be recorded in order to plan your entire dental procedure before it begins. The CBCT scan may be taken during an appointment with your dentist or at a separate appointment with our radiographer.

At this stage we will also discuss the appearance of your final restorations and our laboratory team will begin making the teeth that will be fitted onto your implants on the day of implant placement.

The procedure starts in the morning when the dental implants are placed under local anaesthesia, often with sedation delivered by a consultant anaethetist. The surgery takes two or three hours. Once the implants have been placed, impressions are recorded so that your new teeth can be adjusted to exactly fit onto the implants. You will then be able to rest in our private relaxation room where our team will continue to look after you in comfort. Later on in the afternoon, your new teeth will be attached to the implants and you will be provided with specific aftercare instructions before leaving the practice. A relative or friend will need to accompany you on the day in order to drive you to and from the practice, and if you have been sedated, to look after you overnight.

With the implants in place and the initial bridge secured to them, healing can commence. Usually, we ask that you stick to a soft diet, only gradually building up to normal chewing. During the four to six month healing period, the shape of your jaw and your gum will subtly change as the tissues heal and the bone bonds to the implants. At the end of that time we will make a new set of teeth for you that fit the new contours in your mouth. Our specially created recipe book is full of suitable suggestions and provides a wide range of choices for smile in a day patients.

As with any surgery, there can be some discomfort. Local anaesthesia is used and sedation is also available during the dental implant process. You will also receive medications and mouth washes to reduce swelling and discomfort over the subsequent days. Most patients tell us that they were much more comfortable following the procedure than they had anticipated, reporting only minimal discomfort afterwards. Ask your Devonshire House dentist if you can speak with another patient who has already had such tooth replacement therapy to hear their personal experience.

• Your new teeth must be cared for and checked regularly, just like your natural teeth.
• Brushing twice a day with an electric tooth brush and cleaning under the bridge, as recommended by your dentist and dental hygienist is imperative to maintain the health of the gums around the implants.
• Wearing your supplied mouthguard at night will help protect your teeth from excessive wear and tear.
• You will need regular check-ups and hygiene visits every three to four months to begin with. All appointments included in your treatment cost will be detailed in your written treatment plan. 

Occasionally, an implant can fail to bond to your bone and has to be removed. Initially, we would simply replace the loose implant with a new one and leave it to bond again. This recovery treatment would not incur any extra charge.

Should we be very unlucky and have to abandon the implant treatment, then Devonshire House would reimburse you with 50% of the fees up to the point of failure. We would then plan an alternative treatment for you.

The fee for each jaw is £16,000.  Very occasionally some additional procedures may be required to ensure the long-term health of your dental implants. To obtain a specific estimate of the cost, it is necessary to have a Devonshire House dentist examine your mouth. After a thorough diagnostic examination, we will recommend the treatment that is best for you.

In some instances, more than four implants are required to ensure that the bridge is adequately supported. This may be applicable if there is reduced bone height or width. If additional implants are required, there will be an additional fee.

A minimum payment of 50% is required on acceptance of your treatment plan.

It is important to note that the fee per jaw covers everything to complete the treatment to the final bridge and includes:

• All dental appointments relating to this treatment
• Hygiene appointments during the treatment period
• Mouthwashes and oral hygiene sundries that your specialist feels are necessary and appropriate to your needs on the day of surgery
• A protective mouthguard to prevent tooth breakages

The success of your dental implant treatment in the long-term is very dependent on your maintaining a high standard of oral hygiene and continuing as a non-smoker if you have had a history of smoking in the past. Therefore, once your treatment has finished and the final bridge has been fitted, you will still need to visit Devonshire House for:

• At least two oral hygiene visits per year
• At least one review per year with your specialist
• Tooth whitening, if required

These appointments will be charged at the standard rates and are not included in the initial treatment cost.

Your mouthguard will need to be replaced periodically due to wear and tear and will be charged at our standard rate.

Yes, as this treatment takes 6 months to complete, we are happy to consider spreading the cost of payments on an interest free basis. Please contact our Treatment Co-ordinator, who will gladly explain the fees and payment options to you.