Dental Implants Hadleigh

Because they are made from porcelain, dental implants are likely to be longer-lasting than your natural teeth. Take good care of them and they will last a lifetime. It’s the same as your natural teeth – the better you look after them, the longer they will last.

Although dental implants have no official upper or lower age limits, we would not recommend them for anyone younger than 18. This is because, at that age, the jaw and bone tissue are still maturing. Some older patients will not be suitable candidates for dental implants due to the condition of their gums and jawbone.

Yes, dentures can be swapped for dental implants. Best of all, because your teeth were removed when your dentures were fitted, the dental implant procedure may be easier as no additional extractions will be required. We can employ a technique known as “all on four” in which a few abutments are used to fit two complete porcelain arches, permanently replacing your old dentures.

Having a dental implant fitted should not cause you any pain, but you may feel some slight discomfort. We make sure you are feeling comfortable before we start the procedure, and we use local anaesthetic throughout. If discomfort persists after the fitting, over-the-counter painkillers should be enough to treat it while your mouth is healing.

Both dental implants and dental bridges are fixed solutions, but there is one key difference. A dental implant is designed to be attached directly to the jawbone, while a dental bridge is fixed to the supporting teeth on each side of the gap. This means that a new bridge may be needed if the supporting teeth ever become damaged. Dental implants do not rely on other teeth so, while they cost more initially, they often work out cheaper in the long run.

Our friendly  practice is specially designed to meet the needs of the 21^st century dental patient. Our surgeries, reception and waiting area are all fully equipped, modern and sparklingly clean. Our staff are highly qualified and boast decades of experience between them. As a leading dental practice in Hadleigh, we pride ourselves on offering the finest patient care. We are highly rated on Google, showing our commitment to great service.

Having a dental implant fitted is a surgical procedure, and all surgery comes with certain risks. However, these risks can be greatly reduced by choosing a qualified and experienced team for your procedure.  

After the surgery, there is really no downside at all. You’ll be left with a permanent replacement that perfectly matches the rest of your teeth. If you take good care of your dental implants, they will last a lifetime.

We often hear the question “Why are dental implants so expensive?”. There are good reasons for their cost.

First of all, a specially trained dental professional must be present for the fitting as the procedure cannot be performed by a regular dentist. The necessary dental implantologist qualification requires many hours of additional training.

You also must consider the materials needed to produce a dental implant: titanium and porcelain. In order to create an implant that fits the exact shape of your mouth, these materials must be crafted in a specialised lab.  As with any bespoke item that requires the work of an expert, the final product will cost more than something made on a production line.

A dental implant is the only permanent way to replace a missing tooth. However, there are a few non-permanent alternatives:

Dentures: As new techniques have emerged, dentures have become a less popular method for replacing missing teeth. They must be removed regularly for sleeping and cleaning, which many patients find too inconvenient.

Dental bridges – Like a dental implant, a dental bridge uses a porcelain crown. However, while a dental implant is attached to the jawbone directly, a dental bridge must be fixed to neighbouring teeth which can deteriorate as time goes by.

Also known as permanent dentures, all on 4 is becoming increasingly popular as a treatment. With all on 4, just four dental implants are used to support an entire porcelain arch of teeth. As this is a major procedure, a significant amount of planning is needed to achieve the desired outcome from all on 4. When you also factor in the cost of materials, all on four treatment is likely to cost at least £15,000. 

For more complex procedures such as all on 4 dental implants, patients are completely sedated. In other cases, such as minor dental implants, we let you decide.                    

You may also prefer “conscious sedation”. This is a form of heavy sedation that does not put you to sleep completely, but usually means that you can’t remember the procedure afterwards.

To undergo a dental implant procedure, a patient’s gums and jawbone must be healthy and fully developed. This means that most adults are suitable candidates. However, some patients who have gum disease, smoke, or have received radiotherapy treatment in their jaw may have to wait a while before they are ready.

Luckily, gum disease can be treated. It may only take a few visits to the dental hygienist before your oral health is good enough to have dental implants.

In some cases, the dental implant procedure can be completed in a day. We call this same-day dentistry. This option is only suitable for some patients, so ask us for more details.