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Dental implants

Illustration comparing the parts of a tooth with the parts of dental implant treatment, including the crown and implant

If you want to replace missing teeth because they’re making you feel self-conscious, you’re struggling to bite or chew food, or you have dentures you want to replace with a more reliable fix, dental implants are a long-term, natural-looking solution.

Dental implants look and function just like your natural teeth, and with proper care and attention they can last for several years. As well as helping with your confidence and ability to eat, implants also help to avoid issues caused by missing teeth such as loss of bone density and your remaining teeth moving due to lack of support.

What is a dental implant?

A dental implant is a titanium screw that’s placed directly into your jawbone, replacing your missing tooth root. After it’s fitted, the bone surrounding your implant will gradually fuse to it, holding the implant firmly in place.

A false tooth (a crown) which matches the colour and shape of your existing teeth is then fitted to the top of the implant, leaving you with a fixed solution and a natural looking smile.

More reasons to choose Bupa Dental Care

 

Find your nearest dentist offering dental implants

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Implants are placed under local anaesthetic, which numbs the mouth to prevent pain. You’ll feel some discomfort once the anaesthetic has worn off, which could last for a few days, and you may notice bruising and swelling which could last for around one week. This is normal and any discomfort can be managed using over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. If you experience severe pain, contact your dentist for advice.

If you’re nervous about the procedure, let your dentist know and they may be able to offer you dental sedation to help you relax.

An implant is a titanium screw which is placed into your jawbone. Being made of titanium, implants are biocompatible.

This means your body accepts them as its own and your bone will attach onto the implant. This process is called osseointegration.

It usually takes around 10 to 16 weeks for your bone to fuse to the implant and your mouth to heal. You would then be ready to have a false tooth (crown) placed over the implant.

There are two main alternatives to implants: bridges and dentures. Your dentist will help you choose the right solution for you during your dental implant consultation.

A dental bridge is designed to bridge a gap in your mouth. While implant supported bridges replace three missing teeth, bridges can also replace a single missing tooth. This type of bridge can include a false tooth with two crowns attached either side of it. The crowns are placed over the two adjacent natural teeth, which need to be filed down to support them. Sometimes, an adhesive bridge can be used. This includes a single false tooth with wings that attach onto the teeth next to it.

Dentures are frameworks that carry one or many replacement teeth. They’re removable, unlike an implant or bridge which is fixed in place. Dentures can also be clipped onto implants, which are known as implant- supported overdentures.

Read more about the differences between implants and bridges and the differences between implants and dentures.

Having a dental implant placed is safe if all the correct protocols are followed.

As with any surgical procedure, there are always risks involved. These include inaccurate implant placement, which could lead to further problems, such as having the final tooth in the wrong position. Sometimes, implants fail to integrate with the bone and fall out. Rarer complications of implant surgery include damage to your nerves or surrounding teeth.

Always do your research and ensure you use a reputable, experienced, GDC registered dentist. At Bupa Dental Care, we have a network of experienced and trained clinicians offering implant treatment, who are dedicated to providing quality care. If you have any questions about the risks of implant surgery, speak to your implant dentist.

Typically, over 90% of dental implants last 10 years or more.

Your dentist will provide you with detailed aftercare instructions, so you have the best chance of a successful, long-lasting implant.

Implant treatment usually takes between three to eight months, but every case is different. It may take longer if you need extractions or a bone graft first. After your clinical assessment, your dentist will advise you, if you need any supporting treatments and give you a clearer estimate of how long your treatment will take.

Bupa Dental Care also offers Smile-in-a-Day treatment, which replaces all your lower or upper teeth in one day. This involves placing four to six implants in the jaw and fitting a temporary bridge, leaving you with a full set of teeth. Once the implants have integrated into your bone, the temporary bridge is replaced with a permanent bridge. This procedure eliminates the need for multiple surgeries with long-healing periods.

Also known as Smile in a Day, All-on-4 dental implant treatment replaces the entire upper and/or lower teeth with a set of connected false teeth, placed on only four dental implant screws.

This procedure is available at some Bupa Dental Care practices. Find your nearest practice offering dental implants.

Implants can fail if your bone doesn’t integrate with it. Although this is rare and generally, over 90% of implants last 10 years or more.

Certain lifestyle habits such as smoking can affect the integration of your implant, as well as oral health problems such as gum disease. It’s important to follow your dentist’s aftercare instructions and keep the implant clean.

The first sign of an implant failing is very slight movement that worsens over time. Other warning signs may be loss of gum around the implant and severe pain or swelling (although it’s normal to experience some discomfort and inflammation during the healing period). If you experience any of these symptoms, speak to your dentist.

After your implant is placed, your dentist will guide you on how to reduce the risk of your implant failing.

If you’re interested in having dental implant treatment, you can either speak to an enquiry coordinator about potential costs or find your nearest Bupa Dental Care practice offering implants and book an initial consultation.

Call us on 01454 771490

1. £2,400 price point includes the cost of a single implant, abutment and screw retained porcelain crown. 2. A COVID-19 safety tariff may apply. 3. Prices and options may vary depending on location and suitability. 4. Starting prices available on request at your local practice. 5. Patients must be aged 18 or over.

*1. Free initial consultations are to discuss options and suitability for treatment. Subsequent clinical examinations and diagnostic tests required, and any associated costs will be discussed prior to treatment commencing. 2. Consultations subject to availability.

** Finance applicant must be aged 18 or over, a UK resident, have a UK bank account and be in permanent employment. All loans subject to eligibility, status, affordability and a credit check.

The minimum spend for patient finance is £500 and the maximum is £50,000. Finance agreements with a repayment term of 12, 18, 24, 36 or 40 months are subject to 0% APR (interest-free). Agreements with a repayment term of 48 or 60 months are subject to 7.9% APR representative.

Bupa Dental Care is a trading name of Oasis Dental Care Limited, Vantage Office Park, Bristol, BS16 1GW, whose company registered number is 00478127. Oasis Dental Care Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FCA registration number 710559. Oasis Dental Care Limited is a credit broker and not a lender.

Finance is provided by Novuna Personal Finance, a trading style of Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register no. 704348. Registered Office: Novuna House, Thorpe Road, Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, TW18 3HP. Registered in Cardiff under company no. 1630491. The register can be accessed through www.fca.org.

1. Correct as of April 2022

2. LaingBuisson, Dentistry UK Market Report, 5th ed. If you require verification, please email [email protected]



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Bupa Dental Care is a trading name of Oasis Dental Care Limited. Registered in England and Wales No: 00478127. Registered office: Bupa Dental Care, Vantage Office Park, Old Gloucester Road, Hambrook, Bristol, United Kingdom BS16 1GW.

Oasis Dental Care Limited has a number of trading names including Bupa Dental Care. For a list of all our different trading names please follow this link.

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