Permanently replacing your missing teeth with dental implants is an important step – let the implant specialist here at Zental help you make an informed decision by making sure you have all the information you need.
Our team is very experienced at carrying out dental implant surgery. Ihsaan is a qualified dentist and a doctor who trained as a surgeon, so you can rest assured that you are in very capable hands. We use implants by Straumann – the global leader in dental implants – so you know you are getting the best that modern technology has to offer. Our patients often have lots of questions, so we have compiled all the information you need in order to understand exactly what is involved. If, however, your question is not answered below, please do call and ask us!
Dental implants are synthetic posts that are placed in the jawbone. They are usually made from titanium, which is well tolerated by the body, and designed to mimic the role of a tooth root. The jawbone eventually envelops the implant, in a process called osseointegration, creating a solid foundation for a new, custom-made tooth.
Implants are the only fixed, long lasting solution to missing teeth – unlike dentures, bridges and crowns, which generally need replacing every few years. Implants look and feel just like your natural teeth, so you will be able to eat, speak and laugh with complete confidence, boosting your confidence and enhancing your quality of life. Your jawbone will also be stimulated and won’t shrink– which means you’ll be spared the facial sagging that missing teeth can cause.
Implants are a versatile solution to many different ‘missing teeth’ scenarios. They can be used to replace a single missing tooth, a row of adjacent missing teeth using an implant-retained bridge, or a full arch – the latter can even be achieved using as few as four implants. We can also use implants as a way to secure dentures permanently in place, so they don’t slip or click. One of the most impressive uses for dental implants is for patients with no teeth – we can literally give you a new smile in a single appointment.
At Zental, we always begin with an in-depth consultation first, to assess your dental health and confirm that the treatment you are after is right for you. If you are not already dentally fit, we may need to complete other treatments, such as periodontics, orthodontics or bone grafting, before we can consider dental implants. During the consultation, we’ll explore all the options open to you and answer as many questions as you want to ask. You’ll then be given a fully costed treatment plan detailing every stage of your implant journey so you know exactly what to expect.
The dental implant procedure can be done gradually or all at once, to suit your preferred approach. We begin by placing the implant in the jawbone – a high-tech procedure that can be carried out under local anaesthetic, though intravenous (IV) sedation is also an option for nervous patients and complex cases. If you opt for ‘same-day teeth’, you’ll be able to leave that appointment with a set of provisional replacement teeth that will be fully functional while we wait for your jawbone to grow around the implant – a process called osseointegration. At this stage, we can take impressions and craft your final restorations.
Dental implants require dedicated long-term care. We’ll review your progress closely following each stage of your treatment and will continue to see you for implant check-ups regularly. We’ll also give you the guidance you need to follow an oral hygiene routine at home, so that you can keep your gorgeous new smile.
You may worry that dental implants are too costly for your budget. While it’s true that this high-tech treatment does represent a significant investment in your dental future, we want it to be within reach of all our patients, so we’re committed to offering the option of 0% finance for 12 months or 9.9% over five years.* This way, we can take the financial worry out of the way and you can get on with getting your smile back now – whether you’re having a single implant or All-on-4 teeth in a day.
*Finance available subject to credit approval. Please enquire at reception for full details.
