A dental implant is a small bolt made of titanium which is inserted into the jaw bone during a short operation, usually under local anaesthetic.

It subsequently knits painlessly with the bone over a period of six to eight weeks, forming a secure foundation for new, natural looking teeth.

Implants are often used to replace a single tooth when it has been lost following trauma, or when an existing restoration has failed. They may also be used to provide the supports for a bridge, in order to restore a large gap with multiple missing teeth.

They can secure a full removable denture for the many people who have difficulties with false teeth, or even allow the provision of a completely fixed alternative to traditional dentures

Implants are often the treatment of choice for the elimination of unsightly spaces in the dentition as the placement and subsequent restoration does not affect any of the existing teeth.

Implants have been in use for over 30 years now, and are amongst the most successful treatments in dentistry, offering a very reliable outcome.

Implants are often the best solution for replacing missing teeth. They provide a support for lifelike restorations without affecting the neighbouring teeth. Because they transmit the chewing forces to the jaw bones, they also help to keep the shape of the face.

If implants are used to support a denture, there is a much greater feeling of security and it is not necessary to cover the palate, so the enjoyment of food is greatly enhanced.

Although the initial cost is greater, implants may prove to be more economical in the long term with fewer if any replacements required.

Front teeth are particularly vulnerable to trauma. They are unfortunately often the first point of contact in many accidental (and sometimes deliberate) situations.

They may be lost completely, damaged beyond repair, or be restorable. Even in cases where it is possible to repair a tooth, we often find that the long term prognosis is poor, and the it may still be lost a number of years after the original incident.

The best solution in these cases is to provide an implant supported crown as in these diagrams showing the placement of a 2nd incisor.

This x-ray shows two single tooth implants replacing both central incisors. Posts are screwed into the implants and crowns then fitted onto these.

It is important to allow the implant to fully knit to the bone, a process taking around eight weeks and known as osseo-integration, before fitting the post and crown.

During this time a temporary replacement is provided that does not load any forces ont the implant.

Where more than one tooth is missing it is possible to replace all the spacing with an implant supported bridge. It is not necessary to place an implant for every tooth missing.

The first x-ray shows two integrated implants prior to fitting a bridge, the second shows a four unit (tooth) bridge fitted to these.

The bridge is screwed onto the implants through the biting surface, and the screws covered with a tooth coloured filling material.

This means it is possible to remove the bridge if in the future the situation changes, and a different restoration can be placed on the existing implants.

In this diagram, a complete replacement of a denture is provided with three separate bridges fitted to eight implants. It is always a good policy to split up any bridge into smaller sections.

This means that if any one section needs replacing, it can be done independently of the rest.

It also allows for movement of the bone, the lower jaw distorts on opening wide, the breaks between the sections reduce the forces on the bridge

Here we have a denture made to fit onto four implants connected with a bar.

There are a variety of ways to support a full denture with implants and fixtures, it may even be possible to provide a solution using only two implants.

Although the denture can be removed for cleaning, the feel to the wearer is totally different to a traditional denture. There is no movement to cause soreness and pressure point. The attachments can be altered to make the fit very secure during use, and the bone is kept in function around the implant sites