Frequently Asked Questions

Yes you can have implants. Gum disease affects the bone and tissues around teeth resulting in the teeth being lost. The same can happen with implants. You are unlikely to feel pain until most of the bone has been lost. If you regularly visit the hygienist and are fastidious about your cleaning then this is unlikely to happen.

Your cleaning has to be exemplary. Your hygienist will help you to achieve the best cleaning regime. Implants don’t decay like natural teeth but the bone can still become infected.

It is very rare for the implant to fail. It is usually the bone around the implant which disintegrates. This can happen due to poor hygiene, general disease, fracture due to too much force.

In circumstances where there is enough bone to grip an implant the grafting be done at the same time as placing the implant. The obvious benefit is the reduction in healing time. However, this may need to be balanced with a slight increase in failures. There are various parameters to consider : your general and dental health, the extent of treatment required and the medications that you are taking will all impact the success rate of the treatment.

When we are replacing missing teeth in the back of the upper jaw we may find that the sinus (the natural hole in the upper jaw) has expanded as the teeth have been lost. Consequently, the height of bone available is insufficient to place an implant(s). We can address this by lifting the lining in the floor of the hole so as to create space to place a graft. This can take between 6-12 months to regrow the lost bone. If there is about 3-4mm of bone height available then with current techniques it is possible to lift the sinus at the same time as placing the implant. Another option is to use very short implants which avoids the need to lift the sinus. However, a 6mm implant is the minimum length which has been shown to predictably work.

The mouth is full of bacteria and consequently we commonly prescribe antibiotics to mitigate the risk against infection.

Anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen (provided you are not asthmatic) are effective. Paractomol is also commonly used.

By following a strict regime of a soft diet; anything that you can squish easily between your fingers is acceptable. It is sensible to avoid eating on the surgical site. Brushing on the side of the surgery and mouth rinsing should be avoided as this risks dislodging the stitches. For the first two days it is advisable to stick to a cold diet to minimise bruising.

If you suffer illnesses that require immunosuppressant drugs, long term steroids, intravenous bisphosphonates then you have a higher risk of implant failure. Relative risks are also smokers, diabetes, gum disease and bleeding disorders.

The procedures are provided under local anaesthetic to ensure you are comfortable. We put great emphasis on gentle touch dentistry to ensure that you have positive experiences with predictable healing. Following the treatment most people report uneventful healing. Whilst others might experience bruising, swelling and discomfort. This is very much dependent on the individual person’s pain threshold, their tendency to bruise and the extent of the procedure that has to be provided to address the issues. The majority of times this can be managed by normal headache painkillers.