What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is an artificial tooth 'root' made from titanium. It is surgically anchored into the jaw bone and once integrated (i.e. fused to the jaw bone), replacement teeth (i.e. crowns, bridges or dentures) can be affixed to it. Implants are a permanent solution to replace single or multiple missing teeth which look and function just like your own.

Dr Yazdi is a highly qualified dental surgeon with over 16 years of experience and since joining W1 Dental, has placed well over 50 dental implants with a 98% success rate.

How long do they last?
Implants are a safe, well-established treatment. Just like your own natural teeth, how well you look after your implants and whether you go for regular maintenance appointments will have the biggest impact on how long they will last. If your implants are well looked after, and if the bone they are anchored to is strong and healthy, you can expect them to last for more than 30 years.

What happens at the appointment?
Although implants are surgically anchored into the jaw, it is a fairly minor procedure that takes place in the dental chair in our practice under local anaesthetic just like any other general dental procedure such as a crown or a filling. Most patients have little to no pain as the area will be numb from the local anaesthetic.
The entire procedure will take about 2 to 3 hours, depending on the number of dental implants you are having done. There is no need to have anyone pick you up after the appointment as the treatment is done under local anaesthetic and you will be up on your feet immediately after.

Here at W1 Dental we pride ourselves on working well with nervous patients. The calm and reassuring nature of Dr Yazdi and the team are usually enough to put you at ease but if you do feel particularly nervous about having a dental implant, there are options available such as sedation. Dr Yazdi will take the time to discuss this with you and formulate a treatment plan that will put you at ease.

What happens next?
After the dental implant has been placed, the bone in the jaw needs to fuse to it. This usually takes a few months. Thereafter, the tooth replacement (i.e. crown, bridge or denture) can be attached. Sometimes the implants may be stable enough when they are placed for the tooth replacement to be fitted sooner. Either way, if it is in a visible position, you won’t be left with a gap – a temporary tooth or denture will be made to fill the gap whilst the implant is healing.

How much do they cost?
The cost of an implant including the crown on top starts from £3300.
A dental implant is more expensive than other options such as a bridge, however it can produce aesthetically and functionally better results, particularly at the front of the mouth and leaves all surrounding teeth untouched.