What will treatment involve?
Treatment is normally divided into two or three stages, each of which may involve several visits before implants can be placed. X-rays and impressions of your mouth will be required as these allow us to plan the best way to treat you.

The next stage of treatment is to insert the implants. This is normally done under local anaesthesia, by lifting the gum away from the underlying bone, then gently and carefully drilling into the bone. The implant is inserted into the jaw bone and the gum replaced with some stitches. The stitches are removed about a week later.

What are the benefits of treatment?
They may be especially useful where we would otherwise have to crown (cap) healthy teeth or where a denture or bridge would be difficult / impossible because there are no suitable teeth or gums for support.

What are the risks / side effects / complications ?
There is a small risk that the implants may not fuse properly with the bone and so could not be used. This risk is higher in certain individuals, particularly those who smoke and you will be advised if we think that the risk of failure is higher than normal in your case.

Implant placement involves surgery in your mouth and so may be followed by some soreness, swelling, bleeding or bruising. Any discomfort is usually controlled with simple painkillers and should only last a few days. After surgery, you may be asked not to wear any dentures over the treated area for up to 2 weeks.

It is possible for certain components placed onto implants to loosen or to wear out with time. This can lead to failure of the implant if not seen promptly and so you will be expected to be responsible for the long term care of your implants, either seeking care here or at another practice familiar with implants.

What are the available alternatives and their risks / benefits (including no treatment)?
The available treatment options will vary considerably from person to person and so will be discussed with you on an individual basis. These may include no treatment, preparing other teeth for crowns or bridges or an alternative design of denture (if possible).

Additional information
We will inform you about the planned treatment in detail before we start. However there are times when we have to change the planned treatment. If this is necessary, we shall ensure that you are informed about this and given the choice whether to proceed with the other treatment. If you are having sedation or general anaesthetic for your treatment, we will discuss all possible alternative treatments with you in advance.

Any dental restorations or dentures based on implants will need regular follow-up and occasional maintenance. We will expect you to be willing to attend for such care, and for regular checks of the implants themselves.

Medical conditions
Please make sure you have told us about any problems with your health and about any tablets or medicines you are taking. Some medical conditions change the advice and information we need to give you.

If you do not understand anything, or have any concerns about the treatment, please feel free to ask us any questions.

Association of Dental Implantology (ADI) The ADI aims to provide the public with an improved understanding of the benefits of implantology, and Members with the benefits of continuous skills development, safeguarding standards.