Most people can receive dental implants Brentwood but this does not mean that they are universally appropriate.
The heart of an oral implant is a titanium rod which is placed into the jawbone; this is done after opening the gum which is then closed around it. After about 4 months, the titanium implant is fully integrated into the jaw, which is referred to as osseointegration and as new bone grows around it, it immobilises and fixes it into place.
At that point (confirmed by X-ray) a dentist can reopen the gum and mount the prosthetic tooth onto the implant. Once mounted the artificial tooth is immediately ready for use as its ‘root’ has had time to become fully fixed into the jaw.
Failed oral implants
Oral implants do not have a 100% success rate; the most common reason for unsuccessful implantation is a failure to osseointegrate due to low bone density or very slow bone growth. This can be mitigated with certain lifestyle choices. For instance smoking and diabetes can significantly reduce bone growth as can a restricted diet, so these things have to be rectified before treatment.
It is also considered industry standard to test bone density by X-ray before carrying out implanting, and informing the patient of risks if their bone density may have a significant effect on the success rate. For patients with extremely low bone density who insist on continuing with implantation, a bone graft can be considered to mitigate the lack of bone mass, but this may not improve the rate of new bone growth.
Infections beneath the implant which were introduced during the surgical process are rare, but have been known to occur. This is why it is important to shop around for an implant surgeon and inquire about past successes, while also checking out the surgery for hygiene standards. Although a less important factor, there does seem to be a correlation between the surgical technique of the practitioner and the chances of implanting being successful, so you should always have your implants performed by an experienced practitioner who has a long portfolio of proven work. If you are shopping around for a dentist to carry out implantation, ask them about their percentage success rate and how many oral implants they have previously performed.
How expensive are oral implants?
The cost of dental implants varies significantly from surgery to surgery, there can be options to receive reduced cost on your implant if you are willing to try a new and less well-established brand of implant. Or have the work performed at a dental teaching hospital. Most dental clinics will offer payment plans and 0% interest options for those willing to spread the cost of dental bills; this is particularly true for oral implants which can be substantial.
Oral implants are not considered the first treatment option by the NHS, but will be considered if the first treatment options of dentures and bridges are for some reason inappropriate. The NHS will remove failed oral implants which have been carried out overseas but will not repair them.