Dental Implants

A dental implant is a metal rod that is placed in the jawbone to hold a false tooth in place. They are usually made of titanium, a metal that is well tolerated by the body.

Over several months, the bone fuses with the metal implant. A small attachment is left protruding through the gum, and dentures or bridges can be screwed or clipped onto this attachment.  One implant can support one or more false teeth.

Five or six implants are usually used to replace all the teeth in the jaw.

Why have Dental Implants? There are a number of reasons why you may choose to have implants.

• Implants are an alternative to conventional bridges and partial dentures
• If you find that your denture moves around a lot in your mouth, implants can help to anchor the denture in place
• When you lose teeth, your jawbone may start to shrink. Implants can help to slow down this process.
• We may recommend using implants to support a bridge rather than affecting healthy teeth either side of a gap