Dental Implants

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are small root-sized metal screws, which can be permanently fixed in the jaw to replace missing teeth. Any number of teeth can be replaced – from a single front tooth or back tooth, up to a complete replacement of all the teeth in the upper and lower jaws.

Once placed, implant-retained teeth are strong and firm and will look, feel and function as well as natural teeth. Once they have successfully fused into the bone, dental implants will normally be permanent.

The first dental implants were placed in 1965 and are still going strong. Success rates are extremely high, with millions of dental implants being placed each year.

Regain your Confidence

Losing teeth is a traumatic experience for many patients. Apart from what it does to your smile and confidence, it becomes more difficult for you to chew your food. Dental implants look, feel and work just like your own teeth.

We carry out dental implant services right here in our Lymington based surgery, to patients throughout the New Forest, Bournemouth, Poole, Southampton & Isle of Wight – it couldn’t be easier than with Solent House Dental Centre.

The Process

 Consultation – you’ll need to come along for an examination and, if early indications are favourable, we will take x-rays to assess the suitability of your jaws for implants. If they do prove suitable, we will then give you an estimate of the cost of your dental implants.In some cases more specialised x-rays may need to be taken by a hospital radiographer.

Immediate Implants

The revolutionary, ‘Teeth-in-an-Hour’ Dental Implant System, means what once took months to achieve can now in suitable cases, be done in an hour. This computerised planning technique enables new teeth to be attached as soon as the dental implants are placed.

This avoids the long delays usually associated with conventional implant techniques. You can leave the dental surgery with your new teeth fitted after as little as an hour of treatment.

Conventional Implants

For some, the ‘Teeth in an Hour’ technique may not be appropriate.

If conventional implants are required instead the treatment is carried out in 2 stages: an initial procedure to place your implants and these are then left under the gum to fuse into the bone for between 2-4 months, this is then followed by a second procedure to attach the teeth.