Our Services > Dental Implants

Our dental implant service
Andrew Shelley has studied dental implantology in London, Paris, Brazil and the USA. He now teaches dental implantology to postgraduate students and is a mentor to dentists who are new to implant work. He therefore has a wealth of experience and has helped many patients, solving difficult dental problems using dental implants.

What are dental implants?
Dental implants are a new and exciting addition to the options available to us.  Implants are a way of replacing missing teeth by implanting a titanium root into the jaw bone. 

New teeth can then be built up on the implants.  Implants are sometimes the best solution for difficult restorative problems because they are one way of avoiding wearing a removable denture or cutting into the other teeth to make a bridge.

Dental implant replacing a missing upper tooth

What does dental implant treatment involve?
In most cases placing dental implants involves a simple procedure which is carried out under local anaesthetic with only mild discomfort afterwards. There is usually a healing period of 3 to 6 months after which new teeth may be built up on the implants.

How successful are dental implants?
Dental implants have a success rate of some 97%. They are considered to be one of the most reliable dental restorations available.

Can anyone have dental implants?
The main restriction to implants is whether there is enough bone  to accommodate them.  If teeth have been missing for a long time then sometimes the bone has shrunk back.  However this is not always the case and these problems are usually solved with procedures such as bone grafting.

There are other restrictions such as medications you may be taking or other medical conditions you may have.  We will always discuss this before starting treatment.

What if I have complete dentures?
Many people have difficulties with complete dentures. Typically the upper denture is fine because it has good suction from the palate but the lower denture moves around when speaking or eating. Other people just don’t have the gum to support upper or lower dentures successfully. 

A simple solution for the loose lower denture is to place two implants near the front of the lower gum and fit two “press stud” type attachments to the underside of the lower denture. The denture then clicks firmly into place. 

Alternatively we can use more dental implants and can even replace both upper and lower dentures completely with fixed bridges. This is very close to getting back your own teeth.

Two dental implants placed to support a complete lower denture

What happens first?
At your first appointment we will carry out a full examination and discuss your dental problems with you.  We may well need x-rays and casts and photographs of your teeth before we can formulate your treatment plan. 

In all but the most simple cases we will need to have a second meeting with you to discuss the options available and the details of your treatment plan including the costs.

For a patient leaflet about Dental Implants, please Click Here

To read further explanations of some
of the different services we provide,
please click the links below.

BRIDGEWORK
DENTAL IMPLANTS
ROOT CANAL WORK
CROWNS
WHITENING
SEDATION FOR NERVOUS PATIENTS