Dental Implants by London Cosmetic Dentist Dr Anthony Zybutz

First discovered in the 1950s, dental implants have become one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures currently available. For many years, once a tooth had been lost, the only available options were either dentures, or simply living with the gap it created.

Dental implants however have changed this for ever. A dental implant, simply put, is a root or a medically precise screw, which is placed into the jawbone. Because this root is made from titanium or titanium alloy, through a process known as osseointegration, it naturally bonds with the bone; it is in fact the only metal which does this and was accidentally discovered by a Swedish scientist!

Once the root has been placed into the jawbone, a crown or on occasions a bridge, is attached to this. Previously, this used to take a period of a few months in a two stage procedure, with time being required between the implanting of the root and the attachment of the crown to allow the bonding process to occur. However, the increasing use of bespoke implants and techniques like "all on 4" placement has eliminated the need for this and now root, crown and fixed bridges can often be fitted in a single visit. So it is now possible to have same day dental implants.

The other main benefit of a bespoke dental implant is that for a two stage procedure, a certain amount of jaw bone structure was necessary for the implant to be placed into. This often meant the patient would require a bone graft, i.e. removing a piece of bone from another part of the body and adding to the jawbone, prior to a dental implant being fitted. With the increasing use of bespoke implants and novel, angled placement, this is virtually always an unnecessary procedure.

Although the placing of dental implants may seem a little frightening with the dentist drilling into your jawbone, especially if you are already a nervous patient. In reality, once the local anaesthetic has been injected into the localised area of the procedure, it should be no more uncomfortable than a standard filling.

There may be occasions however, when a patient may not have the best of experiences whilst having a dental implant procedure and this happens when patients, keen to keep down the cost of having a dental implant procedure, take the decision to have the procedure done at a dentist abroad, very often in Eastern Europe with Hungary and Poland leading the list. Whilst there are, no doubt, many very good dentists in these countries, it is extremely difficult for a patient to be able to discern who is good and who is simply cheap and this may result in an unpleasant and even in some cases, potentially dangerous situation for the patient. Here at 39 Harley Street in London our leading cosmetic dentists are greatly experienced in the dental implants procedure.

Naturally, it is best for the patient to arrange a consultation with their dentist to ascertain the best treatment for them, and to talk about the various options and concerns they may have, prior to any cosmetic dental procedure, and dental implants are certainly no exception to this rule.

Our Harley Street dentists have many years of experience with placing implants and a very high success rate. You can be confident in the quality of our services and materials and sure that no corners will be cut.

Once a dental implant has been placed, it is advisable to eat softer foods for a short period to allow the procedure to settle although it should be possible to eat soft foods often within a few hours of the procedure. Once the dental implant has been placed, providing that good dental hygiene such as brushing and flossing is followed, a dental implant can last for 35 years or more.