Dental implants have been available for the past fifteen years or so within the UK. They now represent a real alternative to the use of bridgework or partial dentures to replace missing teeth. They can also be used to substantially enhance the stability of a complete denture.

Dental implants are made from titanium and usually consist of small posts of varying designs. Three posts are placed gently and carefully under local anaesthetic into the jaw bone where they are designed to support a crown, bridge or denture.

The current generation of dental implants have very high success rates (in the anterior region of the mouth this is often in excess of 95% over 20 years). Success rates can vary slightly depending on the site within the mouth. The means by which the implant integrates into the bone is called osseo integration. This means that there is an immediate contact between the bone and the dental implant surface.