Are dental implants available privately?

Yes. Dental implants are usually provided as a private treatment, allowing detailed planning, advanced materials and a tailored approach to achieve predictable long-term results.

What does osseointegration mean?

Osseointegration is the process where bone grows and bonds to the implant surface, anchoring it firmly in place. This process is essential for long-term implant stability.

Will people be able to tell I have an implant?

Well-planned implants with high-quality restorations are designed to blend naturally with your teeth. Most people will not be able to tell which tooth is an implant.

Do implants need special check-ups?

Yes. Regular review appointments allow your dentist or hygienist to monitor the implant, surrounding gums and bone so any early issues can be addressed promptly.

DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dental Implants in Milton Keynes

Q: What is a dental implant?

A dental implant is a small titanium post placed into the jawbone to act as an artificial tooth root, supporting a crown, bridge or denture. It is designed to look, feel and function much like a natural tooth.

Q: Who is suitable for dental implants?

Most healthy adults with good oral hygiene and sufficient jawbone can be considered for implants. Your dentist or implant clinician will assess your oral health, general health and lifestyle factors such as smoking before recommending treatment.

Q: How much do dental implants cost?

Costs vary depending on the number of implants required, the type of restoration and whether additional procedures such as bone grafting are needed. A consultation includes a written treatment plan outlining fees and any payment options.

Q: Does having a dental implant hurt?

Implant placement is carried out under local anaesthetic, so you should not feel pain during the procedure. Some swelling or soreness afterwards is normal but usually settles within a few days with simple pain relief.

Q: How long do dental implants last?

With excellent oral hygiene, regular check-ups and not smoking, many implants last for many years and can be a long-term solution. Like natural teeth, they can fail if gum infection or excessive biting forces develop.

Q: What is the process for getting an implant?

Treatment usually involves assessment and planning, placement of the implant into the bone, a healing period and then fitting the final crown, bridge or denture. Temporary teeth are often provided during healing if needed.

Q: Will I be left without a tooth during treatment?

In most cases, a temporary solution such as a denture or temporary bridge can be used while the implant heals. Your dentist will discuss cosmetic and functional options during planning.

Q: Are there risks with dental implants?

As with any surgical procedure, risks include infection, failure of the implant to integrate with bone and damage to nearby structures. Careful planning, good hygiene and following aftercare advice reduce these risks significantly.

Q: What is bone grafting and will I need it?

Bone grafting is used to build up areas of thin or missing jawbone so an implant can be placed securely. Whether it is needed depends on your bone volume and is assessed using scans and X-rays.

Dental implants provide a long-lasting solution to missing teeth, they feel and work just like a real tooth.

They can replace one or more missing teeth and securely hold dentures and bridges in place.

DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dental Implants in Milton Keynes

Dental implants provide a long-lasting solution to missing teeth, they feel and work just like a real tooth.

They can replace one or more missing teeth and securely hold dentures and bridges in place.

BOOKING A TREATMENT

Please use the form below for all of your dental treatments, check-ups and and dental hygiene appointments.

OPENING HOURS

Monday 8am – 7:30pm
Tuesday 8am – 7:30pm
Wednesday 8am – 7:30pm
Thursday 8am – 7:30pm
Friday 8am – 5pm
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed

ADDRESS

Oakgrove Dental Practice

11 Atlas Way,

Milton Keynes

MK10 9SG

TEL 01908 771170

Enquiry About Dental Implants

Oakgrove Dental Practice

WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS?

A dental implant comes in two parts.

The first is an artificial root made from titanium that replaces the root of a missing tooth. This can be placed in either the upper or lower jaw and in time will bond with the jawbone.

The second part is attached to the dental implant root. For those missing one tooth, a crown will be created to perfectly match your existing teeth. If you have a full set of dentures, this can be attached to four or six dental implants – you don’t need one implant root for every missing tooth.

WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS?

A dental implant comes in two parts.

The first is an artificial root made from titanium that replaces the root of a missing tooth. This can be placed in either the upper or lower jaw and in time will bond with the jawbone.

The second part is attached to the dental implant root. For those missing one tooth, a crown will be created to perfectly match your existing teeth. If you have a full set of dentures, this can be attached to four or six dental implants – you don’t need one implant root for every missing tooth.

YOUR DENTAL IMPLANTS JOURNEY

At Oakgrove Dental Practice, Milton Keynes we’re here to help you through the dental implant process from the very first step:

IS IT RIGHT FOR ME?

Who is suitable for dental implants?

Most healthy adults are suitable for dental implants. What matters is having enough jawbone, healthy gums, no untreated decay or infection, and cleaning good enough to keep the implant clean for years afterwards.

Implants are usually delayed or advised against where there is active gum disease, poorly controlled diabetes, heavy smoking, or a grinding habit that would overload the implant. None of those is necessarily permanent: treating gum disease, getting diabetes under control or stopping smoking can move you from unsuitable to suitable. Suitability is decided at an examination with X-rays, not from a photograph or a phone call.

Are there age limits for dental implants?

Dental implants have no upper age limit, and no fixed lower one, though they are rarely placed before about 18. Suitability depends on bone quality, gum health and general health, not age.

The lower limit exists because an implant does not move as the jaw grows. It behaves like a tooth fused to the bone, so one placed while the face is still developing can end up sitting low or out of line as the teeth around it keep growing. Jaw growth usually finishes between 18 and 20, occasionally later, so growth is checked rather than assumed from age. Older patients in good health are treated routinely.

Can I have implants if I smoke?

Smokers can have implants, but the failure rate is much higher and most implant services ask you to stop first. One ten-year study found implants in the upper jaw were more than five times more likely to be lost in smokers than in non-smokers.

Smoking narrows the small blood vessels in the gum and bone, so healing is slower at exactly the point the implant depends on it, and the risk of bone loss around the implant years later goes up. Some NHS implant services ask smokers to stop at least six months before treatment starts. Stopping for good gives the best result.

I have had the gap for years. Is it too late for an implant?

It is rarely too late for an implant. Gaps left empty for decades are treated successfully, but the jaw shrinks once a tooth has gone, so an older gap is more likely to need a bone graft first.

Bone loss is fastest early on. Studies of extraction sites report losing roughly 30% to 60% of the ridge width in the first six months, about two thirds of that within three months, then slowly for the rest of your life. The teeth either side may also have tilted or drifted into the space. A CT scan, £150, shows in 3D how much bone is left.

Is it better to save a tooth with root canal treatment or replace it with an implant?

Saving your own tooth normally comes first. Root canal treatment, from £550, is usually attempted before an implant is considered, because a natural root keeps the surrounding bone stimulated and needs no surgery.

An implant, from £2,800, becomes the better option when a tooth is cracked below the gum line, broken down too far to hold a crown, or has had root canal treatment that has already failed. Compare the whole cost rather than the first step: a root-treated tooth usually needs a crown afterwards, from £695. Trying to save the tooth does not close the door, because an implant can still follow later.

Are dental implants available on the NHS, or only privately?

Dental implants are almost always private. The NHS funds them only in limited, mostly hospital-based cases, and the Royal College of Surgeons priority groups include teeth missing from birth, tooth loss after an accident, tooth loss after surgery for mouth cancer, and severe denture intolerance.

Meeting one of those groups does not guarantee funding. Hospital services also expect no active decay or gum disease, good cleaning and, usually, that you have stopped smoking. Routine tooth loss from decay or gum disease does not normally qualify, and the NHS will offer a denture or a bridge instead. Most people having implants arrange them privately.

How much do dental implants cost?

Dental implants at Oakgrove Dental start from £2,800. What you pay depends on how many implants you need, whether a bone graft is required and what is fitted on top, so you are given a written estimate after assessment rather than a figure over the phone.

Getting to that estimate starts with a New Patient Examination, from £60. Planning normally includes X-rays at £15 and, for most implant cases, a CT scan at £150 to measure the bone in 3D. If a graft is needed, that fee is confirmed once the dentist has seen the scan. Prices may vary depending on location.

THE TREATMENT ITSELF

What is a dental implant?

A dental implant is a small titanium screw placed into the jawbone to do the job of a missing tooth root. On top of it sits a connector, and then the part you see: a crown, a bridge or a denture.

The implant is the foundation rather than the tooth. It works because bone grows onto the titanium and locks it in place, a process called osseointegration, and over 90% of implants bond to the bone successfully. Because the implant itself carries the load, the teeth either side are not drilled or crowned to support it, which is the main structural difference from a bridge.

Will a dental implant look like my other teeth?

The visible part of a dental implant is a crown made individually for you, matched to the shade, shape and translucency of the teeth beside it. How closely it blends depends more on where it sits in the mouth than on the implant itself.

A back tooth is straightforward. A single front tooth is the hardest match, because it sits directly beside your own tooth for comparison. At the front the gum line matters as much as the crown, so those cases are planned from the 3D scan and sometimes need the gum contoured first. A tooth-coloured connector can be used instead of metal so nothing grey shows through thin gum.

What is the process for getting an implant?

Getting a dental implant runs through four stages, usually spread over a year or more: planning, placing the implant, waiting for the bone to bond to it, then fitting the tooth on top.

Assessment: examination, X-rays, usually a CT scan, and moulds or digital scans to plan the exact position.
Placement: one appointment under local anaesthetic, with stitches and a check-up about a week later.
Healing: three to six months while bone grows onto the implant. Some implants need a small second procedure to uncover them.
Restoration: the connector goes on and your final tooth is made and fitted over two or three visits.

How long does implant treatment take?

Implant treatment usually takes at least a year from first appointment to final tooth. The bone needs three to six months to bond to the implant before a permanent crown can be loaded onto it, and that wait cannot safely be shortened.

A bone graft adds at least another four months. Some implants can be placed the same day a tooth is taken out, which saves time at the start, and straightforward cases with good bone are quicker overall. But healing sets the timetable, not the number of appointments, and you are not left with a visible gap while you wait.

Will I be left without a tooth during treatment?

You will not be left with a visible gap. A temporary tooth is normally provided while the implant heals, most often a small removable denture, sometimes a temporary bridge, and for some front teeth a temporary crown fitted on the day.

Back teeth are occasionally left without a temporary, because the space does not show and a removable plate can rub the healing site. If you already wear a denture, expect to leave it out for a few days after surgery, then to have it adjusted and relined so it does not press on the implant while the bone is bonding.

What is bone grafting and will I need it?

Bone grafting builds up the jaw where there is not enough bone to hold an implant securely. The graft is either your own bone or a substitute material, packed into the thin area so new bone grows through it.

You will know whether you need one from a CT scan, £150, which measures bone height and width in 3D. Grafting is common where a tooth has been missing for years or was lost to gum disease. It adds at least four months to treatment, sometimes as a separate procedure, sometimes at the same appointment as the implant. The graft fee is confirmed once the dentist has seen your scan.

Does having a dental implant hurt?

Placing an implant is done under local anaesthetic, so the surgery itself should not be painful, although you will feel pressure and hear the drill. The discomfort comes afterwards.

Expect swelling and soreness for the first few days, easing over the following week, and manageable with ordinary painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. You will usually have stitches and a check-up about a week later. Contact the practice if pain is getting worse rather than better after the first few days, or if swelling increases, because healing should be improving by then.

RISKS & OUTCOMES

Are there risks with dental implants?

The main risks with dental implants are the implant failing to bond with the bone, infection, bone loss around the implant years later, and altered sensation nearby. Numbness after surgery is very rare, usually settles, and is permanent only in exceptional cases.

Occasionally an implant cannot be placed as planned once the site is opened, and alternatives are discussed instead. At the front of the mouth there is also a cosmetic risk of the metal edge showing if gums recede. Grinding overloads implants and lowers success rates, which is why a biteguard, £200, is often advised for people who grind.

What is the success rate of dental implants?

Cambridge University Hospitals’ restorative dentistry service puts implant success at 80% to 95% over 15 years in people with healthy mouths, falling to 80% to 85% over seven years in people with a history of gum disease. Over 90% bond to the bone successfully.

Most of that spread comes down to things that can be influenced: gum health, jawbone quality, smoking, grinding, and how well the implant is cleaned once it is in. Implants are among the most predictable treatments in dentistry, but rates are not promises, and no dentist can guarantee an individual outcome.

Can I get gum disease around a dental implant?

Yes. An implant cannot decay, but the gum and bone around it can become infected, and that is the most common long-term problem. The mild, reversible stage is called peri-implant mucositis; once bone has been lost it is called peri-implantitis.

Reviews of implant patients put peri-implantitis at roughly one in five, and it is far less common in non-smokers who clean well. The warning sign is bleeding when you clean around the implant, along with swelling or a bad taste. Pain usually comes late, so do not wait for it. Caught at the mucositis stage it normally settles with better cleaning and a professional clean.

What happens if a dental implant fails?

A failed implant is removed, the area is left to heal, and a replacement can often be placed later, sometimes with a bone graft first. Most failures happen in the first year, around the time the implant should be bonding to the bone.

Later failures usually follow bone loss from infection or from overloading, and those are the ones regular reviews catch while the implant can still be saved. If a replacement is not possible, a bridge or a denture can still fill the space. Ask what the policy is on replacing a failed implant, and get it in writing before treatment starts.

How long do dental implants last?

A well-cared-for implant can last decades, but the tooth fitted on top has a shorter life than the titanium below it. Crowns, bridges and denture attachments wear, and should be expected to need repair or replacement along the way.

That includes the clips and screws holding an implant-retained denture, which wear with daily use. Replacing worn parts is normal maintenance rather than failure, so it is worth asking what those replacements cost before you commit. What genuinely shortens an implant’s life is bone loss from infection, smoking and grinding, not ordinary eating and cleaning.

LIVING WITH IMPLANTS

Can I eat normally with a dental implant?

Once the implant has healed and the final tooth is fitted, you can eat normally with it, including foods that are awkward with a denture, because the implant is anchored in bone rather than resting on the gum.

Healing is different. Expect soft food and chewing on the other side for the first week or so, and avoid straws and smoking while the wound closes. Long term, treat the new tooth like a natural one and avoid biting genuinely hard things such as ice, fruit stones and nut shells, which can chip a crown. A biteguard protects it if you grind at night.

How do I look after dental implants, and do they need special check-ups?

Implants need the same twice-daily brushing as natural teeth, plus deliberate cleaning of the join between the implant and the gum, where bacteria gather. Interdental brushes or implant-specific floss usually reach that join better than string floss alone.

Because an implant has no nerve, an infection around one can progress without hurting, so it is often caught at a review before you notice much. Expect a review every three to six months long term, checking the gum, the bone level and the fit of the crown or screws. Hygienist appointments start from £80. Cleaning is the single biggest factor in how long an implant lasts.

Can implants replace more than one tooth?

Yes, and you do not need one implant per missing tooth. A single implant carries one crown, two implants can carry a bridge spanning three or four teeth, and a full arch can be supported on four to six implants.

How many you need depends on where the gaps are and how much bone you have. Because several teeth can share fewer implants, the cost does not simply multiply by the number of teeth you are missing. Implants start from £2,800, and the estimate for your particular layout is confirmed after the 3D scan and planning.

Are implants better than bridges or dentures?

Implants suit some situations better than others rather than being best in every case. They do not rely on the neighbouring teeth, they slow the bone loss that follows tooth loss, and they are fixed in place. Against that: surgery, the longest treatment time and the highest cost.

A bridge is much quicker but usually involves preparing the teeth either side, and its fee is confirmed at your examination. A denture, £700 to £1,600, replaces several teeth for less but rests on the gum and comes out. Implants start from £2,800. The right choice depends on how many teeth are missing and the state of those around them.

Can implants help secure loose dentures?

Yes, and a loose lower denture is one of the best-evidenced uses of implants. Two implants in the front of the lower jaw, with clips the denture snaps onto, are recognised in the McGill and York consensus statements as the minimum standard of care for people with no lower teeth.

The upper jaw usually needs around four implants, because the bone there is less dense. The denture still comes out for cleaning, but it stops lifting and rocking while you eat and speak. The attachment clips wear with use and need replacing periodically, which is worth counting alongside the implant fee, from £2,800.