Dental implants: when they are the answer

What a dental implant is

A dental implant is a titanium or ceramic cylinder that we place in the jawbone where the missing tooth root used to be. Once it has healed we attach a crown to it, which replaces the original tooth in both shape and function.

Unlike a bridge, an implant does not require the neighbouring teeth to be ground down — it stands on its own and transfers load directly into the bone, much as a natural root does.

When an implant is recommended

An implant comes into consideration for replacing one tooth or several teeth in a row, and also as a base for a removable denture that would otherwise not hold stably enough.

The most common reasons patients consider an implant:

• a missing tooth, without wanting to grind down healthy neighbouring teeth for a bridge
• an unstable removable denture that moves when eating or speaking
• a tooth that has been missing for some time, and a replacement that should stand on its own like a natural tooth and not load the neighbouring teeth

How the examination and the procedure itself work

The first step is an implantology consultation together with an assessment of the bone — with us it is free. A 3D X-ray for 40 € can be added to it, which shows the height and thickness of the bone more precisely than a conventional X-ray.

We place the implant itself under local anaesthetic. A healing period then follows, during which the implant bonds firmly with the bone — it usually takes several months, and its length depends on the particular situation in the mouth. Only then do we fit the abutment and the crown.

Differences between implant systems

We work with two systems: a MegaGen implant costs 350 € with us and a Straumann implant 650 €. The difference in price reflects above all the manufacturer, the material and the surface treatment of the implant, not a different course of the procedure. We charge for the crown and the abutment separately — a zirconia crown on an implant is 350 €, and the abutment that joins the implant to the crown is 150 €.

Which system suits a given case is a question for the consultation — it depends on the state of the bone and on where in the mouth the tooth is missing.

How reliable an implant is and when it is not suitable

An implant is a proven and reliable solution – a permanent tooth replacement designed to last a lifetime, provided it is properly cared for and checked regularly. It is not, however, automatically suitable for everyone — whether it is the right choice is decided by the examination, above all the amount of bone. If it is not suitable, we look for another solution, for example a bridge or a removable replacement.

If an implant cannot be kept for any reason, it can be removed — explantation of an implant costs 180 € with us. It is a rare step, but a routinely manageable one.

Whether an implant is the answer in your case can only be shown by an examination in person with an X-ray or 3D scan.