Dental implants

[EspressoExpresso]

I've recently has some much needed dental work completed and thanks to a general NHS wait, coupled with Covid, I've ended up with 5 teeth extracted when 3 of those originally were going to be reconstructed.

I've been told to give it 6 months to let the jaw bone heal and then go back for x-rays to discuss my options.

My lower arcade is fine, I've had the lower wisdom teeth removed so I can live without those.

The upper arcade however, now has large gaps (also had a couple removed as a kid when I had braces), and I'll need something to go in there - I essentially have one molar on each side at the top now, on the left there's then nothing until the canine, and the left there's nothing until the first premolar.

The dentist has said that implants would probably be the best, long term solution. I'm not a nervous patient, but they sound brutal! What's it like having them? Has anyone managed to get them done on the NHS? (I'm currently registered with an NHS dentist)

Unlikely to be available on the nhs but do speak to your dentist to clarify that

Not really brutal. They’re very common now. Yes it’s surgery It’s done under local anaesthetic so will be sore after
The specialist would talk you through it tho

Cost is around 1k per tooth but obviously that depends on exactly what they’re doing
Make sure you get a final quote before you agree to anything and ask if you can pay in instalments

Big thing for me ( hygienist) is that your cleaning must be 100% every single day - without fail.

They may fail if you slack off the cleaning
Again they’ll talk you through that - which products are best for you etc

I don’t think the NHS will do this, I was hit by a car and hospital told me as it’s my front tooth that was knocked out they would do a implant. I then got discharged as it needed to heal before work can take place. I went to the dentist who wouldn’t do that and did a bridge . Unfortunately his work was awful and my teeth that weren’t bad are now very bad.

I would look around for a good dentist and do research, get a quote and make sure you have agreed a price before . You can pay in instalments.

Make sure once you have them in you follow the guidelines of how to keep clean . Good luck I hope you manage to get them sorted.

Not available on nhs. Think £2k per tooth. I was numb and gowned up. I had 2 but one didn't take due to thinner bone because of my age. It wasn't as bad as I feared. If they work they are the best way rather than false teeth.

I got a credit card with zero interest for 27 months and paid it off that way. Threw the card away to ensure I didn't spend anything else on it

Thanks everyone. I recall reading something that that may be covered by NHS if required for functionality or something, so I'll ask. Don't ask don't get!

Just had a quick look at Bupa and it says the average in the UK is something like £2150 per tooth, and I think I'd be looking at a minimum of 2 😳 That's if they can do them, I have a a condition that puts me at risk of myocarditis in terms of dental work and the medication I take also affects my gums (hence why I've needed this in the first place)

Your specialist would take your medical history into account
Don’t worry about that

@Heatherjayne1972

Your specialist would take your medical history into account Don’t worry about that

Oh yeah I know that, the dental hospital had to write to my cardiologist to get the ok to do the extractions and find out about prophylactic antibiotics. Just thinking cost won't be an issue if I can't even have them!

I have an implant. It cost just over £2k a few years ago. The procedure took a few sessions as I also needed some bone reconstruction.
No pain whatsoever, just a bit of mild aching.
My dentist warned about facial bruising, but this was very mild.
It was a bit daunting arriving at the dentists to find them in full scrubs, but it was all fine.

I’ve had one recently. Cost about £2750 all in including extraction of the existing broken tooth. It ached for about a week whilst the plug bit that is drilled into the jawbone first settled but that was it. Main issue as previously mentioned is that your dental hygiene has to be scrupulous once you have implants - teepee brushes morning and night, hygienist sessions 3 or 4 times a year etc.