Dental Implants.

[SmallChild]

Hi wise Munsnetters. I am after some advice RE dental implants. My husband was seriously ill several years ago. He required 5 cycles of extremely high dose steroids. These caused his teeth to crumble and as a result is know looking for a full set of dental implants. Can anyone recommend a reputable UK clinic that is not too pricey. Our hometown is very expensive so we have looked at Brighton, Dentaprime, EVO dental. I would be most grateful to hear from anyone who has had procedure done in the UK and their experiences TIA. It will make a massive difference to his eating and confidence.

I’m miles away from Brighton, but wish I’d made the endless trips and gone there. They do them all day every day.
Mine, at a very swish private dentist, turned out badly, even though the place was recommended by a friend who had one done and was pleased with it. I’m also in pain every day.
Brighton seems to have excellent reviews.

Highly recommend dental implants. However, it’s much more complicated than it appears at first sight so get someone good.

Go to a dentist who does implants full time and has the most up to date equipment and knowledge, and uses the best technicians to make the implants. Get a good financial deal but don’t cut corners. I got a discount for paying in full before the procedure and for agreeing to photos (of mouth and lower face only) for promotion and teaching purposes.

One note of caution, as he was on high dose steroids is he now on anything for his bone health like a bisphosphonate ? That may affect the possibility of implants.

Thank you so much for all the replies. I really didn't expect them that is why have been slack checking. So pleased.

Oh gosh @DentalDisasterthat sounds an awful experience. I hope you have it fixed now, and thank you for being so selfless as to recommend Brighton. I am truly grateful.

@Honeysuckle16That is really useful to know. We likely would pay the full amount upfront and the saving would probably convince DJ to agree to promotional photos. Do you mind me asking if you went to Brighton? Thank you for your advice.

@Lollygagglehe was on high dose steroids due to SCIDP (subacute chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy) likely due to Covid in 2020. He had 5 courses of insane amounts I think from memory 500mg of Dexamethasone 5 days a month for 5 cycles. They tried iViG first, but it didn"t work. He has had bone density tests and they have been ok. I give him Ca plus Vit D, not prescribed by the GP. He was discharged from neurology 4 years ago. Thank you for pointing this out, as I worry about it too. I hope Xrays would show, which have shown no indication of any problem at our local dentist. Thank you for the reply.

@Lollygagglemy sister and other dr friends have queried this also, but been met with a firm no by the GP. I wonder if he ought to be. Might push for this. Thank you.

Brighton Implant Centre is the BEST! I travel down there for all my implants from Somerset and they are extremely reasonable.
I use the Hailsham branch because there is much easier parking and not so much traffic. I can't park in Brighton, they are very anti car.
I started going 20 years ago and the original implant is still doing very well, as well as the new ones.
They have all the latest equipment and MRI machines and will do sinus lifts if they think it's needed. I wouldn't go anywhere else.
Hailsham Dental Clinic

P.S they did a sinus left on one of mine, basically if the bone is too damaged or porous for the implant they pack that area with powdered bone and wait for it to regenerate before putting the implant it otherwise it would wobble.
They do it surgically for really bad cases or inject it in for moderate cases.

This is good to know, thanks for the information.

Hi everyone thanks for all your amazing, informative answers. Am now looking at Dentaprime London also. Anyone had any experience with them. I believe they make them implants onside T.I.A. Again

Just starting down this road for my front teeth but the cost is terrifying. I may end up just settling for a denture to save money. Local clinic are implant experts and did a 3 D scan today which was amazing to see.

It is worrying. I had a partial denture many years ago for a missing tooth and it was awful. I’m going to look into better dentures to see if there’s been any improvements.

The smile clinic does excellent dentures that fit really well. They have clinics everywhere. I've used them while saving for my new teeth. They always used them for dentures on that show 10 years younger 😁

He must get all the teeth out and treated that are bad and implants in before he starts on bisphosphonates as there can be a very nasty problem with jaw bones healing after extractions and surgery if a patient is on a bisphosphonate and the effects of the drugs last years .

Where does the powdered bone come from?

Can you tell me more please? About why the fit really well and what’s different about them (Give me some hope!).

A good compromise is implant retained dentures ie you have a couple of implants top and lower which the dentures clip onto which holds them in very well.

Much less maintainance and things to go wrong and will start around £6000 so still expensive but more manageable for some.

It can come from yourself , normally hip , donated bone (cadavaric eg from someone who has died) , animal (normally pig) or artificial based on coral.

That’s fascinating. I wonder if vegetarians and vegans opt for coral.

Not sure about pricing these days but Dr. Lloyd Searson at The London Centre for Prosthodontics is top of his game. He will recommend best route including implant-retained dentures as mentioned by @Lollygaggle .

Thank you

Thanks for this. Would you know if a single post would fit a double tooth (like the ones at the back)? I’m probably not explaining myself very well.

I understand what you mean but I think it would depend on other factors - amount of gum/bone and density etc. I just recommended Dr. Searson as I have been going to him for over 15 years and he will come up with a complete plan but, longer term, he just reviews and knows when to leave alone. In other words it cost a LOT at first but has been minimal over the years. Google him, he’s great.