Dental Implants

A single implant including the abutment and crown typically costs £1,800–£3,000. Replacing several teeth with implant-supported bridges costs proportionally less per tooth, and full-arch All-on-4 treatment typically runs £7,000–£16,000 per arch. These are indicative ranges, not quotes — get a written, itemised plan from the practice.

Rarely. The NHS funds implants only where there's a strong clinical need — for example reconstruction after mouth cancer, major trauma, or teeth missing from birth — and usually through hospital services. Routine replacement of missing teeth is treated with NHS dentures or bridges (Band 3, £332.10 in England) instead, so implants are effectively a private treatment.

Assessment with X-rays and usually a CBCT (3D) scan, the implant placement surgery, the healing abutment, the final abutment and crown, and follow-up reviews. Ask whether bone grafting or a sinus lift might be needed and what each would cost, and what the practice's policy is if an implant fails to integrate. Cheap headline prices often cover the implant post alone.

Typically 3–6 months start to finish: placement surgery under local anaesthetic (most patients report less discomfort than an extraction), then 8–12 weeks for the bone to fuse to the implant before the final crown is fitted. Same-day 'teeth in a day' protocols exist for suitable cases, particularly full arches — a dentist will advise whether you're suitable.

Most healthy adults with enough jawbone are. Smoking, uncontrolled diabetes and gum disease raise failure risk, and heavily resorbed bone may need grafting first. Suitability is a clinical judgement made from an examination and 3D scan — treat any 'guaranteed suitable' marketing with caution and speak to a dentist.

The titanium implant itself can last decades — studies show survival rates around 90–95% at 10 years — while the crown on top typically lasts 10–15 years before needing replacement. Longevity depends heavily on hygiene: implants can develop gum disease (peri-implantitis), so regular hygienist care protects the investment.