Fixed Teeth in a Day: Costs, Pros, and Cons

It’s Friday evening and it’s been a stressful week (not uncommon for a workweek in London), so Steve has been looking forward to being able to blow off some steam and take his partner Molly to his favourite restaurant in Soho. Dinner is finally served and just about when he is ready to have his first bite a loud clicking noise draws the attention of the entire restaurant in his direction – his denture has fallen down into his plate. It was only then when he knew that it’s time to make the call that he’s been too embarrassed to make for quite a while now and ask about fixed teeth solutions.

Not many people are able to keep their entire set of 32 teeth through their lifetime. Stats show that by the age of 50 the average person would lose 12 natural teeth due to various ailments such as accidents, periodontitis (gum disease) or decay. Moreover, 51% of British adults are made to feel conscious of their smile. Tooth loss not only affects one’s confidence but also results in deterioration in the jaw bone strength which in turn compromises the bite force.

What are fixed teeth in a day?

The teeth in a day procedure is a full jaw restoration that requires four dental implants in the lower jaw and six in the upper. This is why the term “All-on-6 / All-on-4” has been coined. Since the bone density in the upper jaw is less than the lower one, two more implants are needed in order to achieve optimal stability. All implants are carefully placed apart at digitally calculated angles along both arches to minimize tissue disruption and avoid doing damage to nerves and sinuses.

The restorations placed over the implants are non-removable. They are shaped like a horseshoe and have the same look and functionality as natural teeth. Furthermore, at Dentaprime UK, London, they are fashioned in an in-house laboratory, meaning this would allow you to walk out of the clinic in 24 hours with a complete set of new teeth if the jaw bone strength allows it.

What if you don’t have enough bone for dental implants?

Speaking of bone strength, diminishing bone substance is oftentimes due to tooth loss, wearing wobbly dentures or having gum disease. Fortunately, none of the above means you cannot have dental implants. When the gums start to recede, you also start losing bone underneath. Great pressure is caused on the bone when eating, and unless there is a strong foundation the dental implantation is likely to fail. In such cases, bone augmentation is carried out in order to correct the deficiency using bone substitute material. Subsequently, you would need to allow for several months of a healing period in order to fortify the jawbone before receiving the implants. Your jawbone will fuse with the implants to firmly settle in its place while your gum heals at the same time.

On some occasions, only a minor bone graft may be needed and could be performed simultaneously along with the dental implantation. At Dentaprime UK, this is all determined during the in-depth initial examination and computer tomography scan.

What are the advantages of fixed teeth?

• Natural appearance
• Great comfort
• Confidence
• No wobbly dentures
• Fixed long-term solution

Having a fixed full set of teeth over dental implants is the best solution for people who have lost most or all of their teeth. Once placed, they cannot be removed and most importantly they don’t move around in your mouth. It is a permanent solution that looks and serves as your own natural teeth. The best part about that – you are able to choose the colour and shape of the teeth – from a pearly white Hollywood smile to a more natural-looking one. Nevertheless, it is not only about the aesthetics, but also about the functionality and the quality of life, and most importantly – about the experience when it comes to consuming your favourite food.

Regular dentures, on the other hand, have many disadvantages when it comes to long-term functionality. They need to be glued and can fall at any time which could result in awkward situations. There is always the feeling of having a foreign object in your mouth, which is uncomfortable and may lead to a gag reflex. Moreover, a denture that covers the upper palate is more likely to result in loss of taste as the palate plays a role in taste and smell. And last but not least, removable dentures can force you to give up on healthy crunchy foods as well as on commonly preferred meals such as juicy steaks. Limiting your food choices can then have a negative effect on your digestion and confidence.

Are there any disadvantages to fixed teeth in a day?

Thanks to our flawless diagnostic methods, high-quality materials and fully digital procedures, the success rate of dental implant restorations at Dentaprime is 98.5% (above the industry’s average), so failures tend to apply to isolated situations. Such are cases of bone loss that is too severe, where despite performing bone augmentation procedures the risk of implant failure is still too great and dental practices would need to recommend alternative options.

Some medical conditions may also pose an elevated implant failure risk. Below you can find some illnesses that may prevent you from having dental implants:

• Fibromyalgia – this disorder is characterised by pain in the muscles and bones, that is believed to affect the way our brain processes pain signals
• Sarcoidosis – due to the nature of the medicines prescribed for this autoimmune disease (corticosteroids and immunosuppressants)
• Sleep apnea – patients with such disorders can only be treated under full sedation with an anesthesiologist present

How much do fixed teeth in a day cost?

Let’s be honest – the UK isn’t famous for having the most economical dental implantation options. The average cost for a full-mouth restoration varies between £14,000-£18,000. Still, on a global scale data from Statista shows that we aren’t the most expensive country to get implants done (for example in the US implant packages cost about 30,000 USD).

Fortunately, Dentaprime UK is 70% more affordable than other clinics offering the same treatment in the UK. Standardly, a package for full-mouth restoration, i.e. for completely toothless patients, would include:

• 6 implants in the upper jaw
• 4 in the lower jaw
• Immediate non-removable bridge for each jaw placed over the implants
• All needed medications and surgical materials for the treatment and healing period
• Two bridge renewals (for the upper and lower jaw)
• Teeth extraction if needed and medically recommended

There is also a common practice for clinics abroad to opt for individual pricing of the elements that constitute a full jaw restoration – i.e offer separate pricing for implants, then add on top for additional fees for crowns, bridges, abutments, surgical materials. Fortunately, in Dentaprime UK you get a comprehensive price package that includes all of the above.

See below a brief price comparison to get a better understanding of pricing for dental implant treatments in Europe:

NB: Dentaprime UK works with comprehensive package prices for full-mouth dental solutions that include not only the implants but also the restorations mounted over them.

Having Fixed teeth done abroad (dental tourism)

Be it Turkey, Poland or Hungary, practices abroad are united by common features. Despite having budget-friendly options at home, there are still lots who chose to embark on the adventure of having fixed teeth done abroad, tempted by the cheap offers online. After all, a one week all-inclusive in a famous resort in Turkey combined with the idea of going back home with a new smile sounds like a great plan in theory.

How do they manage to offer low-priced dental solutions? Firstly, you can’t really expect to get a final price over the internet, and you can’t attend a local practice to get full diagnostics in advance. Once you’re there, the price could drastically change and you may be forced to comply just because you have already committed by spending your time, money, and have travelled thousands of miles to a foreign country in the hope of returning with your dream smile.

Oftentimes, the material used for the final restorations in clinics abroad is ceramic fused to metal. That means it would fade away in time and once the gum recedes, the metal colour appears. Allergic reactions are not uncommon either. At Dentaprime UK, however, you have the option for full zirconia restorations, which is so far the best material on the dental market in terms of aesthetics, biocompatibility and durability.

Patients have also reported various drawbacks that they have encountered in having dental implant treatments done abroad such as:

• Competent implantologists are hard to locate and oftentimes unavailable
• Consumer laws are hard to understand in cases of reclamation or medical injury
• Relying on non-medical advice from travel advice platforms (such as Trustpilot)
• In cases of infection, making a claim would be challenging if the procedure has been done abroad

Another important detail to consider is that dentists in the UK are unable to do any work on foreign implants. It is due to the fact that different implant brands have their own pertinent tools and parts required to work on them.

Having your treatment in the UK, on the other hand, allows you to eliminate the exhausting hours of travelling and the stressful complications involved around it, especially during these trying times of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Most importantly, you receive the necessary aftercare check-ups (required every 6 months) in London, UK. You can also have complete diagnostics followed by a non-binding offer in advance. This will allow you to know the full, real and fair costs of your treatment before you start with it.

Dental implants on the NHS

Dental implant restorations are commonly done in private practices and due to their unquestionable superiority to removable dentures, they are more expensive. Occasionally, they could be made available on the NHS. For instance, those who are unable to wear removable teeth due to an illness or past accident that resulted in having their face and teeth permanently injured or knocked out. Such are patients with cases of mouth cancer. If you are unsure whether you are entitled to free NHS dental implant treatment, you can check HERE.

In summary

Opting for a full-mouth restoration is a major life decision and a significant investment. That being said, it requires extensive research for your own peace of mind to make sure you have chosen the right dental practice. After all, it is supposed to be made for life – be it All-on-4 for the lower jaw, All-on-6 for the upper or both. With their high durability and aesthetic appearance, fixed teeth are undoubtedly superior to removable dentures and often look even better than natural teeth. They are the most sustainable solution to tooth loss and could be even completed in 24 hours.

Having your dental implant restoration done right here at Dentaprime UK in London would allow you to save time, money and travelling with anxiety during times of pandemic. Contact us today to get your free online dental consultation and move one step closer to getting back your dream smile.