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How much do dental implants cost?
Now, we all know the UK isn’t known for the cheapest dental implants in Europe. What is worse, dental implants are not on NHS bands and only in very few exceptional cases, you could get financial support from the government. Fortunately, there are still places in London where you can get affordable dental implants and fair financing options for fixed teeth.
Dental implants are the best and most sensible solution for tooth loss. They can be used to permanently substitute one or free teeth or an entirely toothless jaw. Dental implants are a long-term solution as opposed to dentures. They can last for a lifetime with proper care, as they are permanently fused with the jawbone.
On the other hand, removable dentures are short term and although affordable, you would need to keep reinvesting in a new pair as they are subject to wear and tear. Probably the worse consequence of relying on removable dentures for a solution to tooth loss (apart from causing gag reflex and slipping around in your mouth) they do not prevent bone loss.
The bone loss process starts when we lose a tooth. Since there is no longer a root attached to the jaw bone, the bone underneath the gum starts melting. The body sees no purpose for the bone there any longer, so it starts resorbing it. This results in massive changes in the way you look (see the figure below).
Apart from the visible effect of bone resorption, they have a financial impact as well.
The longer you stay with wobbly dentures, the more bone graft you may need later to provide a stable foundation for the implants. As you know dental implants need to be fused firmly into the jawbone to make sure they do not fail in time. If the bone is not strong enough, there is a significant chance that in time the dental implants may fail.
They are nevertheless an affordable solution if you are unable to get implants.
On average dental implants cost between £20,000- £40,000, unless you turn to a local practice like Dentaprime F3T in Stratford, London. The price starts from £6,990 for full mouth implants.
Home care after dental implant surgery
If you’re looking to have a smooth recovery after your dental implant surgery, have a look at our home care instructions after dental implant surgery.
Dental implant treatments are quite straightforward and rarely have any complications since dental implants have over 98,5 % success rate at Dentaprime. Still, this oral intervention is a type of surgery and you need to plan well to ensure your fastest recovery.
If you are still planning to fly abroad for dental implant treatment and look for cheap implants in Turkey, for example, you need to know that dental holidays are not exactly what you would expect.
You will likely experience mild aches and soreness, even visible bruising. These symptoms last differently for each person, still, on average it is up to 4 days. Although it is more discomfort rather than acute pain, I’m sure you wouldn’t necessarily like to stroll around looking like a ripe eggplant in the face.
After a sinus lift dental procedure some patients may notice bruising around the sinuses which is a normal post-operative reaction.
A typical dental implants surgery involves the following process:
- Digital diagnostics and tomography
- Professional teeth cleaning
- Tooth extractions if needed (note that at Dentaprime we do not extract teeth that can be treated and saved, we only do it if medically indicated)
- Bone grafting/ Sinus lift (if needed)
- Full mouth dental implantation – placing 6 implants in the upper jaw and 4 implants in the lower jaw
- Placing a temporary bridge over the dental implants
Keep in mind that there will be an adaptation period, which is strictly individual. So the full-mouth implant healing time varies between 4 days and 4 weeks (unless bone grafting is involved) Given that you will also have trouble pronouncing some words, I’d imagine being as close as possible to home would sound like a good idea. You wouldn’t have to stall in airport lines, deal with the nightmare of checking in luggage and God forbid you’d need to talk to someone about your lost luggage.
So, even if you are at your dream destination with warm nice weather, an infinity pool and an all-inclusive buffet, your condition may not allow you to take advantage of all the amenities that dental tourism offers. After all, you’d want to recover as quickly as possible, so a nice comfy hotel room near the clinic should be good enough. Of course, not forgetting the bag of painkillers and aftercare instructions that the dental clinic should give you.
What to eat after dental implant surgery
Getting back to your old routine may be a challenge especially after taking such an important step towards improved oral and overall health. During the first couple of weeks, dental implants may still hurt, so you may have to stick to a liquidised diet to make sure you avoid pain and discomfort.
However, you shouldn’t neglect your macros! Make sure you have nutritious enough meals that contain enough protein, carbs, fibre and fats to make sure that you still have a diet that is good enough despite the limited food choices.
During the first week after the dental implant surgery, your mouth and gums will be especially sensitive, so you need to be very careful with what you eat. After all, you will need to learn how to chew properly with your new teeth. It is better if you first stick to soft and liquid foods (like soup).
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We all know that protein helps the body to heal faster, and it’s no different with your implants. So, if you’re looking for what to eat after dental implant surgery, here are a couple of prime protein examples that will help you get soft and nutritious food choices:
- Chopped soft chicken
- Scrambled eggs
- Chopped tofu (pro tip you can marinate it and throw it in the pan for a few minutes)
- Soft fish
Important: Avoid if possible hard foods at the beginning or at least make sure you finely chop foods like apples or nuts to avoid pain with your freshly implanted teeth.
I wouldn’t recommend dairy products either as they could trigger an inflammatory reaction in the gums.
Milk and milk products could also make you nauseous. What is worse, it can affect the pH balance in your oral cavity and raising the acidity levels can cause your implants to fail.
How to clean your dental implants at home
Nowadays, there’s a multitude of dental implant cleaning tools available to ensure proper oral hygiene and avoid implant failure due to infection.
The best part of your dental implant maintenance process is that you just have to treat them as natural teeth. Dental implants are so easy to look after, you just need to follow a few simple steps:
- Clean thoroughly with a toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste
- Rinse with non-alcoholic mouthwash once or twice a day (if you need the best mouthwash after dental implants check in with the dental implant community)
- Use an electric water flosser such as Waterpik to clean the implants thoroughly
- Clean with a small interdental brush under the bridge units
- Don’t forget to wear your custom-made mouthguard
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How do I know if my dental implant is healing correctly?
To make sure you avoid any complications after dental implant surgery, we always advise you to plan some time off and take it easy. Do not take lightly this dental procedure – as straightforward as it may be – it is, in essence, a type of surgery. Follow your dentists’ recommendations, take your prescribed painkillers and follow the aftercare instructions provided by the dental clinic.
As a rule of thumb, in about a couple of weeks, your implants should be fully healed. You should feel minor discomfort and pain, but nothing that standard painkillers can not manage.
If you to spot early dental implant infection at home, for instance, here are 4 dental implant failure signs you should look out for:
- Loose implants
- Pus coming around the dental implant
- Gum recession
- Allergic reactions
If you notice any of these, contact the dental implant clinic immediately. Even if you may think that it’s a false alarm, it’s better to check in with the doctor rather than wait for the problem to worsen.
Bringing it all together
Ultimately, any professional dental clinic should aim to make your dental implant recovery fast and with a minimal amount of pain. You should not try to treat a dental implant infection at home unless the symptoms are mild and your dentist has given you the green light. As a key takeaway, if I have to give you only one piece of advice – plan ahead and take it easy. Give your body the rest it needs and don’t overpack your schedule, because you will definitely not be up for it -trust me. Trust your dentist as well, and follow strictly the prescribed aftercare medications and process and your dental implant recovery will be smooth and quick.
