FAQs

A dental implant is a metal rod (usually made from titanium) that is securely fixed into your jaw bone. At the Manchester Implant Clinic, we will then attach a false tooth, such as a crown or a bridge, to the implant so that it is held securely in place. Whether or not you can have dental implants usually depends upon the quality and depth of the jaw bone in that area of the mouth. It must be deep and strong enough to support the drilling and to hold the titanium rod in place securely.

During the treatment, we will drill into your jaw bone and embed a titanium rod into the newly created hole. Depending on your requirements, we will then either fit a cap or a bridge over the rod. On occasions, it may also be necessary to extract some teeth during the treatment, if your dentist needs to create more space for the implant or if decay has begun to spread to the neighbouring teeth.

Dental implant treatment at the Manchester Implant Clinic usually involves a number of visits over a certain period of time. As the treatment requires a significant amount of drilling into the bone structure underneath the gum, you may find that your gums are sore, swollen and tender for a few days afterwards. You may also have some bruising to the jaw, which leaves that area also feeling sensitive. Normally, any post-operative pain can be managed simply by taking over-the-counter painkillers.

If you are nervous about visiting a dentist, we will talk to you about it before you commit to receiving the treatment you need. Visiting a dentist can be a nerve-wracking experience, but we endeavour to make it as comfortable as possible. First of all, we will make sure that you come in for a full consultation and get to the team at the Manchester Implant Clinic. We have lots of experience of treating nervous patients, whether that is by working with them to allay their fears or exploring other options, such as pain-free dental techniques and sedation. So we’re confident we’ll find a solution for you.

For an average treatment that does not include any complicated procedures, we will normally require that you make at least three visits to the Manchester Implant Clinic. The first visit will usually involve an evaluation and consultation, so that your dentist can take scans and x-rays and ascertain whether implants are right for you. The second visit will be to embed the titanium rod and the third and final visit will be to fit the crown and check that the treatment has progressed successfully.

As we mentioned above, any patient who is seriously thinking about dental implants should have an initial consultation with their dentist. At Manchester Implant Clinic, we will use this evaluation to look at your teeth, talk to you about your expectations and make a recommendation on the most appropriate type of product. Of course, it is important that you do your own research too, so that you can come to the evaluation fully informed.

Dental implants should last as long as your natural teeth – which, if you look after them correctly, should last you a lifetime. You should look after your implants in the same way that you look after your natural teeth. Regular brushing with a flouride toothpaste is important. We also recommend that you floss regularly, to remove any food debris and plaque that can get trapped around the base of the implant and the gums.

The initial cost of implants can seem expensive. However, we offer payment plans that can help to make procedures like this more affordable. At The Manchester Implant Clinic, we will provide you with a thorough cost outline after your initial consultation and explain different payment options. Don’t forget that replacing missing teeth can also help you to avoid even more costly dental work in the future too, so most patients eventually look back on their implants as a good investment.

A mini-dental implant is a gentler implant technique that is usually reserved for older people or for replacing ‘low impact’ teeth on the lower jaw. Mini-dental implants still use a titanium rod which is embedded into the jaw; however, it is much smaller, much easier to fit and is a much faster procedure than a full implant. It is important to remember that mini-implants are not right for everyone. When you visit us for your evaluation, we will discuss every option with you in detail.

A CT Scan is the latest technology that we have invested in at the Manchester Implant Clinic. It a type of scan that provides a 3-dimensional image for your dentist to view on a computer screen. This allows us to determine whether your jaw has enough bone in it to support an implant (or a number of implants if required). It also allows us to look for any other anomalies which can affect the success of the treatment, but which may have gone unnoticed if your dentist was limited to simply looking at x-ray.

A CT Scan should not be painful at all. The scan itself will usually only last for around 15 minutes as only your head needs to be scanned. We will monitor you and, although you may wish to have a friend on hand to accompany you home, it is not essential that someone else is there.

Research done into the dangers of radiation from a CT scan has shown that there is little radiation. In fact, the radiation that most people receive from a CT scan is about the same as the amount of radiation we would absorb naturally from the world around us, over a three month period. Of course, our radiographers are all highly skilled and follow policies and procedures required to the letter. Wherever possible, we stay abreast of developments and constantly look for ways to improve the quality of our treatments and the wellbeing of our customers.

Not all dental implants are the same. Some can be done as a relatively straightforward procedure, using just local anaesthetic. Alternatively, if you require implants as part of a broader programme of dentistry (for example, as part of restorative work after a trauma), a general anaesthetic may be required. If you are nervous about having an anaesthetic, make sure you raise the issue with your dentist during your initial consultation. At the Manchester Implant Clinic, we can outline some alternative approaches to treatment, so that you can feel comfortable moving forward.

Some patients who require a dental implant may not have a deep enough pocket of bone under their gum to hold the implant securely in place. On these occasions, your dentist may consider a bone graft. This is a procedure whereby bone is taken from another areas, for example the chin, lower jaw or hip, and grafted over the required area. Dr. Kailesh Solanki, who leads the team at the Manchester Implant Clinic, is highly experienced in bone grafting techniques.

At the Manchester Implant, we are fully equipped to meet all your needs, even involving the more complicated treatment plans. A sinus lift, also known as a sinus augmentation, is specifically required when teeth are missing at the back and top of the mouth. On these occasions, the implant would not be embedded into the jawbone, but instead it would be embedded into the sinus bone. For this to be achieved the sinus bone needs to be the right height and new bone may need to be created.