Pennington Dental

Implants Single tooth

One missing tooth — the best way to replace it

A single missing tooth might seem like a minor issue, especially if it is not immediately visible when you smile. But left untreated, the consequences are more significant than most patients realise. Adjacent teeth drift into the gap over time, altering your bite and making both teeth more difficult to clean. The jawbone beneath the gap begins to resorb, to shrink, due to the absence of the stimulation provided by a tooth root. Many patients find that even a single gap affects their confidence in ways they did not anticipate.

A single tooth implant is the closest that modern dentistry has to replacing a natural tooth, and it addresses all of these issues.

Why not a bridge?

A dental bridge is a common alternative to an implant for replacing a single tooth. It works by grinding down the two adjacent teeth to serve as anchor points for a three-unit ceramic bridge that spans the gap. For patients whose adjacent teeth already have substantial restorations or are otherwise compromised, a bridge can be entirely appropriate.

However, if the adjacent teeth are healthy, grinding them down for the sole purpose of supporting a bridge is a significant and irreversible step. An implant avoids this entirely, it replaces the missing tooth independently, leaving the adjacent teeth completely untouched.

Bridges also cannot address bone resorption beneath the gap, and they typically need to be replaced after 10 to 15 years as wear and gum recession occur. A well-placed implant, by contrast, preserves bone, is not dependent on adjacent teeth, and is designed to last 15 to 20 years or more — often considerably longer.

The single implant procedure at Pennington Dental

The process begins with a detailed consultation and diagnostic imaging with our Implant dentist Dr Jesal who works out of Pennington Dental Stratford and has been focusing on implant dentistry for the last 16 years. He will use X-rays and, where the case warrants it, imaging with CBCT, ac one beam scan to assess the volume and quality of bone at the implant site. This information is essential for planning an accurate placement.

The placement procedure takes approximately 45 minutes and is completed under local anaesthetic. The titanium implant fixture is placed into the bone and covered while it heals. Over the following three to six months, osseointegration occurs, the bone grows around and bonds with the titanium, creating the stable anchor that makes implants so effective.

Once healing is confirmed, a ceramic crown is fabricated and attached. The crown is matched precisely to your surrounding teeth in size, shape, and colour. The final result is indistinguishable from a natural tooth in both appearance and function.

Cost of a single tooth implant

Single dental implant treatment at Pennington Dental starts at £3,000. This includes the implant fixture, abutment, and ceramic crown. Finance options are available to spread the cost. If bone grafting is required at the implant site, which is sometimes necessary when there has been bone resorption following a previous extraction, this is an additional cost that will be discussed at your consultation.

Is it worth it?

Implants are the most expensive option for replacing a missing tooth. They are also, for most patients in the right circumstances, the most worthwhile. A bridge requires sacrificing healthy adjacent teeth and will need replacing. Partial dentures are often uncomfortable and affect confidence. An implant functions like a natural tooth, protects the bone, leaves surrounding teeth intact, and is designed to last decades. Most patients who have implants tell us they wish they had done it sooner.

Ready to get started?

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