Dental implants have a reputation for being complicated, but the idea behind them is refreshingly simple. If you are missing a tooth — or several — an implant is one of the most natural-feeling ways to replace it. Here, Dr Chris Young, co-owner and principal dentist at East Park Dental in Northampton, explains what an implant actually is and who tends to be a good candidate.
“An implant is a very small titanium screw,” says Chris. “We place it into the jawbone and close the gum over the top of it. That, fundamentally, is an implant.” In other words, the implant itself is not the tooth you see — it is the new root, sitting securely in the bone where the old root used to be.
Titanium is used because the bone naturally bonds to it over the following weeks, giving a stable, long-lasting foundation. Once that has happened, the implant is ready to do its job.
This is where the implant becomes a tooth again. On top of that little titanium root, we can fit:
So a single-tooth gap and a larger space are both solved by the same basic idea — the difference is simply what we attach on top.
More people than you might expect. “Pretty much anyone can be a good candidate,” Chris explains. “There are certain situations that are more straightforward than others, but realistically around 90% of people can have an implant.”
The remaining question is usually not whether you can have one, but how we get there. For more complex cases — for example, where there was previously a large infection or gum disease around the original tooth — a little extra bone may be built up around the implant first. “For more complicated cases, it generally just takes a bit longer,” says Chris. “They can still have the implant.”
The only way to know for certain is an assessment, where we look at the tooth, the gum and the bone beneath it.
At a high level, implant treatment runs like this:
You can see the full detail on our dental implants in Northampton page, and if cost is on your mind, our companion guide explains what dental implants cost and how the price is built up.
Whether it is a single missing tooth or a larger gap that has been bothering you for years, the best first step is a conversation. Book a consultation with East Park Dental in Northampton and we will tell you honestly whether an implant is the right option for you.
An implant is a small titanium screw placed into the jawbone to act as a new tooth root. Once the bone has bonded to it, a crown, bridge or denture is fitted on top to replace the visible tooth.
Around 90% of people are suitable. Some situations are more straightforward than others, and occasionally a little extra bone is built up first, but the majority of patients can have an implant. An assessment is the only way to know for certain.
Yes. A single implant with a crown replaces one tooth, while bridges and implant-secured dentures can replace several teeth using a small number of implants.
It varies by case, largely because of the healing period while the bone bonds to the implant. More complex cases simply take a little longer, but the treatment itself follows the same clear stages.
Yes. The crown or restoration on top is matched to your other teeth so that, once fitted, it looks and functions like a natural tooth.
