- 223 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8XH
- 020 7928 5844
- 223 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8XH
Dental implants · Waterloo, SE1
Been told your jawbone is too thin for an implant? It happens more often than you might think, and it does not always rule implants out. Here is why bone shrinks, how our own 3D CBCT scanner shows it, and what your options are.
The bone around a tooth is kept in shape by the everyday forces of biting, passed down through the root. When a tooth is taken out, that stimulation stops and the ridge of bone gradually becomes narrower and lower. The change is usually quickest in the first months after an extraction, and you cannot feel it happening, which is why many people only find out when they ask about an implant.
A gap you have had for several years has usually lost more bone than a recent one.
Long-standing gum disease can wear away the bone that supports teeth, sometimes before they are even lost.
A denture resting on the gum does not stimulate the bone underneath, so the ridge can flatten over time.
The sinus sits just above the roots of the upper back teeth. Once those teeth are gone, the bone below the sinus can become quite shallow.
Left: a shrunken ridge too narrow to hold an implant. Centre: graft material added and left to heal into firm bone. Right: an implant, abutment and crown in place in the rebuilt ridge. Illustration only.
An ordinary dental X-ray is flat. It can show how tall the bone is, but not how wide the ridge is from cheek to tongue. A cone beam CT (CBCT) scan builds a three-dimensional picture of your jaw, so Dr Anti can measure the bone in every direction and see nearby structures such as the nerve in the lower jaw and the sinus above the upper back teeth.
We have our own CBCT scanner at 223 Waterloo Road, so the scan (from £90) can often be taken at the same visit as your consultation. That means one trip instead of two, which helps if you are fitting appointments around work or lectures.
"Bone grafting" is an umbrella term. Which approach might be discussed depends on where the bone is missing and how much is needed.
When a tooth is removed, graft material may be placed in the empty socket to help limit shrinkage, keeping the option of an implant open later.
Where the ridge has already become thin or low, material can be added to the outside of the bone to build up its width or height before, or at the same time as, an implant.
For upper back teeth, the floor of the sinus can be gently raised and bone material added underneath, creating more height for an implant.
Not every case needs a graft, and not every type of graft is carried out at our practice. If extra bone is needed, we explain the options, which may include grafting, and include it in your written quote. Where a procedure would need to be arranged elsewhere, we tell you and explain why.
| How it works | Worth knowing | |
|---|---|---|
| Angled implants (All-on-4) | For a full arch, four implants are angled to use the firmer bone that remains | Can sometimes avoid grafting; from £6,495 per arch |
| Bridge | A fixed tooth held by the teeth either side of the gap | No surgery, but neighbouring teeth are usually shaped; from £725 per unit |
| Denture | A removable plate with one or more teeth | Simplest option; from £350 (acrylic) or £1,000 (chrome) |
A bridge or denture does not replace the root, so it will not stop the bone shrinking further. We will talk through the trade-offs honestly so you can choose what suits your life.
Meet Dr Anti, see our dental implant options or check implant costs.
It is done under local anaesthetic, so you should not feel pain during the procedure. Afterwards, swelling and soreness for a few days is common and is usually managed with everyday painkillers. Sedation is not offered at our practice.
Grafts can use your own bone, specially processed bone from a donor or animal source, or a synthetic material. Your dentist will explain which type is being suggested and why.
Many people do, especially after a smaller graft. If you can, book the treatment before a quieter day or a weekend so you can take it easy.
Not necessarily. Some people still have plenty of bone after many years. The only way to know is to measure it, which is what the CBCT scan is for.
It depends on the type and amount of grafting. We do not quote a figure until we have seen your scan, and any grafting appears as its own line on your written quote. 0% finance through Tabeo is available on many treatments, subject to status.
Related: Dental implants · Single implants · All-on-4 · Implant costs · Crowns, bridges and dentures · All fees
Book a £75 implant consultation, taken off your fee if you go ahead, with a CBCT scan in our own practice at 223 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8XH, near Waterloo station.