Implants are small devices which are, in effect, false tooth roots. Made out of titanium metal, they are placed gently into the jaw bone and left in place until they bond with the bone.

This creates a strong and permanent support for replacement teeth, which are hand-made by a specialist technician in a dental laboratory and specifically shaped and coloured to provide a perfect match to your other teeth.

Implants require specialist skills and knowledge to fit them and to see you through the process, and require a higher degree of commitment than some procedures, but the results are very definitely worth it.

The commitment is necessary because it takes time for them to bond with your jaw bone, usually about three to six months, and you may be limited to eating softer foods during this time.

But the rewards far outweigh this – your new teeth are just as strong and look as natural as your own teeth. The implant helps to prevent your jaw bone from shrinking back, something which often results in the “sunk-in” look so often associated with denture wearers. Even if you are having implants to hold dentures in place, they can still help to prevent bone shrinkage, and they make it far easier to eat and speak because they hold your dentures in place so firmly.