Full List of Alternative Dental Implant Treatments
As a leading London dental clinic, we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of dental treatments and alternative treatment plans to help each patient receive the care they choose. Even though dental implants are the best option (not just aesthetically) for missing teeth, several other alternative, traditional treatments still exist.
Considering almost 75% of patients in the UK do not have a full set of natural teeth, you’d think there would be a wealth of treatment options to replace them. However, there are only three main types of treatment, which we will explore in detail below:
Dentures (Partial & Complete)
- Cost: from £350-£850
- Durability: 5-7 years
Dentures can replace a single lost tooth up to a full mouth using metal clasps and clips (if you have some natural teeth left) or suction to stay in place.
Although they’re not known to be the most comfortable or reliable, their low cost often makes them the go-to prosthodontic for tooth loss.
There are several different types of dentures, most of which will depend on the tooth loss you’re affected by. Many patients want dentures that don’t cover the root of the mouth (palateless dentures); however, these are not the conventional kind as seen with acrylic dentures.
Combining implants with dentures
Using dental implants, we can create fixed dentures (some versions removable) that hook into three or four dental implants per jaw. These implant-supported dentures are called Implant-Retained Dentures or All-on-Four, which do not cover the palate and offer the least degree of movement.
Dental Bridges
- Cost: from £695
- Durability: Up to 10 years
A dental bridge might be a good treatment solution if you have more than one missing tooth in a row. The prosthetic requires an anchor tooth on either side of your gap to quite literally bridge it. However, even this tried-and-tested traditional tooth replacement system has limitations and drawbacks.
For example, neighbouring teeth must have a crown placed, which alters the structure of otherwise healthy adjacent teeth, weakening overall oral health.
At the same time, just like dentures, dental bridges do nothing to support the underlying bone, which depletes the bone in the jaw and might cause some facial sagging. That said, the bonus of dental bridges is that they prevent teeth from shifting and moving out of place.
Combining implants with dental bridges
To save money on dental reconstruction, you might want to explore the advanced versions of dental bridges. Dentistry has combined the strength and stability of dental implants with traditional bridge placement to create implant-supported bridges. For example, using two implants, we can replace up to three missing teeth and simultaneously provide essential support for the jawbone.
Dental Implants
- Cost: from £2,950
- Durability: 30+ years
Dental implants are the best option for replacing teeth. They act like artificial tooth roots and thus mimic the actions of a natural tooth, unlike any other type of prosthetic available in today’s dentistry.
Unsure about how many dental implants you’ll need? To replace a single missing tooth, you’ll need one dental implant. The two missing teeth can replaced using one. For example, three to five missing teeth can be replaced using two implants, and five or more missing teeth in a row would likely require three to six implants. Learn more about dental implants.
Affordable dental finance on all treatments over £995.00
